GB2563145A

GB2563145A - A control unit and a method for controlling a heating and/or air-conditioning unit so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate

Info

Publication number: GB2563145A
Application number: GB1806869.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stamboliev Stilyan
Original assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Current assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Priority date: 2017-06-02
Filing date: 2018-04-26
Publication date: 2018-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2038-04-26
Also published as: DE102017209418A1; GB2563145B; GB201806869D0; DE102017209418B4

Abstract

A control unit (SE) for a heating and/or air-conditioning unit of a vehicle to assist in the closing of a vehicle door or tailgate wherein the controller is arranged to activate (UL_on) a recirculating air mode of the HVAC system based on the opening of the vehicle doors (ZI_Tx) and operating information of the HVAC system (ZI_G, ZI_DEF). The control unit may also use information based on the performance of a fan of the HVAC system, and activate the recirculation mode in response to the fan performance being above a defined threshold as well as a door being open. The control unit may also measure the vehicle speed (v) or detect the use of a defrost function or a demist function (BV). The controller may also be arranged to return (UL_off/NM) the HVAC to a normal operation mode based on a time period (t) since a door or tailgate was closed, door locking or other conditions.

Description

A control unit and a met hod for controlling a heating and/or air-conditioning unit so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate [0001] The invention relates to a control unit for a heating and/or air-conditioning unit of a vehicle so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate, and to a corresponding tret hod.

[0002] Heating and/or air-conditioning units in vehicles are used for conditioning of the air in the interior space. Depending on the design of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit, the terrperature control of the interior space (heating or cooling) can be performed manually or automatically in accordance with the wishes of the vehicle occupants. In order to (quickly) control the temperature of the interior space and in order to distribute ai r i n the vehicle, one or more fans is/are usually provided, and is/are operated according to requirements. Wien ai r condi t i oni ng is in operation or when a fan is running, an (increased) air pressure is built up i n the event of fresh air mode, in which case fresh air is conveyed i nt o the vehicle i nt er i or f r om out si de t he vehicle. This air pressure in the vehicle interior can, in some cases, make it difficult to close the last vehicle opening that is still to be closed (for example a vehicle door or a vehicle tailgate, which in the opened state creates a direct connection between the vehicle interior and the external environment).

[0003] Document DE 10 2014 226 530 A1 already discloses a method for pressure compensation when closing a vehicle door, in which any provided air inlet openings of the vehicle are opened when it is identified that the vehicle is in a stationary mode or i n a parking mode, and an open, or the closing of an open vehicle door or vehicle tailgate, is identified. In addition to the opening of the air i nl et opens ngs, a fan provi ded can be control I ed I n such a way that a flow of air is conveyed outwardly from the vehicle interior through an air inlet opening. A method of this kind Sends itself more especially when the vehicle is, or is going to be par ked.

[0004] An ai m of the present invention is to provide a devi ce and a corresponds ng method for control I i ng a heating and/or air-conditioning unit of a vehicle so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate, which device and method more especialiy are suitable for operating situations in whi ch the vehicle and/or the heating and/or air-conditioning system are/is (still) in oper at i on.

[0005] This ai m i s addressed in accordance with the present invention by a control unit according to cl ai m 1 and a method according to claim 8. Advantageous further features or process steps are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0006] The present invention is based on the knowledge that, during operation of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit, more especially during operation of the fan of the heating and/or air - condi tioning unit in the case of fresh air mode, an i ncreased ai r pressure bui I ds up or can bui I d up in the vehicle. In principle, this rise in pressure i s not per cept i bl e, or is har di y per cept i bl e to t he vehicle occupants. However, this rise in pressure can mean that it is more difficult to close the last vehicle door to be closed, or a vehicle tailgate when all the doors have already been closed, owing to the fact that a direct connection exists between the vehicle interior and the external environment of the vehicle at this stage. This problemcan be obviated by ensuring that fresh ai r is no i onger conveyed i nt o the vehi cl e i nteri or at least during the process of closing the last open vehicle door /1 ai I gat e.

[ 0007] To t hi s end, it is pr ovi ded in accordance wi t h the present invention to design a control unit for a heating and/or air-conditioning unit of a vehicle for facilitating the closing of a vehicle opening, more especially a vehicle door or a vehicle tailgate, so as to activate a recirculating air rrode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit based on information relating to a vehicle door or a vehicle tailgate (more especially state information thereof) and based on operating information relating to the heating and/or airconditioning unit of the vehicle.

- 4 [0008] Similarly to a device according to the present invention, a method according to the present invention for controlling a heating and/or airconditioning unit of a vehicle so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate is characterised by the following steps:

detecting information relating to a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate (more especially state information thereof), det ect i ng ope rat i ng i nf or mat i on r el at i ng to the heating and/or air-conditioning unit of t he vehi cl e, activating a recirculating air mode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit based on the detected information relating to a vehi cl e door and/or a vehi cl e tai I gate ( more especially state information thereof) and the detected operating information relating to the heating and/or air-conditioning unit of t he vehi c! e.

[0009] Advantageous features of a control unit in accordance with the present invention also apply to a method in accordance with the present invention.

[0010] Pr esent - st at e information relating to a provi ded fan of the heat i ng and/or air - condi t i oni ng unit can be detected and/or evaluated within the sense of operating information of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit of the vehicle. IVbre especi al I y, it is pos si bl e t o eval uat e, as presentstate information, whether the fan is switched on or switched off, which fan level is active and/or the power at which the fan is operated. If a piuraiity of fans is provided, this pr esent - st at e information can be detected and evaluated overall, or individually for each fan.

[0011] If pr esent - st at e information relating to a provided fan is defected and/or evaluated, the control unit can advantageously be designed to activate the recirculating air mode when it is identified that a door and/or a tailgate of a vehicle is being opened or is open and a variable (for example power, fan level, etc.) correlating with the fan performance is greater than a predefined fan performance threshold. The fan performance threshold can in turn be predefined in a fixed manner or i n a variable manner depending on evaluated information (for example which (of the) vehicle door s/t ai I gat e is/are open). The recirculating air mode can also be activated only if it is identified that just one vehicle opening

(door or	tai I gat e, whi ch	creat es	a di rect
connect i on	to the vehicle interior) is	still	open
and the	var i abi e cor r el at i	ng wi t h	t he	fan
per f or nance	is gr eat er t han	a pr edef i ned	fan
per f or nance	t hr es hoi d.

[0012] In a further advantageous embodiment, the control unit can be designed to evaluate further information with regard to whether a change from fresh air mode or whether activation of recirculating air node appears to be necessary in order to facilitate the closing of a door or a tailgate or the last vehicle door/t ai I gat e to be closed, fvbre especially, the control unit for this purpose can be designed to activate the recirculating air rrode based on information relating to the vehicle speed and/or pr esent - st at e information relating to a so-called known defrost function for derri sting or de-icing the windows as f ur t her i nf or mat i on.

[0013] For example, it can be provided that the control unit activates the recirculating air mode when it is identified that a door and/or a tailgate (of at least one or precisely one door or tailgate) of the vehicle is being opened or is open, a variable correlating with the fan performance is greater than a predefined fan performance threshold, and the vehicle speed is lower than a predefined (variable) first speed threshold (very low speed, for example approximately 3 krrih). If the pr esent - st at e information relating to the defrost function is detected and evaluated, the control unit can also be designed to activate the recirculating air mode when it is identified that a door and/or a tailgate of the vehicle is being opened or is open, a variable correlating with the fan performance is greater than a predefined fan performance threshold, and the defrost function is inactive. Wth evaluation of two of the above further items of information, the control unit can aiso be designed to activate the recirculating air mode when it is identified that a door and/or tailgate of the vehicle is being opened or is open, a variable correlating with the fan performance is greater than a predefined fan performance threshold, the vehicle speed is lower than a predefined (variable) first speed threshold, and the defrost function is inactive. By means of an evaluation of this kind, it can be ensured that the recirculating air function, in order to increase comfort and so as to facilitate the closing of the last vehicle door/t ai I gat e, is activated only when there are no other disadvantages for the vehicle occupant s.

[0014] So as to be able to ensure that the recirculating air mode is activated only t errpor ar i I y, the control unit is designed in a further advantageous errbodi ment to deactivate the recirculating air mode activated so as to facilitate the closing of the last vehicle door/t ai S gat e and to change into the original operating mode or a normal operating mode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit if it is determined that at least one of the following condi t i ons i s a met:

a defi ned dead ti me after the cl osi ng of the last vehicle opening (vehicle door or tai I gat e) has el apsed, vehicle speed is greater than a predefined (variable) second speed threshold (for example approximately 7 km/h), which can be i denti cal to or greater than the fi rst speed threshold, and/or the automatic door Socking has been actuated, (manual ) activation of the defrost f unct i on, and/ or preconditions with regard to the automatic activation of demisting measures are met.

[0015] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is shown i n t he drawing by way of example, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 shows a structure in accordance with the present invention of a control unit for a heating and/or air-conditioning unit of a vehicle so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/ or tail gat e, [0017] Figure 2 shows a simplified flowchart for a method in accordance with the present invention.

[0018] In detail, Figure 1 shows, as the central el ement of a devi ce for control I i ng a heat i ng and/or air-conditioning unit so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate in a motor vehicle (not shown here), a control unit SE, which receives the following input signals:

pr esent - st at e information with regard to the opening state (open or closed) of the vehi ci e doors ZI_Tx, a pr esent - st at e variable ZI_G correlating with the fan performance of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit, speed si gnai v, pr esent - st at e information with regard to the pr esent - st at e (on or off) of a provided defrost function ZI_DEF, pr esent - st at e information with regard to the pr esent - st at e (unlocked or locked) of an automatic door locking unit ZI_ZV, timer signal t, wherein the timer t is st art ed when a! I doors are ci osed agai n wi t h activated recirculating air mode UL_on, and information regarding whether demisting measures need to be taken BV.

[0019] In detai I , the controi unit SE evaluates the provided signals as follows: if it is identified that at least one vehicle door is being opened or is open (evaluation of the signal ZI_Tx), the variable ZI_G correlating with the fan performance exceeds a predefined fan performance threshold, and optionally the vehicle speed v is I ower than a predefi ned fi rst speed threshol d and/or the defrost function is inactive (evaluation of the signal ZI_DEF), the control unit SE sends a signal UL_on to prompt activation of a known recirculating air function, so as to thus prevent pressure from building up in the vehicle in fresh air mode as a result of the externa! air flowing in, [0020] In order to deactivate the recirculating air function and return to the original operating mode (fresh air mode), the control unit SE evaluates the provided signals as follows: if, following activation of the recirculating air function for the above reasons, it is identified that at least one of the following conditions (1)-(4) is met, the control unit SE sends a signal UL_off/NMto prompt the deactivation of the recirculating air function and return to the normal mode (fresh air mode), such that the desired air conditioning can again be i npl ement ed:

(1) a lag time or dead t i me t after the closing of the last door has elapsed, (2) the vehicle speed v is greater than a predefined second speed threshold or the vehicle speed v is greater than a predefi ned second speed threshol d and additionally the automatic door Socking is in the Socked condition (evaluation of the signal ZI_ZV), (3) the defrost function is activated manually (evaluation of the signal ZI_DEF), and/or (4) based on the information provided BV it is determined that demisting measures have to be taken.

[0021] A simplified f I ow chart for a method in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figure 2. In principle, the method starts only when the heating and/or air-conditioning unit is i n t he fresh air operating mode, in which case fresh air is supplied to the vehicle interior.

[0022] Al I relevant signals are first detected in step 100 and queried in order to determine whether at I east one vehi ci e door i s bei ng opened or i s open, the variable ZI - G correlating with the fan performance exceeds a predefined fan power threshold, and optional I y the vehicle speed v is Sower than a predefined first speed threshold and/or the defrost function ZI DEF is inactive.

[0023] If this is the case, a change is made i n t he next step 200 from the current fresh air mode to recirculating air mode. The process then moves to step 300, and it is continuously monitored whether any of the predefined exit conditions is met (in this regard see the description of Figure 1). If one of the exi t condi 11 ons I s met, t he r eci r cui at i ng air function is deactivated again in the next step 400, and a switch is made to the original fresh air mode.

[0024] As a result of the present invention set out herein, the following advantages are provided in a simple and economical way: in recirculating air mode, the cold/warm air is recirculated in the vehicle without the air pressure in the vehicle interior being increased as a result of further fresh air flowing in. A further advantage resulting fromthe switch to recirculating air in the event that a vehicle door is open lies in the energyoptimal air conditioning, since the interior air, which has already been conditioned, does not flow outwardly, and instead is recirculated wi t hi n the vehi cl e.

Claims

Cl ai ms:

1. A control unit (SE) for a heating and/or airconditioning unit of a vehicle so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate, wherein the control unit (SE) is designed to act i vat e ( UL_on) a recirculating air mode of t he heating and/or air-conditioning unit based on information relating to a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate (ZI_Tx) and operating information relating to the heating and/or air-conditioning unit (ZI_G, ZI_DEF) of the vehicle.
2. A control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (SE) is designed to activate ( UL_on) the recirculating air mode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit based on information relating to a fan of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit (ZI_G).
3. A cont roi unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the control unit (SE) is designed to activate ( UL_on) the recirculating air mode if it is identified that a door and/or a tai i gate of the vehicle is being opened or is open and a variable (ZI_G) correlating with the fan performance is greater than a predefined fan performance t hr es hoi d.
4. A cont roi uni t accords ng to any one of the precedi ng claims, wherein the control unit (SE) is designed to activate ( UL_on) the recirculating air mode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit based on at ieast one further information item more especially based on inforrration reiating to the vehi ci e speed (v) and/or inforrration relating to a defrost function (ZI_DEF).
5. A cont r o! uni t accords ng to any one of the precedi ng claims, wherein the controi unit (SE) is designed to activate ( UL_on) the recirculating air rrode if it is identified that a door and/or a tai i gate of the vehicle is being opened or is open, a variable (ZI_G) correlating with the fan performance is greater than a predefined first fan performance threshold, and the vehicle speed (v) is lower than a predefined first speed threshold.

5. A control unit according to cl ai m 5, wherein the control unit (SE) is designed to activate ( UL_on) the recirculating air mode if it is additionally identified that a defrost function is inactive.
7. A cont r ol uni t accords ng to any one of the precedi ng claims, wherein the control unit (SE) is designed to deactivate the activated recirculating air rrode and to change (UL_off/NM| into the original operating mode or a normal operating rrode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit if if is determined that at least one of the following condi t i ons i s met:

a defined dead time (t) after the closing of the last vehicle door or tailgate has elapsed, vehicle speed (v) is greater than a predefined second speed threshold, automatic door locking has been actuated (ZI_ZV), activation of the defrost function (ZI__DEF), and/or preconditions with regard to the automatic activation of derri sting measures are met ( BV).
8. A met hod for controlling a heating and/or airconditioning unit of a vehicle so as to facilitate the closing of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate, conrprising the foil owing steps: detecting information relating to a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate (ZI_Tx), detecting operating information relating to the heat i ng and/ or air - condi t i oni ng uni t of the vehi cl e (ZI_G; ZI_DEF), activating a recirculating air mode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit ( UL_on) based on the detected information of a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate (ZI_Tx) and the detected operating information of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit (ZI_G, ZI_DEF) of the vehicle.
9. A met hod according to claims, further conrprising at I east one or a sel ecti on of the fol I owi ng further st eps:

detecting a variable (ZI_G) correlating with the fan performance in the sense of a detection of operating information of the heating and/or ai rcondi t i oni ng uni t, detecting the vehicle speed (v), detecting information relating to a defrost f unct i on ( Zl_ DEF), activating a recirculating air mode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit ( UL_on) based on the detected information relating to a vehicle door and/or a vehicle tailgate (ZI_Tx), the detected variable (ZI_G) correlating with the fan performance, and the vehicle speed (v) and/or the information relating to the defrost function ( ZI_DEF) .
10, A method according to cl ai m 8 or cl ai m 9, wherein the activated recirculating air mode is deactivated and a switch is made (UL„off/NM into the original operating mode or a normal operating mode of the heating and/or air-conditioning unit if at least one of the following conditions is met:

a defined dead time (t) after the closing of the last vehicle door or tailgate has elapsed, vehicle speed (v) is greater than a predefined second speed threshold, automatic door I ocki ng has been actuated (ZI_ZV), activation of the defrost function (ZI_DEF), and/or preconditions with regard to the automatic activation of demisting measures are met ( BV),