GB2580752A - Vehicle controller and control method - Google Patents

Vehicle controller and control method Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2580752A
GB2580752A GB1916598.4A GB201916598A GB2580752A GB 2580752 A GB2580752 A GB 2580752A GB 201916598 A GB201916598 A GB 201916598A GB 2580752 A GB2580752 A GB 2580752A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
vehicle
vehicle component
fan
fan speed
input indicative
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB1916598.4A
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GB2580752B (en
GB201916598D0 (en
Inventor
Marsden Paul
Balder Scott
Marcos Lages Fernando
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Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
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Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
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Publication date
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Publication of GB201916598D0 publication Critical patent/GB201916598D0/en
Publication of GB2580752A publication Critical patent/GB2580752A/en
Application granted granted Critical
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
    • B60W10/00—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function
    • B60W10/30—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00357—Air-conditioning arrangements specially adapted for particular vehicles
    • B60H1/00385—Air-conditioning arrangements specially adapted for particular vehicles for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00642—Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices
    • 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
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00642—Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices
    • 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
    • B60H1/00757—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 by the input of sound, e.g. by using a voice synthesizer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00642—Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices
    • B60H1/00814—Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation
    • B60H1/00821—Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation the components being ventilating, air admitting or air distributing devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00642—Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices
    • B60H1/00814—Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation
    • B60H1/00821—Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation the components being ventilating, air admitting or air distributing devices
    • B60H1/00828—Ventilators, e.g. speed control
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00642—Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices
    • B60H1/00814—Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation
    • B60H1/00878—Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation the components being temperature regulating devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K11/00—Arrangement in connection with cooling of propulsion units
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R16/00—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for
    • B60R16/02—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric constitutive elements
    • B60R16/037—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric constitutive elements for occupant comfort, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D27/00—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04D27/001—Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D27/00—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04D27/004—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids by varying driving speed
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00507—Details, e.g. mounting arrangements, desaeration devices
    • B60H2001/006—Noise reduction
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2270/00—Control
    • F05D2270/30—Control parameters, e.g. input parameters
    • F05D2270/333—Noise or sound levels
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
    • Y02B30/70—Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Cooling, Air Intake And Gas Exhaust, And Fuel Tank Arrangements In Propulsion Units (AREA)

Abstract

A vehicle controller 10 for controlling the speed of one or more vehicle component fans 24, the vehicle controller being configured to receive an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and receive an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature. The vehicle controller is configured to determine a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature, and to output a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed. The input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level may comprise a current vehicle speed parameter and a vehicle cabin fan speed parameter. The vehicle component may be a battery, and an air flow path from the vehicle cabin to the vehicle component fan may be provided for conveying air from the vehicle cabin to the vehicle component fan and vice versa. The speed of the vehicle component fan may be controlled using pulse width modulation control (PWM).

Description

VEHICLE CONTROLLER AND CONTROL METHOD
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle controller and control method, and particularly, but not exclusively, to a vehicle controller and control method for controlling a vehicle component such as a component fan, for acoustic masking. Aspects of the invention relate to a vehicle controller, a system, a vehicle, a control method, and a computer program.
BACKGROUND
It is known to provide cooling fans for various electrical systems of a vehicle, such as a battery. Such cooling fans may be variably controlled dependent on the amount of cooling required by the electrical systems. When such cooling fans operate at high speed, they may create excessive and potentially unwanted noise, which may be transmitted to the occupants of the vehicle.
It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus, a system, a vehicle, a method, and a computer program as claimed in the appended claims.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle controller for controlling the speed of one or more vehicle component fans, the vehicle controller being configured to: receive an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receive an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determine a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and output a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed. This provides the advantage that improved or optimised noise masking may be provided by modifying the vehicle component fan speed with respect to extant vehicle cabin noise due to vehicle operation.
The input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level may comprise an input indicative of a vehicle operating parameter and an input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter. This provides the advantage that a combination of nose factors due to vehicle operation and vehicle cabin fan operation can be considered when setting a vehicle component fan speed.
The vehicle operating parameter may be a current vehicle speed. This provides the advantage that the vehicle component fan speed can be modified dependent on a vehicle speed, where greater noise is expected, by the vehicle user, at higher vehicle speeds, such that higher vehicle component fan speed can be provided at higher vehicle speeds.
In an alternative embodiment the vehicle operating parameter may be a background road noise level. The background road noise level may be measured at a location within the vehicle cabin. The location within the vehicle cabin may be at, or substantially at, a location of one or more of the vehicle occupants, for example the driver of the vehicle. This provides the advantage that the vehicle component fan speed can be modified dependent on a measured noise level at, or near, the location of one or more of the vehicle occupants, such that the noise of the vehicle component fan may be masked by the extant vehicle cabin noise due to, at least in part, vehicle operation.
The vehicle cabin fan parameter may be a speed of a vehicle cabin fan. This provides the advantage that the vehicle component fan speed can be modified dependent on a vehicle cabin fan setting, where a higher vehicle cabin fan setting may require a higher vehicle cabin fan speed that introduces higher user expected noise into the vehicle cabin, such that higher vehicle component fan speed can be provided at higher vehicle cabin fan speeds, without detrimentally affecting the user of the vehicle in relation to noise levels in the vehicle cabin.
The input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter may be dependent upon a user input to a vehicle cabin fan speed control.
In an alternative embodiment the vehicle cabin fan parameter may be a vehicle cabin fan noise level. The vehicle cabin fan noise level may be measured at a location within the vehicle cabin. The location within the vehicle cabin may be at, or substantially at, the location of one or more of the vehicle occupants, for example the driver of the vehicle. This provides the advantage that the vehicle component fan speed can be modified dependent on a measured noise level at, or near, the location of one or more of the vehicle occupants, such that the noise of the vehicle component fan may be masked by the extant vehicle cabin noise due to, at least in part, vehicle cabin fan operation.
A first vehicle component fan speed value may be determined from a comparison of the input indicative of a vehicle operating parameter and the input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter. A second vehicle component fan speed value may be determined from the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature. The vehicle component fan speed control signal may correspond to the highest of the first vehicle component fan speed value and the second vehicle component fan speed value. This provides the advantage that a maximum vehicle component fan speed can be used to provide optimal heating and/or cooling of the vehicle component.
The input indicative of a vehicle operating parameter may identify one of a plurality of predetermined vehicle operating parameter bins and the input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter may identify one of a plurality of predetermined vehicle cabin fan parameter bins. The comparison may compare the identified vehicle operating parameter bin and the identified vehicle cabin fan parameter bin in a two dimensional array, the two dimensional array comprising a plurality of cells each of which define a first vehicle component fan speed value dependent on a predetermined vehicle operating parameter bin and a predetermined vehicle cabin fan parameter bin, the comparison of the identified vehicle operating parameter bin and the identified vehicle cabin fan parameter bin resulting in a cell value from the two dimensional array being identified as the first vehicle component fan speed value. This provides the advantage that the first vehicle component fan speed value can take into consideration multiple noise sources for the optimisation of the operation of the vehicle component fan.
In some embodiments, when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is below a first vehicle component temperature threshold the second vehicle component fan speed value is a first value, and when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is at or above a second vehicle component temperature threshold the second vehicle component fan speed value is a second value.
In some embodiments, when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is at or above a third vehicle component temperature threshold, and below a fourth vehicle component temperature threshold, the second vehicle component fan speed value is a third value, wherein the third vehicle component temperature threshold is equal to or higher than the first vehicle component temperature threshold and lower than the second vehicle component temperature threshold, and the fourth vehicle component temperature threshold is higher than the first vehicle component temperature threshold, lower than or equal to the second vehicle component temperature threshold and higher than the third vehicle component temperature threshold.
In some embodiments, when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is at or above the first vehicle component temperature threshold and below the third vehicle component temperature threshold, the second vehicle component fan speed value is calculated from an extrapolation between the first value of the second vehicle component fan speed value and the third value of the second vehicle component fan speed value for values of vehicle component operating temperature between the first vehicle component temperature threshold and the third vehicle component temperature threshold respectively.
The extrapolation between the first value of the second vehicle component fan speed value and the third value of the second vehicle component fan speed value may be a linear extrapolation.
In some embodiments, when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is at or above the fourth vehicle component temperature threshold and below the second vehicle component temperature threshold, the second vehicle component fan speed value is calculated from an extrapolation between the third value of the second vehicle component fan speed value and the second value of the second vehicle component fan speed value for values of vehicle component operating temperature between the fourth vehicle component temperature threshold and the second vehicle component temperature threshold respectively.
The extrapolation between the third value of the second vehicle component fan speed value and the second value of the second vehicle component fan speed value may be a linear extrapolation.
The vehicle component may be a battery. The battery may be a traction battery of the vehicle.
The speed of the vehicle component fan may be controlled using pulse width modulation control. Alternatively, linear voltage control can be used to vary the speed of the vehicle component fan.
An air flow path from a vehicle cabin to the vehicle component fan may be provided for conveying air from the vehicle cabin to the vehicle component fan, and for conveying air from the vehicle component fan to the vehicle cabin.
The vehicle controller may be a vehicle supervisory controller. The vehicle supervisory controller may be part of a powertrain control module. Alternatively, in some embodiments the vehicle controller may be separate to a vehicle supervisory controller and may in some embodiments comprise separate controllers for different vehicle component fans, for example a first controller for a battery fan and a second controller for a DC to DC converter fan.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a system comprising the vehicle controller according to any one of the preceding paragraphs and a vehicle component fan.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising a vehicle controller according to any one of the preceding paragraphs or a system according to the previous paragraph. The vehicle may be an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. The vehicle may be a mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a control method for controlling a speed of one or more vehicle component fans, the method comprising: receiving an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receiving an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determining a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and outputting a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer program which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer program which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform: receiving an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receiving an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determining a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and outputting a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed.
According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein which when executed on a processor cause the processor to perform a method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs.
According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein which when executed on a processor cause the processor to perform: receiving an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receiving an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determining a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and outputting a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a controller means for controlling the speed of one or more vehicle component fans, the controller means comprising: first receiving means configured to receive an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; second receiving means configured to receive an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determining means configured to determine a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and output means configured to output a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed. This provides the advantage that improved or optimised noise masking may be provided by modifying the vehicle component fan speed with respect to extant vehicle cabin noise due to vehicle operation. Controller means may be a vehicle controller, such as a vehicle supervisory controller, and may comprise a processor and memory. First receiving means and second receiving means may be inputs into the controller means, such as inputs to the processor. Determining means may be a processor of the controller means. Output means may be an output from the controller means, such as an output from the processor.
Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle controller according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2a is an illustration of vehicle controller input and outputs according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2b is an illustration of a vehicle controller input according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows blocks of a control method according to an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 shows a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Examples of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle controller for controlling the speed of one or more vehicle component fans. In particular, some examples of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle controller for controlling the speed of one or more battery fans of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle. Non-limiting examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
With reference to Figure 1, a vehicle controller 10 for controlling the speed of one or more vehicle component fans 24, is configured to: receive an input 14 indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receive an input 20 indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determine a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input 14 indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input 20 indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and output a vehicle component fan speed control signal 22 corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed. The fan speed control signal 22 is output to a vehicle component fan 24 or to a vehicle component fan controller 28 which operates to control the vehicle component fan 24. The vehicle component fan speed control signal 22 is configured to control the speed of the vehicle component fan 24 for cooling and/or heating the vehicle component 26.
The vehicle controller 10 may form part of a system 50, with a vehicle component fan 24. The vehicle controller 10 may be comprised in a vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may further comprise the vehicle component fan 24.
The vehicle 100 may be an electric vehicle. The vehicle 100 may be a mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric machine, the electric machine being powered by a battery, such as a traction battery. At low speed the internal combustion engine may be in an off state, such that the vehicle is only powered by the battery and electric machine arrangement.
The vehicle component 26 may be, for example, a component of a vehicle 100, such as a battery or a DC to DC converter, which components may require cooling and/or heating to operate within predetermined temperature ranges, which temperature ranges may be optimal for vehicle component efficiency and/or vehicle component longevity. Alternatively, the vehicle component 26 could be another fan of the vehicle 100, such as a heads-up display (HUD) fan, or dashboard fan, which may impart noise into a vehicle cabin 102 of the vehicle 100, which may be distracting or unwelcome for vehicle occupants.
In one embodiment the vehicle controller 10 is a vehicle supervisory controller which may be part of a powertrain control module. However, alternative arrangements could be provided. In particular, the vehicle controller 10 may be separate to the vehicle supervisory controller and may be particular to one vehicle component fan 24, such as a battery fan. Therefore, on a vehicle 100, multiple separate vehicle controllers 10 may be provided for different vehicle component fans 24, for example one vehicle controller 10 for a battery fan and a separate vehicle controller 10 for a DC to DC converter fan.
The present invention may provide for improved acoustic masking of the noise due to operation of vehicle component fans 24, which is potentially detectable by occupants of the vehicle 100 in the vehicle cabin 102. The performance of the vehicle components 26 is prioritised over passenger comfort at high vehicle component temperatures, as will be described in more detail herein.
As shown in Figure 4, an air flow path 104 from the vehicle cabin 102 to the vehicle component fan 24 is provided for conveying air from the vehicle cabin 102 to the vehicle component fan 24, and for conveying air from the vehicle component fan 24 to the vehicle cabin 102. The air flow path 104 is used to convey air to heat or cool the vehicle component 26 associated with the vehicle component fan 24. The air flow path 104 may provide a noise transmission path from the vehicle component fan 24 to the vehicle cabin 102. The vehicle component 26 may for example be a battery positioned under the rear seats of the vehicle 100 and the air flow path 104 has an air intake / air outlet positioned under the rear seats.
A user of the vehicle 100, such as the driver of the vehicle 100, may select a specific user defined vehicle cabin temperature, for example by use of one or more dials, one or more buttons, a touchscreen, a voice control system, or any other user operable means. The vehicle controller 10 may only be operable to allow air to convey between the vehicle component fan 24 and the vehicle cabin 102 if the flow of air to and/or from the vehicle cabin 102 would not be contrary to the user defined vehicle cabin temperature setting. The user defined vehicle cabin temperature setting may allow some variation of vehicle cabin temperature within predefined limits or ranges for each temperature setting. For example, a variation of +/-2 degrees Celcius from a user defined vehicle cabin temperature setting may be allowed, without affecting the control or operation of the vehicle component fan 24.
Furthermore, a vehicle cabin air temperature to vehicle component temperature delta should be a value sufficient to provide efficient heating and/or cooling of the vehicle component 26.
In some examples a minimum delta of one, two, or more degrees Celcius may be set. For example, the minimum vehicle cabin air temperature to vehicle component temperature delta may be five degrees Celsius, such that the vehicle cabin air needs to be at least five degrees Celsius higher than the vehicle component temperature to effect heating of the vehicle component 26, or at least five degrees Celsius lower than the vehicle component temperature to effect cooling of the vehicle component 26. A mechanism, such as a shut-off valve, for preventing the flow of air between the vehicle component fan 24 and vehicle cabin 102 may operate when the value of the vehicle cabin air temperature to vehicle component temperature delta is not at least the minimum delta value.
The vehicle controller 10 may therefore allow the conveyance of vehicle cabin air between the vehicle cabin 102 and the vehicle component fan 24 only when a detected vehicle cabin air temperature is suitable, for example only when the vehicle cabin air temperature to vehicle component temperature delta is at or greater than a predefined value.
In some embodiments, the flow of air to and/or from the vehicle component fan 24 may be outside air, that is, air from outside of the vehicle 100 rather than from within the vehicle cabin 102, in which case the outside air temperature is used to define the delta to the vehicle component temperature.
The vehicle component fan speed control signal 22 may represent a target fan speed and may be an analogue or digital output to be provided to a separate vehicle component fan controller 28 or a switch device controlling a voltage input to the vehicle component fan 24. Alternatively, the vehicle component fan speed control signal 22 may be a voltage input to be provided directly to the vehicle component fan 24.
In one embodiment, where the vehicle component 26 is a battery, such as a 48V battery, the vehicle component fan speed control signal 22 is provided to a battery fan controller 28, which is part of the battery control module inside the 48V battery. The vehicle component fan speed control signal 22 thereby controls the speed of the battery fan 24 in dependence on the input 14 indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and input 20 indicative of a battery operating temperature.
In some embodiments, the vehicle cabin noise level may be a level of noise measured at a location within a vehicle cabin 102 of the vehicle 100, which may be at, or substantially at, a location of one or more of the vehicle occupants within the vehicle cabin 102 of the vehicle 100, for example at, or substantially at, a location of a driver of the vehicle 100. The vehicle cabin noise level may be measured using any type of sound level meter. The input 14 indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level may then represent an instantaneous or time averaged vehicle cabin noise level measurement.
The input 20 indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature may be a temperature level of the vehicle component 26 measured via one or more temperature measurement devices, including, but not limited to: a thermocouple, a thermistor, a resistance temperature detector, an infrared thermometer. In an embodiment where the vehicle component 26 is battery, for example a 48V battery, the temperature level measured is a battery operating temperature which may be, for example, an internal battery housing temperature, an individual battery cell temperature or an average temperature of multiple battery cells.
Although the input 14 indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level may represent a level of noise measured at a location within a vehicle cabin 102 of the vehicle 100, as described above, in other embodiments the input 14 indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level comprises an input 14-1 indicative of a vehicle operating parameter and an input 14-2 indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter.
The input 14-1 indicative of a vehicle operating parameter and an input 14-2 indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter comprised in the input 14 indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level may provide for better control over the vehicle component fan 24, and may be implemented using existing vehicle signals relating to vehicle operation and vehicle cabin fan operation.
The vehicle operating parameter may be a current vehicle speed, such that the input 14-1 indicative of a vehicle operating parameter may be a vehicle speed value or a voltage level with a predetermined relationship to the vehicle speed. This vehicle operating parameter may be available as part of the existing vehicle controller 10 input since a vehicle speed value is required for operation of other vehicle systems including a vehicle speedometer and an automatic cruise control system.
Alternatively, the vehicle operating parameter may be a background road noise level. The background road noise level may be measured at a location outside of the vehicle 100 or at a location within the vehicle cabin 102. The location within the vehicle cabin 102 may be at, or substantially at, a location of one or more of the vehicle occupants, for example the driver of the vehicle 100.
The vehicle cabin fan parameter may be a speed of a vehicle cabin fan 12, such that the input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter may be a vehicle cabin fan speed value or a voltage level with a predetermined relationship to the vehicle cabin fan speed. The vehicle cabin fan 12 may be a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) fan. The input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter may be dependent upon a user input to a vehicle cabin fan speed control 16. The vehicle cabin fan speed control 16 to which the user can provide input may be in the form of one or more dials, one or more buttons, a touchscreen, a voice control system, or any other user operable means. In some embodiments automated cabin fan speed control may be provided as part of a climate control system.
Alternatively, the vehicle cabin fan parameter may be a vehicle cabin fan noise level. The vehicle cabin fan noise level may be measured at a location within the vehicle cabin 102. The location within the vehicle cabin 102 may be at, or substantially at, the location of one or more of the vehicle occupants, for example the driver of the vehicle 100.
In some embodiments, when the vehicle component fan 24, or vehicle component fan controller 28, fails to receive an expected vehicle component fan speed control signal 22, then the vehicle component fan 24, or vehicle component fan controller 28, may default the fan duty cycle to a predetermined high value duty cycle in order to ensure maximum component cooling. The predetermined high value duty cycle may be, for example, between 50% and 100%, such as 100%.
In alternative embodiments, when the vehicle component fan 24, or vehicle component fan controller 28, fails to receive an expected vehicle component fan speed control signal 22, then the vehicle component fan 24, or vehicle component fan controller 28, may default the fan duty cycle to a predetermined low value duty cycle in order to minimise the noise imparted into the vehicle cabin 102. The predetermined low value duty cycle may be, for example, between 10% and 50%, such as 10%. If a predetermined low value duty cycle, such as 10%, is used, then this duty cycle value may be overridden to a high value duty cycle, such as 100%, if the temperature of the component is detected, by for example a temperature measurement device at the component, to exceed a predetermined default temperature threshold. The predetermined default temperature threshold may be, for example, a threshold set to avoid any long term vehicle component damage.
With reference to Figure 2a, the inputs and outputs of an example embodiment of the vehicle controller 10 are now described. In the example of Figure 2a, the vehicle controller 10 is used to control a battery fan 24 and a DC to DC converter fan 30, though in other embodiments control of just one vehicle component fan 24, such as a battery fan 24, may be effected by the vehicle controller 10.
In some embodiments, the DC to DC converter fan 30 is controlled by the vehicle controller 10 via measurement of a DC to DC converter temperature 38 and subsequent operation of the DC to DC converter fan 30 in relation to the measured DC to DC converter temperature 38. The relationship between the DC to DC converter temperature 38 and the DC to DC converter fan speed may be defined by a map 42 or a mathematical function for the optimised operation of the DC to DC converter 32.
The battery fan 24 is controlled for the optimised operation of the battery 26 and controlled in order to prevent, or minimise, the noise imparted by the battery fan 24 to the occupants of the vehicle 100 via the following process.
A first battery fan speed value 202 is determined from a comparison of a current vehicle speed and a current speed of a vehicle cabin fan 12 using a two dimensional array 204 of values.
The two dimensional array 204 may be in the form of a lookup table or a map. The two dimensional array 204 may be derived empirically from vehicle testing or may be suitably modelled for a vehicle 100.
The two dimensional array 204 comprises a plurality of cells 206 each of which define a first battery fan speed value (202). Each of the axes of the two dimensional array 204 are divided into predetermined bins 208, 210. For example, as shown in Figure 2a and Table 1 below, one axis defines vehicle speed and may be divided into six bins 208 of values. These bins 208 may be defined by the following limits 0 to 19 kph, 20 to 39 kph, 40 to 79 kph, 80 to 99 kph, 100 to 129 kph, and 130+ kph. Other numbers of bins and range limits may be used to define the vehicle speed axis of the two dimensional array 204. As shown in Table 1, the second axis defines a speed of a vehicle cabin fan 12 and may be divided into four bins 210 of values. These bins 210 may be defined by the following limits 0 or 1, 2 or 3, 4 or 5, and 6 or 7. Other numbers of bins and range limits may be used to define the speed of a vehicle cabin fan axis of the two dimensional array 204.
Vehicle Speed Vehicle Cabin Fan Speed (kph) 0 or 1 2 or 3 4 or 5 6 or 7 0-19 10 15 35 60 20-39 20 20 35 60 40-79 37 37 37 60 80-99 60 60 60 60 100-129 80 80 80 80 130+ 100 100 100 100
Table 1
Each of the plurality of cells 206 in the two dimensional array 204 define an output for a first battery fan speed value 202 dependent on a vehicle speed and a speed of a vehicle cabin fan 12.
The input 14-1 indicative of a vehicle operating parameter comprises a current vehicle speed input which provides the identification of one of a plurality of predetermined vehicle speed bins 208 and the input 14-2 indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter comprises a current speed of a vehicle cabin fan input which provides the identification of one of a plurality of predetermined vehicle cabin fan speed bins 210.
The comparison of an identified vehicle speed bin 208 in which the current vehicle speed falls, and an identified speed of a vehicle cabin fan bin 210 in which the current speed of a vehicle cabin fan 12 falls, results in a cell value 206 from the two dimensional array 204 being identified as the battery fan speed value 202.
In an alternative embodiment, the two dimensional array 204 may compare background road noise level against vehicle cabin fan noise level. For example the array may have a first axis of background road noise level values in bins, for example in five bins, 0 to 50 dB, 50 to 55 dB, 55 to 60 dB, 60 to 65 dB, and 65+ dB, and a second axis of vehicle cabin fan noise level values in bins, for example in three bins, 20 to 30 dB, 30 to 40 dB, 40+ dB.
A second battery fan speed value 220 is determined from an input 20 indicative of a battery operating temperature. An example profile 224 of battery fan speed against battery operating temperature is shown in Figure 2b.
Figure 2b has a profile where at low temperature, for example less than -10 degrees Celcius, the battery fan speed is high to enable heating of the battery 26 towards the optimal operating range, and at high temperature, for example above 45 degrees Celcius, the battery fan speed is high to enable cooling of the battery 26 towards the optimal operating range. In the optimal operating range of temperature of the battery 26, the battery fan speed is low to minimise noise propagation to the occupants of the vehicle cabin 102.
When the battery operating temperature indicated by the input 20 indicative of the battery operating temperature is below a first battery temperature threshold 230 the second battery fan speed value 220 is a first value, and when battery operating temperature is at or above a second battery temperature threshold 232 the second battery fan speed value 220 is a second value.
The first value and second values of the second battery fan speed value 220 can be the same or can be different and can, as in the example of Figure 2b, be the maximum allowable fan speed values for the battery fan 24.
In some embodiments the speed of the battery fan 24 is controlled using pulse width modulation control. In pulse width modulation control the battery fan 24 is energised at a full scale voltage (for example 12V) with a varying duty cycle. In the example of Figure 2b the operable duty cycle is from 10% to 100%. Thus, in this embodiment the battery fan 24 is always operating with at least a minimum positive duty cycle. The frequency of the energisation may be higher than an audible range of a human occupant of the vehicle 100, for example above 20 kHz, in one embodiment 22.5 kHz, to avoid noise propagation from the energisation of the battery fan 24 being detected by the vehicle occupants.
In other embodiments the speed of the battery fan 24 is controlled using linear voltage control.
In linear voltage control either zero voltage is applied for an off condition for the battery fan 24, or a continuous non-zero voltage is applied to the battery fan 24 up to a full scale voltage, for example 12V for a 12V rated battery fan 24. A minimum operating voltage value, such as 7V on a 12V rated battery fan 24, may be required in order to operate the linearly controlled battery fan 24. At the minimum operating voltage value the rotor of the fan may rotate at half full speed. Thus pulse width modulation may provide better control of the battery fan 24 at low speeds.
When the battery operating temperature is at or above a third battery temperature threshold 234, and below a fourth battery temperature threshold 236, the second battery fan speed value 220 is a third value, wherein the third battery temperature threshold 234 is equal to or higher than the first battery temperature threshold 230 and lower than the second battery temperature threshold 232, and the fourth battery temperature threshold 236 is higher than the first battery temperature threshold 230, lower than or equal to the second battery temperature threshold 232 and higher than the third battery temperature threshold 234.
The third value of the second battery fan speed value 220 may be lower than first and second values and may be a minimum lowest operating voltage of a linearly controlled battery fan 24, for example 7V for a 12V battery fan 24, or a minimum defined operating duty cycle, such as 10% duty cycle.
When the battery operating temperature is at or above the first battery temperature threshold 230 and below the third battery temperature threshold 234, the second battery fan speed value 220 is calculated from an extrapolation between the first value of the second battery fan speed value 220 and the third value of the second battery fan speed value 220 for values of battery operating temperature between the first battery temperature threshold 230 and the third battery temperature threshold 234 respectively.
The extrapolation between the first value of the second battery fan speed value 220 and the third value of the second battery fan speed value 220 may be a linear extrapolation.
When the battery operating temperature is at or above the fourth battery temperature threshold 236 and below the second battery temperature threshold 232, the second battery fan speed value 220 is calculated from an extrapolation between the third value of the second battery fan speed value 220 and the second value of the second battery fan speed value 220 for values of battery operating temperature between the fourth battery temperature threshold 236 and the second battery temperature threshold 232 respectively.
The extrapolation between the third value of the second battery fan speed value 220 and the second value of the second battery fan speed value 220 may be a linear extrapolation.
The battery fan speed control signal 22 corresponds to the highest of the first battery fan speed value 202 and the second battery fan speed value 220.
In some embodiments a second vehicle component fan 30 may be required to operate, in particular to cool or heat a second vehicle component 32. The second vehicle component fan may provide further noise to the vehicle cabin 102. The noise may be provided to the vehicle cabin 102 along an air flow path 104 between the vehicle cabin 102 and the second vehicle component fan 30 which is the same, or substantially the same air flow path 104 as for the aforementioned vehicle component fan 24, which may be in the form of a battery fan 24. Alternatively, the air flow paths between the different vehicle component fans 24, 30 and the vehicle cabin 102 may be different, or substantially different.
In one embodiment, the second vehicle component 32 is a DC to DC converter, and the second vehicle component fan 30 is a DC to DC converter fan, which may be required to operate in addition to the aforementioned battery fan 24. In such circumstances the maximum battery fan speed may be adjusted to compensate for the increase in noise level provided to the vehicle cabin 102 by the DC to DC converter fan 30. The maximum battery fan speed may be reduced in relation to an increase in the DC to DC converter fan speed. The maximum battery fan speed may be reduced proportionally to an increase in the DC to DC converter fan speed.
The reduction in maximum battery fan speed may, in some embodiments, only be permitted where the first battery fan speed value 202 is greater than the second battery fan speed value 220, and to an extent defined by the difference between the first battery fan speed value 202 and the second battery fan speed value 220, such that if the value of the second battery fan speed value 220 is larger than the first battery fan speed value 202, then the maximum battery fan speed will be the second battery fan speed value 220. This ensures adequate cooling of the battery 26.
In some embodiments the two dimensional array 204 may take into consideration at least a minimum second vehicle component fan speed. Thus, the noise from the minimum operation of the second vehicle component 32 may be compensated for in the two dimensional array 204.
In some embodiments the DC to DC converter fan 30, may be required to operate continuously whilst the vehicle 100 is operating, and may also be required to operate continuously for a time after the vehicle 100 stops operating, for example for a time required to cool the DC to DC converter 32 to a predetermined temperature, which can define a shut-off temperature threshold level for the DC to DC converter fan 30. The operation of the DC to DC converter fan 30 may be continuous with at least a minimum fan speed, and the input 14 indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level may be offset by the minimum fan speed of the DC to DC converter fan 30.
The vehicle controller 10 may be configured to receive an input 38 indicative of an operating temperature of the DC to DC converter 32, determine a fan speed for the DC to DC converter fan 30; and output a fan speed control signal 40 for the DC to DC converter fan 30 corresponding to the fan speed for the DC to DC converter fan 30. The DC to DC converter fan speed control signal 40 may be output from the vehicle controller 10, and may be output to a DC to DC converter fan controller 34, or directly to the DC to DC converter fan 30.
When the operating temperature of the DC to DC converter 32 is below a first DC to DC converter operating temperature threshold the DC to DC converter fan 30 operates at a first DC to DC converter fan speed value 44 and when the operating temperature of the DC to DC converter 32 is at or above a second DC to DC converter operating temperature threshold the DC to DC converter fan 30 operates at a second DC to DC converter fan speed value 44.
The first DC to DC converter fan speed value 44 may be a minimum lowest operating voltage of the DC to DC converter fan 30, for example 7V for a 12V linear voltage control fan, or 10% duty cycle for a pulse width modulation fan. The second DC to DC converter fan speed value 44 may be a maximum operating voltage of the fan, for example 12V for a 12V linear voltage control fan, or 100% duty cycle for a pulse width modulation control fan.
When the operating temperature of the DC to DC converter 32 is at or above the first DC to DC converter operating temperature threshold and below the second DC to DC converter operating temperature threshold, the DC to DC converter fan operates at a DC to DC converter fan speed value 44 that is calculated from an extrapolation between the first DC to DC converter fan speed value 44 and the second DC to DC converter fan speed value 44 for values of operating temperature of the DC to DC converter 32 between the first DC to DC converter operating temperature threshold and the second DC to DC converter operating temperature threshold respectively. The extrapolation may be linear.
The vehicle controller 10 may be configured to control the speed of the DC to DC converter fan 30 using pulse width modulation control, where the duty cycle of the applied voltage is varied, but the magnitude of the voltage applied is either zero or full scale voltage. Alternatively, the DC to DC converter fan 30 may be controlled using linear voltage control, where either a zero voltage is applied for the DC to DC converter fan to be off, or a continuous voltage is applied which can be varied in magnitude from a minimum operating voltage to full scale voltage.
It will be understood that, whilst the vehicle component 26 has been described herein as a battery and the second vehicle component 30 has been described herein as a DC to DC converter, the vehicle component 26 may alternatively be a DC to DC converter, or any other vehicle component for which cooling and/or heating is required, and the second vehicle component 30 may alternatively be a battery, or any other vehicle component for which cooling and/or heating is required.
In addition to an input 14-1 indicative of a vehicle operating parameter, such as vehicle speed, and an input 14-2 indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter, such as the speed of a vehicle cabin fan 12, one or more further inputs may be provided relating to the vehicle cabin noise level. Each of the one or more further inputs may be used to modify the determined maximum vehicle component fan speed. The one or more further inputs may include, but are not limited to, a window open parameter and a radio volume parameter.
If a further input indicates an increased vehicle cabin noise level, for example, due to a vehicle window being open, or a radio being on in the vehicle cabin 102, then the maximum vehicle component fan speed may be increased without the vehicle occupants being detrimentally affected. In effect, the cumulative expected vehicle cabin noise parameters provides a noise mask for the vehicle component fan 24.
Figure 3 shows a method 300 for controlling a speed of a vehicle component fan 24.
At block 302 an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level is received. The input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level may be received at the vehicle controller 10.
At block 304 an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is received. The input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature may be received at the vehicle controller 10.
At block 306 a maximum vehicle component fan speed is determined in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature. The maximum vehicle component fan speed may be determined at the vehicle controller 10.
At block 308 a vehicle component fan speed control signal is output, the vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed. The vehicle component fan speed control signal may be output from the vehicle controller 10, and may be output to a vehicle component fan controller 28, or directly to the vehicle component fan 24.
Figure 1 additionally illustrates a computer program 62 comprising instructions 70 that, when executed by one or more processors 64, cause a system to perform, at least one of the aforementioned methods. For example the system may be caused to perform, at least: receiving an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receiving an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determining a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and outputting a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed.
Figure 1 illustrates an example of a controller means 10 that may be a chip or a chipset. The controller means in the form of a vehicle controller 10 may form part of one or more systems comprised in a vehicle 100. For example the vehicle controller 10 may be or may form part of a vehicle supervisory controller.
Implementation of a vehicle controller 10 may be as controller circuitry. The vehicle controller may be implemented in hardware alone, have certain aspects in software including firmware alone or can be a combination of hardware and software (including firmware).
As illustrated in figure 1 the vehicle controller 10 may be implemented using instructions that enable hardware functionality, for example, by using executable instructions of a computer program 62 in a general-purpose or special-purpose processor 64 that may be stored on a computer readable storage medium (disk, memory etc.) to be executed by such a processor 64.
The processor 64 is configured to read from and write to a memory 66. The processor 64 may also comprise an output interface via which data and/or commands are output by the processor 64 and an input interface via which data and/or commands are input to the processor 64.
The memory 66 stores a computer program 62 comprising computer program instructions 70 (computer program code) that controls the operation of the vehicle controller 10 when loaded into the processor 64. The computer program instructions 70, of the computer program 62, provide the logic and routines that enables the apparatus to perform the methods illustrated in Figure 3. The processor 64 by reading the memory 66 is able to load and execute the computer program 62.
The vehicle controller 10 therefore comprises: at least one processor 64; and at least one memory 66 including computer program code, the at least one memory 66 and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor 64, cause the vehicle controller 10 at least to perform: receiving (302) an input (14) indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receiving (304) an input (20) indicative of a vehicle component (26) operating temperature; determining (306) a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input (14) indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input (20) indicative of a vehicle component (26) operating temperature; and outputting (308) a vehicle component fan speed control signal (22) corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed.
As illustrated in Figure 1, the computer program 62 may arrive at the vehicle controller 10 via any suitable delivery mechanism 68. The delivery mechanism 68 may be, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, a computer program product, a memory device, a record medium such as a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or digital versatile disc (DVD), or an article of manufacture that tangibly embodies the computer program 62. The delivery mechanism may be a signal configured to reliably transfer the computer program 62. The vehicle controller 10 may propagate or transmit the computer program 62 as a computer data signal.
Although the memory 66 is illustrated as a single component/circuitry it may be implemented as one or more separate components/circuitry some or all of which may be integrated/removable and/or may provide permanent/semi-permanent/ dynamic/cached storage.
Although the processor 64 is illustrated as a single component/circuitry it may be implemented as one or more separate components/circuitry some or all of which may be integrated/removable. The processor 64 may be a single core or multi-core processor.
References to 'computer-readable storage medium', 'computer program product', 'tangibly embodied computer program' etc. or a 'controller', 'computer', 'processor' etc. should be understood to encompass not only computers having different architectures such as single /multi-processor architectures and sequential (Von Neumann)/parallel architectures but also specialized circuits such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), application specific circuits (ASIC), signal processing devices and other processing circuitry. References to computer program, instructions, code etc. should be understood to encompass software for a programmable processor or firmware such as, for example, the programmable content of a hardware device whether instructions for a processor, or configuration settings for a fixed-function device, gate array or programmable logic device etc. The blocks illustrated in Figure 3 may represent steps in a method and/or sections of code in the computer program 62. The illustration of a particular order to the blocks does not necessarily imply that there is a required or preferred order for the blocks and the order and arrangement of the block may be varied. Furthermore, it may be possible for some blocks to be omitted. For example blocks 302 and 304 could be implemented in any order.
It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.
Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described.
Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not.
Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments, those features may also be present in other embodiments whether described or not.
Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims (19)

  1. CLAIMS1. A vehicle controller for controlling the speed of one or more vehicle component fans, the vehicle controller being configured to: receive an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receive an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determine a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and output a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed.
  2. 2. A vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level comprises an input indicative of a vehicle operating parameter and an input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter.
  3. 3. A vehicle controller according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle operating parameter is a current vehicle speed.
  4. 4. A vehicle controller according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the vehicle cabin fan parameter is a speed of a vehicle cabin fan.
  5. 5. A vehicle controller according to claim 4, wherein the input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter is dependent upon a user input to a vehicle cabin fan speed control. 25
  6. 6. A vehicle controller according to any preceding claim, when also dependent on claim 2, wherein a first vehicle component fan speed value is determined from a comparison of the input indicative of a vehicle operating parameter and the input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter, a second vehicle component fan speed value is determined from the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature, and the vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponds to the highest of the first vehicle component fan speed value and the second vehicle component fan speed value.
  7. 7. A vehicle controller according to claim 6, wherein the input indicative of a vehicle operating parameter identifies one of a plurality of predetermined vehicle operating parameter bins and the input indicative of a vehicle cabin fan parameter identifies one of a plurality of predetermined vehicle cabin fan parameter bins, and the comparison compares the identified vehicle operating parameter bin and the identified vehicle cabin fan parameter bin in a two dimensional array, the two dimensional array comprising a plurality of cells each of which define a first vehicle component fan speed value dependent on a predetermined vehicle operating parameter bin and a predetermined vehicle cabin fan parameter bin, the comparison of the identified vehicle operating parameter bin and the identified vehicle cabin fan parameter bin resulting in a cell value from the two dimensional array being identified as the first vehicle component fan speed value.
  8. 8. A vehicle controller according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is below a first vehicle component temperature threshold the second vehicle component fan speed value is a first value, and when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is at or above a second vehicle component temperature threshold the second vehicle component fan speed value is a second value.
  9. 9. A vehicle controller according to claim 8, wherein when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is at or above a third vehicle component temperature threshold, and below a fourth vehicle component temperature threshold, the second vehicle component fan speed value is a third value, wherein the third vehicle component temperature threshold is equal to or higher than the first vehicle component temperature threshold and lower than the second vehicle component temperature threshold, and the fourth vehicle component temperature threshold is higher than the first vehicle component temperature threshold, lower than or equal to the second vehicle component temperature threshold and higher than the third vehicle component temperature threshold.
  10. 10. A vehicle controller according to claim 9, wherein when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is at or above the first vehicle component temperature threshold and below the third vehicle component temperature threshold, the second vehicle component fan speed value is calculated from an extrapolation between the first value of the second vehicle component fan speed value and the third value of the second vehicle component fan speed value for values of vehicle component operating temperature between the first vehicle component temperature threshold and the third vehicle component temperature threshold respectively.
  11. 11. A vehicle controller according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein when the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature is at or above the fourth vehicle component temperature threshold and below the second vehicle component temperature threshold, the second vehicle component fan speed value is calculated from an extrapolation between the third value of the second vehicle component fan speed value and the second value of the second vehicle component fan speed value for values of vehicle component operating temperature between the fourth vehicle component temperature threshold and the second vehicle component temperature threshold respectively.
  12. 12. A vehicle controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle component is a battery.
  13. 13. A vehicle controller according to any preceding claim configured to control the speed of the vehicle component fan using pulse width modulation control.
  14. 14. A vehicle controller according to any preceding claim, wherein an air flow path from a vehicle cabin to the vehicle component fan is provided for conveying air from the vehicle cabin to the vehicle component fan, and for conveying air from the vehicle component fan to the vehicle cabin.
  15. 15. A vehicle controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle controller is a vehicle supervisory controller.
  16. 16. A system comprising the vehicle controller of any preceding claim and a vehicle component fan.
  17. 17. A vehicle comprising a vehicle controller according to any one of claims 1 to 15 or a system according to claim 16.
  18. 18. A control method for controlling a speed of one or more vehicle component fans, the method comprising: receiving an input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level; receiving an input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; determining a maximum vehicle component fan speed in dependence on the input indicative of a vehicle cabin noise level and the input indicative of a vehicle component operating temperature; and outputting a vehicle component fan speed control signal corresponding to the maximum vehicle component fan speed.
  19. 19. A computer program which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform the method according to claim 18.
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