US20180142910A1

US20180142910A1 - Method and system for air conditioning remote control in car

Info

Publication number: US20180142910A1
Application number: US15/641,482
Authority: US
Inventors: Jin Man Hwang
Original assignee: Hyundai Motor Co; Kia Motors Corp
Current assignee: Hyundai Motor Co; Kia Corp
Priority date: 2016-11-23
Filing date: 2017-07-05
Publication date: 2018-05-24

Abstract

Disclosed are a system and a method for air conditioning remote control in a car, in which air conditioning is carried out at various levels depending on situations determined on based on a comparison between the time required for a user to arrive at the car and the operation time of an air conditioner required to change an indoor temperature of the car to a preset temperature upon receiving the request, whereby energy efficiency can be enhanced.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0156575, filed on Nov. 23, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method for air conditioning remote control in a car, and more particularly, to a system and method for air conditioning remote control in a car, whereby air conditioning is carried out at various levels depending on different situations to enhance energy efficiency.

2. Description of the Related Art

Remote air conditioning systems allow a user to remotely control the air conditioning of a car prior to entering the car. Thus, even in the hot summer or cold winter, a user can feel comfortable when getting into the pre-conditioned car.
In this regard, a user (e.g., a car owner) remotely orders a control system in the car to make the conditions in the car comfortable before he or she enters inside. Immediately after receiving the order, a conventional air conditioning remote control system transmits the order and conducts air conditioning to reach a desired temperature. However, because a conventional system conducts air conditioning as soon as it receives the order without taking into account the time that the user gets into the car or the prospect of energy efficiency, the air conditioning may be performed to an extent far greater than what is actually required by the user.
Excessive air conditioning decreases fuel efficiency, resulting in environmental pollution. Moreover, an electric vehicle suffers a significant reduction in travel range due to the limited capacity of its high-pressure battery.
Accordingly, there is a need for a solution by which air conditioning can be remotely controlled so as to minimize the expense associated with energy consumption.
The description provided above is solely provided to assist in understanding the background of the present disclosure, and should not be construed as being included in the related art known by those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure has been made in an effort to solve the above problems. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method for air conditioning remote control in a car, in which air conditioning is carried out at various levels depending on situations determined based on a comparison between the time required for a user to arrive at the car and the required operation time of the air conditioner, in consideration of a preset temperature upon receipt of the request for air conditioning remote control. As a result, energy efficiency of the system can be enhanced.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system for air conditioning remote control in a car includes: a user terminal of a user configured to perform wireless communication; an air conditioner equipped in the car; and a controller configured to control operation of the air conditioner and to communicate wirelessly with the user terminal, the controller having functions of: receiving a request for air conditioning remote control from the user terminal, calculating an operation time of the air conditioner required to change an indoor temperature of the car to a preset temperature upon receiving the request, calculating a wait time by subtracting the operation time of the air conditioner from a time required for the user to arrive at the car, and operating the air conditioner after the wait time has passed since receiving the request when the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the operation time of the air conditioner.
The controller may receive the preset temperature from the user terminal and calculates the operation time of the air conditioner based on the received preset temperature.
The controller may calculate an air conditioning load based on a difference between a current temperature and a required temperature upon receipt of the request and calculate the operation time of the air conditioner based on the calculated air conditioning load.
The controller may calculate an air conditioning load and the operation time of the air conditioner based on information of the car and a difference between a current temperature and a required temperature upon receipt of the request.
The information of the car may include a power of the air conditioner and an inner volume of a passenger compartment of the car.
The controller may calculate the time required for the user to arrive at the car based on data received from the user terminal.
The data received from the user terminal may include data that the user inputs with regard to a time that the user will arrive at the car.
The controller may calculate the time required for the user to arrive at the car based on a position of the user terminal, a position of the car, and a moving speed of the user.
The controller may operate the air conditioner upon receiving the request when the time required for the user to arrive at the car is shorter than or equal to a time required to operate the air conditioner.
When the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the operation time of the air conditioner, the controller may perform an air blowing mode, in which outdoor air is introduced into an interior of the car without operating the air conditioner, during a waiting time between a time of receiving the request and a time of commencing operation of the air conditioner.
The air blowing mode may be performed such that an opening unit providing a passage from an inside of the car to an outside is opened when it is determined that it is not raining.
The air blowing mode may be performed when it is determined that cooling is needed at the indoor temperature of the car higher than an outdoor temperature.
The opening unit may be closed when the air blowing mode is stopped or when the air conditioner starts to operate.
The air blowing mode may be performed when it is determined that heating is needed at the indoor temperature of the car lower than an outdoor temperature.
Also, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, a system for air conditioning remote control in a car includes: a user terminal into which a request for air conditioning remote control is input by a user; an air conditioner equipped in the car; a controller configured to control operation of the air conditioner; and a server, provided outside the car, having functions of: communicating with the user terminal and the controller, receiving the request from the user terminal, calculating an operation time of the air conditioner required to change an indoor temperature of the car to a preset temperature upon receiving the request, calculating a wait time by subtracting the operation time of the air conditioner from a time required for the user to arrive at the car, and operating the air conditioner after the wait time has passed since receiving the request when the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the operation time of the air conditioner.
Further, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for air conditioning remote control in a car includes: receiving a request for air conditioning remote control from a user terminal of a user; calculating an operation time of an air conditioner required to change an indoor temperature of the car to a preset temperature upon receiving the request; calculating a wait time by subtracting the operation time of the air conditioner from a time required for the user to arrive at the car; and operating the air conditioner after the wait time has passed since receiving the request when the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the operation time of the air conditioner.
The system and method for air conditioning remote control in a car in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure can perform air conditioning at various levels depending on situations determined based on a comparison between the time required for the user (e.g., the car owner, a passenger, etc.) to arrive at the car and the required operation time of an air conditioner in consideration of a preset temperature upon receipt of a request for air conditioning remote control, whereby energy efficiency of the air conditioning system can be enhanced.
The system and method can accurately calculate the time required for a user to arrive at the car, even when he or she does not input the time, by comparing the position of the car with the position data, such as global positioning system (GPS) data, of the user.
In addition, by comparing the time required for the user to arrive at the car with the required operation time of the air conditioner to determine when to commence operation of the air conditioner, the method and system can establish a waiting time between the time of receipt of a request for air conditioning remote control and the time to start operating the air conditioner to eliminate unnecessary energy consumption, with the consequent improvement of energy efficiency.
Further, an air blowing mode, whereby outdoor air is blown into the car's interior, is selectively carried out depending on a result of comparing indoor and outdoor temperatures to determine the need for heating or cooling, so that the indoor temperature can be adjusted without operating the air conditioner, resulting in enhanced energy efficiency.
In the case where the time required for the user to arrive at the car is shorter than or the same as the required air conditioner operation time, the air conditioner is operated as soon as a communications unit receives a request for air conditioning remote control, which results in optimal fuel consumption and high energy efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the organization of a system for air conditioning remote control in a car in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a method for air conditioning remote control in a car in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

It should be understood that the above-referenced drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the disclosure. The specific design features of the present disclosure, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Further, throughout the specification, like reference numerals refer to like elements.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It is understood that the term “car,” “vehicle,” “vehicular,” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power, for example both gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles.
Additionally, it is understood that one or more of the below methods, or aspects thereof, may be executed by at least one controller. The term “controller” may refer to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store program instructions, and the processor is specifically programmed to execute the program instructions to perform one or more processes which are described further below. Moreover, it is understood that the below methods may be executed by an apparatus comprising the controller in conjunction with one or more other components, as would be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
Furthermore, the controller of the present disclosure may be embodied as non-transitory computer readable media containing executable program instructions executed by a processor, controller or the like. Examples of the computer readable mediums include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disc (CD)-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards and optical data storage devices. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed throughout a computer network so that the program instructions are stored and executed in a distributed fashion, e.g., by a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN).
Below, a description will be given of a system and a method for air conditioning remote control in a car according to embodiments of the present disclosure, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the organization of a system for air conditioning remote control in a car in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a method for air conditioning remote control in a car in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
Referring first to FIG. 1, an organization of a system for air conditioning remote control in a car in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. As shown in FIG. 1, the system for air conditioning remote control in a car in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure may is composed of a user terminal 100, a car 300, and a server 500. The car 300 may comprise a controller 320, an air conditioner 340, an opening unit 360, an outdoor temperature sensor 370, an indoor temperature sensor 380, and a rain sensor 390. The controller 320 may be divided into a processor 322, a communications unit 324, a storage 326, and a calculation unit 328.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the user terminal 100 may be a device communicating over a network. Examples of the user terminal include a personal computer, a UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC), a workstation, a netbook, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), a portable computer, a web tablet, a wireless phone, a mobile phone, a smart phone, an e-book, a smart TV, a portable game console, a vehicle information system, a navigation system, a 3-dimensional television receiver, a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) TV set, a wireless communication device, an electronic device connected to a home network, an electronic device connected to a computer network, and an electronic device connected to a telematics network. A request for remote air conditioning may be inputted to the user terminal 100 from a user (e.g., a car owner, a passenger, etc.), and the user terminal 100 transmits the request to the server 500. Optionally, the request may be transmitted directly to the controller 320 via wireless communication, rather than via the server 500.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the calculation unit 328 of the controller 320 performs various calculation logic, such as comparison between an outdoor temperature and an indoor temperature on the basis of data from the outdoor temperature sensor 370, the indoor temperature sensor 380, and the rain sensor 390.
According to one embodiment, the calculation unit 328 of the controller 320 compares the outdoor temperature with an indoor temperature and calculates the amount of time that it is necessary to operate an air conditioner based on the information from the outdoor temperature sensor 370, the indoor temperature sensor 380, and the rain sensor 390. The calculation unit 328 can utilize information from the rain sensor 390 or, alternatively, a meteorological office instead of the rain sensor 390 to determine whether or not it is raining. The storage 326 of the controller 320 stores various desired values, measurements, calculated values, etc. The communications unit 324 of the controller 320 receives a request for air conditioning remote control through the server 500 from the user terminal 100 (or directly from the user terminal). The processor 322 of the controller orders both the air conditioner 340 and the opening unit 360 to operate.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening unit 360 of the car 300 includes a sunroof and car windows and may be closed or opened depending on whether or not it is raining, as determined by the rain sensor 390, for example. If the opening unit is opened, the sunroof may be fully opened while the car windows may be partially opened in order to prevent the car or items present in the car from being stolen. The opening unit may include various means connecting the inside of the car to the outside, in addition to windows and a sunroof.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a method for air conditioning remote control in a car in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
As shown in FIG. 2, the method comprises receiving a request for air conditioning remote control from a user terminal 100 (S100); predicting a time at which the user will arrive at the car 300 (S200); calculating an operation time of an air conditioner 340 required to make an indoor temperature of the car 300 reach a preset temperature (S300); comparing the operation time of the air conditioner 340 with the time required for the user to arrive at the car 300 (S400); comparing an outdoor temperature with the indoor temperature (S420); determining whether the interior of the car is heated or cooled (S440); and sending air to the interior of the car (S500).
In the step of receiving a request for air conditioning remote control from a user terminal, a user, e.g., a car owner or passenger, uses the user terminal to make a request for air conditioning remote control. When making the request, the user may input data. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the input data may include a desired temperature and the estimated time of arrival or position data of the user terminal 100. In this regard, the user may or may not directly input the estimated time of arrival or the position data of the user terminal 100.
Upon predicting the time required for the user to arrive at the car (S200), account is taken of the following two cases: whether or not data is input directly by the user. If the directly input data is the estimated time of arrival, it may be used without change. On the other hand, if the data pertains to position, the time required for the user to arrive at the car is derived on the basis of the estimated time of arrival, calculated by the server from the position data. Alternatively, when the user does not directly input data, the server 500 derives the estimated time of arrival in consideration of the average human walking speed on the basis of the GPS position data of both the car 100 and the user terminal 100, and sends the estimated time of arrival to the communications unit 324 of the car 300.
In the step of calculating the operation time of an air conditioner 340 (S300), the controller can derive an air conditioning load in consideration of various factors including the difference between a current temperature and a required temperature, the power of the air conditioner, and the inner volume of the passenger compartment of the car upon receipt of air conditioning remote control. The operation time of the air conditioner is calculated based on the derived air conditioning load. For example, delta T, which is the difference between the current temperature and a preset temperature, and the inner volume of the passenger compartment of the car are used to derive an air conditioning load, which is then divided by the power of the air conditioner to calculate the time for which it is required to operate the air conditioner.
For the step of comparing the operation time of the air conditioner 340 with the time required for the user to arrive at the car 300 (S400), account is taken of the following two cases: whether or not the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the time for which it is required to operate the air conditioner 340. First, in the case where the time required for the user to arrive at the car is shorter than or the same as the time for which it is required to operate the air conditioner 340, the air conditioner 340 is operated as soon as the communications unit receives a request for air conditioning remote control (S600).
On the other hand, if the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the time for which it is required to operate the air conditioner 340, the air conditioner 340 is operated after an amount of time (alternatively referred to herein as a “wait time”) has passed since the time of receipt of the request for air conditioning remote control. The wait time may be calculated by subtracting the required operation time from the time of arrival. By way of example, assume that the communications unit receives a request for air conditioning remote control at 1:00 pm, that the required air conditioner 340 operation time is 10 min, and that it will take 30 min for the user to arrive at the car. The air conditioner starts to operate at 1:20 pm, because the required operation time (10 min) is subtracted from the time it will take for the user to arrive (30 min). From the starting time, the air conditioner 340 operates for 10 min.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the required air conditioner 340 operation time, either the server 500 or the controller 320 may order that the air conditioner 340 be operated after the passage of an amount of time (i.e., “wait time”), obtained by subtracting the required operation time from the time of arrival, starting at the time of receipt of a request for air conditioning remote control.
During the wait time between the time of receipt of a request for air conditioning remote control and the time of commencement of operation of the air conditioner 340, the controller 320 selectively performs an air blowing mode, in which outdoor air is introduced into the interior of the car without operating the air conditioner 340, according to the result of comparing indoor and outdoor temperatures or depending on whether heating or cooling is required (S420, S440, S460).
The air blowing mode is carried out when it is determined that cooling is needed at an indoor temperature higher than an outdoor temperature or that heating is needed at an indoor temperature lower than an outdoor temperature. For the case where cooling is needed at an indoor temperature higher than an outdoor temperature, the air blowing mode is carried out in a manner such that the opening unit 360 is opened if it is determined that it is not raining after an examination is made through the rain sensor 390 or from weather information to see whether or not it is raining. The opening unit remains open until there is no difference between the indoor temperature and the outdoor temperature. Thereafter, the opening unit is closed, and the controller 320 compares the time required for the user to arrive at the car with the required operation time of the air conditioner to determine whether or not to operate the air conditioner 340.
On the other hand, when it is raining, the controller 320 cannot open the opening unit 360. Accordingly, the air conditioner introduces outdoor air into the interior of the car to adjust the indoor temperature.
For example, when the indoor temperature of a car is 50° C. on a summer day of 30° C., the air blowing mode is carried out, ahead of the operation of the air conditioner 340, if cooling is required. Here, in the air blowing mode, a sunroof and car windows may be opened, or a blower may be operated depending on whether or not it is raining.
On a winter day of −5° C., when an indoor temperature is 10° C., the air conditioner 340 is simply operated if heating is required. The reason why the air blowing mode is not conducted is to prevent inefficient fuel consumption. If the air blowing mode is conducted, chilly outdoor air is introduced into the interior of the car and thus lowers the indoor temperature, which requires additional air conditioning, resulting in increased fuel consumption. In general, the indoor temperature of a car is higher than the outdoor temperature in a closed space, regardless of the season.
In contrast, when heating is needed in the state in which the indoor temperature is lower than the outdoor temperature, an air blowing mode is conducted to adjust the indoor temperature, during which the time required for the user to arrive at the car is compared with the required air conditioner 340 operation time to determine whether to operate the air conditioner 340. Upon the operation of the air conditioner 340, a power consumer other than the air conditioner may be electrically blocked or isolated. The power consumer may include an air conditioning display.
As described hitherto, the system and the method for air conditioning remote control in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure can accurately calculate the time required for a user, e.g., a car owner, a passenger, or the like, to arrive at the car, even when he or she does not input the time, by comparing the position of the car with the GPS position data of the user.
In addition, by comparing the time required for the user to arrive at the car with the required operation time of the air conditioner to determine when to commence operation of the air conditioner, the method and system can establish a wait time between the time of receipt of a request for air conditioning remote control and the time to start operating the air conditioner to eliminate unnecessary energy consumption, with the consequent improvement of energy efficiency.
Further, the air blowing mode is selectively carried out depending on a comparison of indoor and outdoor temperatures to determine the need for heating or cooling, so that the indoor temperature can be adjusted without operating the air conditioner, resulting in enhanced energy efficiency.
In the case where the time required for the user to arrive at the car is shorter than or equal to the required air conditioner operation time when comparing the time required for the user to arrive at the car with the required operation time of the air conditioner, the air conditioner is operated as soon as the communications unit receives a request for air conditioning remote control, which results in optimal fuel consumption and high energy efficiency.
Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system for air conditioning remote control in a car, the system comprising:

an air conditioner equipped in the car; and

a controller configured to control operation of the air conditioner and to communicate wirelessly with the user terminal, the controller having functions of:

receiving a request for air conditioning remote control from the user terminal,

calculating an operation time of the air conditioner required to change an indoor temperature of the car to a preset temperature upon receiving the request,

calculating a wait time by subtracting the operation time of the air conditioner from a time required for the user to arrive at the car, and

operating the air conditioner after the wait time has passed since receiving the request when the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the operation time of the air conditioner.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives the preset temperature from the user terminal and calculates the operation time of the air conditioner based on the received preset temperature.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller calculates an air conditioning load based on a difference between a current temperature and a required temperature upon receipt of the request and calculates the operation time of the air conditioner based on the calculated air conditioning load.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller calculates an air conditioning load and the operation time of the air conditioner based on information of the car and a difference between a current temperature and a required temperature upon receipt of the request.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the information of the car includes a power of the air conditioner and an inner volume of a passenger compartment of the car.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller calculates the time required for the user to arrive at the car based on data received from the user terminal.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data received from the user terminal includes data that the user inputs with regard to a time that the user will arrive at the car.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller calculates the time required for the user to arrive at the car based on a position of the user terminal, a position of the car, and a moving speed of the user.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller operates the air conditioner upon receiving the request when the time required for the user to arrive at the car is shorter than or equal to a time required to operate the air conditioner.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein, when the time required for the user to arrive at the car is longer than the operation time of the air conditioner, the controller performs an air blowing mode, in which outdoor air is introduced into an interior of the car without operating the air conditioner, during a waiting time between a time of receiving the request and a time of commencing operation of the air conditioner.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the air blowing mode is performed when it is determined that cooling is needed at the indoor temperature of the car higher than an outdoor temperature.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the air blowing mode is performed such that an opening unit providing a passage from an inside of the car to an outside is opened when it is determined that it is not raining.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the opening unit is closed when the air blowing mode is stopped or when the air conditioner starts to operate.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the air blowing mode is performed when it is determined that heating is needed at the indoor temperature of the car lower than an outdoor temperature.

15. A system for air conditioning remote control in a car, a system comprising:

an air conditioner equipped in the car;

a controller configured to control operation of the air conditioner; and

a server, provided outside the car, having functions of:

communicating with the user terminal and the controller,

receiving the request from the user terminal,

16. A method for air conditioning remote control in a car, the method comprising:

receiving a request for air conditioning remote control from a user terminal of a user;

calculating an operation time of an air conditioner required to change an indoor temperature of the car to a preset temperature upon receiving the request;

calculating a wait time by subtracting the operation time of the air conditioner from a time required for the user to arrive at the car; and