Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Ian Hughes

Baptiste Bureau

A controller and a control method for activating temperature control of a device of a vehicle, the controller configured to, in a first mode, activate temperature control of the device of the vehicle when a measured temperature of the device passes a first threshold temperature; determine when a condition dependent on a journey of the vehicle is satisfied, and switch from the first mode to a second mode; and, in the second mode, activate the temperature control of the device when the measured temperature of the device passes a second threshold temperature, different to the first threshold temperature, wherein in the second mode, the measured temperature of the device passes the first threshold temperature without activation of the temperature control of the device before passing the second threshold temperature activating the temperature control of the device.

Controller and control method for activating temperature control of a device of a vehicle

A control system or controller () for a vehicle (), the vehicle () comprising: at least one energy-consuming subsystem (), such as a battery cooling system (), for controlling a or a respective first vehicle operating parameter, e.g. the battery operating temperature, and actuation means for the subsystem () for activating or deactivating it in accordance with vehicle operational requirements; wherein the control system () is configured to: determine a value of a or a respective second vehicle operating parameter which is dependent on a location of the vehicle (), such as a distance (x, y) between a current location of the vehicle and a reference location, e.g. a driver's home or workplace, and control the actuation means of the subsystem () so as to deactivate the subsystem (), optionally for a prescribed period of time, in dependence on the value of the determined vehicle location-dependent second vehicle operating parameter. Since the reference location is optionally a location at which the vehicle is expected to be parked and so will not require active battery cooling, when the vehicle is within easy reach of that destination, e.g. according to current battery temperature or predicted drive time to that destination, the battery cooling system () can be temporarily deactivated, in order to save energy wastage and battery drain, and improve fuel economy and electric range. Embodiments are applicable to other energy-hungry vehicle systems, e.g. heating or cooling systems () of other vehicle components.

Vehicle control system and method

A cooling system for cooling a device (), e.g. a battery, within a vehicle (), especially a hybrid electric vehicle, the cooling system comprising: a first cooling subsystem () for cooling the device () and having a relatively low rate of energy consumption, e.g. an ambient air-based cooling apparatus, a second cooling subsystem () for cooling the device () and having a relatively high rate of energy consumption, e.g. a refrigeration-based cooling apparatus, evaluation means (P,R) comprising predictive evaluation means (P) for providing a predictive output responsive to a determination whether a temperature of the device () will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of time, an evaluation output of the evaluation means (P,R) being dependent on at least the predictive output of the predictive evaluation means (P), assessment means (A) for providing an assessment output responsive to a determination whether the temperature of the device () is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem () alone, and control means for selectively controlling actuation of the first cooling subsystem () or the second cooling subsystem () in dependence on the evaluation output of the evaluation means (P,R) and the assessment output of the assessment means (A). By use of the combined evaluation methodology to operate the lower-energy cooling subsystem () in a pre-emptive manner, before or unless the higher-energy cooling subsystem () is actually needed, a more energy efficient system is achieved.

Cooling system for vehicle device

A control system for a vehicle for optimizing the energy efficiency of a rechargeable electric battery system and/or for optimizing the lifetime of a rechargeable electric battery. The rechargeable electric battery system comprising: the rechargeable electric battery, a temperature management system for the rechargeable electric battery and one or more sensors for measuring one or more characteristics relating to the rechargeable electric battery. The control system comprising a control unit configured and arranged to receive data from the one or more sensors and being coupled to the temperature management system. The control unit being configured and arranged to determine in dependence upon data received from the one or more sensors, a time-weighted-average state-of-health of the rechargeable electric battery. In dependence upon the determined time-weighted-average state-of-health of the rechargeable electric battery, the control unit is configured and arranged to manage the temperature management system and thereby manage the temperature of the rechargeable electric battery for optimizing the energy efficiency of the rechargeable electric battery system and/or for optimizing the lifetime of the rechargeable electric battery.

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Coventry, United Kingdom

Ian Hughes