Blower Motor Operation

Abstract

A method of operating a vehicle climate system when an ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature is provided. In response to the ambient temperature being below the threshold temperature, a controller is adapted to operate a blower motor at a voltage that is dependent on whether the vehicle is in a charge sustaining mode or a charge depleting mode. In response to the ambient temperature being above the threshold temperature, the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor at a voltage that is not dependent on whether the vehicle is in the charge sustaining mode or the charge depleting mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to operation of a blower motor, and more particularly, to blower motor operation in a hybrid electric vehicle as a function of ambient temperature and vehicle operating mode. Background Art

[0002] A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) can be propelled by an engine and an electric motor powered by a power battery. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) includes a power battery that can be charged by an electrical connection to an external power source. A pure electric vehicle (BEV) does not include an engine and is propelled only by an electric motor. HEV, PHEV, and BEV are three examples of vehicles that are at least partially propelled by an electric motor. In such applications, the power battery may include a battery pack having battery cells that are charged and discharged during operation. The power battery may also discharge power from the battery cells and transmit power between the battery cells during a battery cell balancing operation.

[0003] In addition to propelling the vehicle, the electricity can also be used to power onboard auxiliary loads. For example, electricity can be delivered to a blower motor used in the vehicle's climate control system. Summary of the invention

[0004] In at least one aspect, a method of operating a vehicle climate system when an ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature is provided. The method may include, in response to the ambient temperature being below the threshold, operating a blower motor at a voltage that is dependent on whether the vehicle is in a charge sustaining mode or a charge depleting mode. The method may also include, in response to the ambient temperature being above the threshold, operating the blower motor at a voltage that is independent of whether the vehicle is in the charge sustaining mode or the charge depleting mode.

[0005] In at least one aspect, a method of operating a vehicle climate system when an ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature is provided. The method may include: in response to the ambient temperature being below the threshold, operating a blower motor at a voltage that is dependent on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode or a manual climate control mode. The method may also include: in response to the ambient temperature being above the threshold, operating the blower motor at a voltage that is not dependent on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in the automatic climate control mode or the manual climate control mode.

[0006] In at least one aspect, a method of operating a vehicle climate system when an ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature is provided. The method may include operating a blower motor according to a first blower parameter when an engine is used to propel the vehicle when the ambient temperature is below the threshold temperature. The method may also include operating the blower motor according to a second blower parameter different from the first blower parameter when an electric machine is used instead of the engine to propel the vehicle when the ambient temperature is below the threshold temperature.

[0007] A climate system for a vehicle is provided. The climate system may include a blower motor and a climate controller. When an engine is propelling the vehicle, the climate controller may be configured to operate the blower motor according to a first blower parameter when an ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature. When an electric machine, but not the engine, is propelling the vehicle, the climate controller may be configured to operate the blower motor according to a second blower parameter different from the first voltage parameter when the ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle having a motor and an engine.

[0009] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the vehicle components that implement the climate control strategy.

[0010] Figure 3 is a flow chart of the blower motor control algorithm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and that other embodiments may take various forms and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be enlarged or minimized to show the details of a particular component. Therefore, the specific structural details and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as restrictive, but only as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to adopt the present invention in different ways. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the various features shown and described with reference to any of the figures in the accompanying drawings may be combined with the features shown in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly shown or described. The combination of features shown provides representative embodiments for typical applications. However, for specific applications or implementations, it may be necessary to make various combinations and modifications to these features according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0012] Hybrid vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are provided with more than one power source. In addition to gasoline fuel energy, hybrid vehicles also have an additional energy source, namely electrical energy stored in batteries, which can be electrical energy from the power grid that is deposited in the vehicle battery during charging. The power management system of the hybrid vehicle distributes the vehicle's driving power requirements to one or both of the two energy sources in order to achieve improved fuel economy and meet other similar HEV / PHEV control objectives. Although conventional HEVs can be operated to maintain the battery state of charge (SOC) at a constant level, PHEVs may expect to use as much of the pre-saved battery electrical (grid) energy as possible before the next charging event (when the vehicle is "plugged in"). In order to improve fuel economy, relatively cheap grid-supplied electrical energy can be used preferentially to save gasoline fuel as much as possible.

[0013] Figure 1 Depict an electrified vehicle 112 that may be referred to as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The vehicle 112 may include one or more motors 114 mechanically coupled to a hybrid transmission 116. The motor 114 may be capable of operating as a motor or a generator. In addition, the hybrid transmission 116 is mechanically coupled to an engine 118. The vehicle's power plant may include any number of energy generating or maintaining machines (e.g., an engine, a battery, a capacitor, a solar panel, a fuel cell, an electric motor). The hybrid transmission 116 is also mechanically coupled to a drive shaft 120, which is mechanically coupled to wheels 122. When the engine 118 is started or shut down, the motor 114 may provide propulsion and deceleration capabilities. The motor 114 may also act as a generator and may provide fuel economy benefits by recovering energy that would normally be lost as heat in a friction braking system. The motor 114 may also reduce vehicle emissions by operating the engine 118 at a more efficient speed under certain conditions and operating the hybrid electric vehicle 112 with the engine 118 shut down in an electric mode. The electrified vehicle 112 may also be a pure electric vehicle (BEV). In a BEV configuration, the engine 118 may not be present. In other configurations, the electrified vehicle 112 may be a full hybrid electric vehicle (FHEV) without plug-in capability.

[0014] The vehicle 112 can be operated in a number of different powertrain modes, including a charge-sustaining mode and a charge-depleting mode (also referred to as an EV mode). In the charge-depleting mode, the battery is used as the primary source of propulsion until the battery SOC drops below a threshold SOC, at which point the vehicle switches to the charge-sustaining mode. The term charge-depleting mode as used herein refers to a mode in which the engine may be periodically operated and a mode in which the engine is not used. For example, the vehicle may include an EV-only mode (also now referred to as an EV) in which the engine is disabled.

[0015] The power battery or battery pack 124 stores energy that can be used by the motor 114. The vehicle battery pack 124 can provide a high voltage direct current (DC) output. The power battery 124 can be electrically connected to one or more power electronic modules 126. One or more contactors 142 can isolate the power battery 124 from other components when disconnected and connect the power battery 124 to other components when closed. The power electronic module 126 is also electrically connected to the motor 114 and provides the ability to transfer energy bidirectionally between the power battery 124 and the motor 114. For example, the power battery 124 can provide a DC voltage, and the motor 114 can be operated by three-phase alternating current (AC) to work. The power electronic module 126 can convert the DC voltage into a three-phase AC current to operate the motor 114. In regenerative mode, the power electronic module 126 can convert the three-phase AC current from the motor 114 acting as a generator into a DC voltage compatible with the power battery 124.

[0016] The vehicle 112 may include a variable voltage converter (VVC) 144 electrically coupled between the power battery 124 and the power electronics module 126. The VVC 144 may be a DC / DC boost converter configured to increase or boost the voltage provided by the power battery 124. By increasing the voltage, the current demand may be reduced, resulting in a reduction in the wiring size for the power electronics module 126 and the motor 114. In addition, the motor 114 may operate at better efficiency and lower losses.

[0017] In addition to providing energy for propulsion, the power battery 124 can also provide energy for other vehicle electrical systems. The vehicle 112 can include a DC / DC converter module 128 that converts the high-voltage DC output of the power battery 124 into a low-voltage DC supply compatible with the low-voltage vehicle load. The output of the DC / DC converter module 128 can be electrically coupled to an auxiliary battery 130 (e.g., a 12V battery) for charging the auxiliary battery 130. The low-voltage system can be electrically coupled to the auxiliary battery 130.

[0018] One or more electrical loads may be coupled to the high voltage bus. The electrical loads may have associated controllers that operate and control the electrical loads when appropriate. An example electrical load may be a heater 14, such as a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater, a resistive heater, or other type of heater. Other examples of high voltage electrical loads include fans and air conditioning compressors.

[0019] The vehicle 112 may be an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, in which the power battery 124 may be recharged by an external power source 136. The external power source 136 may be a connection to an electrical outlet. The external power source 136 may be electrically connected to an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) 138. The EVSE 138 may provide circuits and controls to regulate and manage energy transfer between the power source 136 and the vehicle 112. The external power source 136 may provide DC or AC power to the EVSE 138. The EVSE 138 may have a charging connector 140 for plugging into a charging port 134 of the vehicle 112. The charging port 134 may be any type of port configured to transfer power from the EVSE 138 to the vehicle 112. The charging port 134 may be electrically connected to a charger or an onboard power conversion module 132. The power conversion module 132 may regulate the power supplied from the EVSE 138 to provide appropriate voltage and current levels to the power battery 124. The power conversion module 132 may connect with the EVSE 138 to coordinate power transfer to the vehicle 112. The EVSE connector 140 may have pins that mate with corresponding recesses of the charging port 134. Alternatively, the various components described as being electrically connected may use wireless inductive coupling to transfer power.

[0020] The electronic modules within the vehicle 112 can communicate via one or more vehicle networks. The vehicle network can include multiple channels for communication. One channel of the vehicle network can be a serial bus, such as a controller area network (CAN). One of the channels of the vehicle network can include Ethernet defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802 series of standards. Additional channels of the vehicle network can include discrete connections between modules and can include power signals from the auxiliary battery 130. Different signals can be transmitted through different channels of the vehicle network. For example, a video signal can be transmitted through a high-speed channel (e.g., Ethernet), while a control signal can be transmitted through a CAN or a discrete signal. The vehicle network can include any hardware and software components that facilitate the transmission of signals and data between modules. Figure 1 The vehicle network is not shown in FIG, but it may be implied that the vehicle network may be connected to any electronic module present in the vehicle 112 .

[0021] A vehicle system controller (VSC) 148 may be provided to coordinate the operation of the various components. The VSC 148 may also be adapted to control a powertrain operating mode of the vehicle 112. For example, the VSC 148 may provide an input to the powertrain that causes the powertrain to operate in at least a charge sustaining (CS) mode or a charge depleting (CD) mode. In the CS mode, the engine 118, the motor 114, or both may power the drive wheels 122. The CS mode is generally considered to be the default powertrain mode for normal operation of an electrified vehicle.

[0022] In CD mode, drive wheels 122 are powered by electric machine 114 rather than engine 118. CD mode is generally considered an electric-only operating mode.

[0023] In at least one embodiment, the CD mode may be a drive mode available when the ambient temperature is above a threshold temperature (e.g., -9.5 degrees Celsius (°C)). As used herein, the ambient temperature may refer to the external ambient temperature, i.e., the temperature outside the vehicle. Under conditions where the ambient temperature is below the threshold temperature, a drive mode (such as the CS mode) in which the engine 118 is used to power the drive wheels 122 may be required. In at least another embodiment, the CD mode may also be an available drive mode when the fluid temperature (e.g., the transmission fluid temperature) is above the threshold fluid temperature.

[0024] The vehicle 112 includes a climate control system 150, which includes a heater 146, one or more sensors 152a, 152b, a variable blower control (VBC) 154 that communicates with a blower motor 156 adapted to operate a blower fan, and a climate controller 158 that communicates with the heater 146, the sensors 152a, 152b, and the VBC154.

[0025] The sensors 152a, 152b may be temperature sensors. In at least one aspect, the first temperature sensor 152a may be configured to directly or indirectly determine the ambient air temperature outside the vehicle 112. The second temperature sensor 152b may be configured to directly or indirectly determine the cabin air temperature inside the vehicle 112.

[0026] The blower motor 156 may be a variable speed blower motor for delivering air to the interior cabin of the vehicle 112. In this manner, in response to a signal from the VBC 154, the blower motor 156 may vary the fan speed of the blower fan.

[0027] The climate controller 158 may be a microprocessor-based controller having a central processing unit, internal memory (such as RAM and / or ROM), and associated inputs and outputs that communicate over a bus. The climate controller 158 may be part of a central vehicle master control unit or a stand-alone unit. The climate controller 158 may include various processing units that may be incorporated as separate devices or as an integral part of the climate controller 158. As described in more detail below, the climate controller 158 may control various motors and actuators of the climate control system based on various sensors and control inputs and according to programmed logic or algorithms.

[0028] The VBC 154, having any suitable processor, can be in electrical communication with the blower motor 156 via electrical ports, which can correspond to the positive and negative inputs of the blower motor 156. The VBC 154 can include other connections, such as a ground connection or a (pulse width modulation) PWM input from the climate controller 158. Typically, the VBC 154 receives the blower speed from the climate controller 158 at the PWM input, and then the VBC 154 changes the speed of the blower motor 102. Alternatively, the VBC 154 can receive a DC voltage, and this DC voltage can be converted into a corresponding PWM signal. In addition, alternative control modules such as electronic automatic temperature control (EATC), remote climate control module (RCCM), dual automatic temperature control (DATC), etc. can also be used to monitor the blower motor 156.

[0029] Figure 2 One possible system for providing passenger compartment heating for a PHEV is shown in . The system provides two coolant heating sources. The system can use heat from the engine 118 to heat the coolant, as in a traditional ICE vehicle. The system can also provide heat via an electric heater 146. Having multiple heat sources allows flexibility during normal operating conditions and a certain redundancy during failure modes. The system allows coolant from different heat sources to flow through the heater core. Adding a heater core isolation valve (HCIV) 170 allows the passenger heater system to select the source of heated coolant. The vehicle system control (VSC) module ( Figure 1 148) can control the operation of the system. The VSC can determine the heating mode based on the passenger heating request and the status of various components in the heating system. To ensure robust operation, the VSC can attempt to work with missing or faulty control elements by selecting an appropriate operating mode.

[0030] The system may also have an auxiliary water pump 174 to force coolant through the system. A coolant sensor 186 may be included to measure the coolant temperature entering the heater core 176. The coolant flows through the heater core 176 to allow heat to be transferred from the coolant to the air entering the passenger compartment. A blower assembly 188 (which may correspond to Figure 1 The blower motor 156) transfers heat from the coolant in the heater core 176 to the air passing over the heater core 176 and into the passenger compartment.

[0031] The system may also have a water pump 180 to force the coolant to flow through the engine 118. The water pump 180 may be mechanically driven or electrically driven. In certain modes, the water pump 180 may also force the coolant to pass through the heater core 176. The system may also have a radiator 184 to dissipate the heat in the coolant. The system may also have a thermostat 182 to control the coolant flow between the radiator 184 and the engine 118. The system may also have a degassing bottle 190, which may act as a coolant reservoir, remove air from the coolant and provide pressure relief. The cooling system may also include an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) 192 system that recirculates a portion of the engine's exhaust gas back to the intake manifold. In addition, the system may have an engine coolant temperature sensor 194 to determine the coolant temperature leaving the engine 118, or the engine coolant temperature leaving the engine may be estimated or inferred from other measurements such as a cylinder head temperature sensor.

[0032] The HCIV 170 can be used to activate different coolant loops that are primarily used for cabin heating. In one position, the HCIV 170 forms a purely electric heating loop 172. In this position, the coolant flows in a loop consisting of the HCIV 170, auxiliary water pump 174, electric heater 146, and heater core 176 (not limited to this particular order). In another position, the HCIV 170 forms a combined heating loop 178 that passes through the engine 118. In the combined heating loop 178, the coolant flows through the HCIV 170, thermostat 182, water pump 180, engine 118, auxiliary water pump 174, electric heater 146, and heater core 176 (not limited to this particular order). There is also a separate engine loop where the coolant flows through the engine 118, thermostat 182, water pump 180, and radiator 184 (not necessarily in this order). Depending on the operating mode, in order to get the coolant flowing in the system, one or both of the pumps 174 or 180 must be activated.

[0033] The system is capable of changing the coolant flow through the system in response to the desired coolant heating source. Based on the position of the HCIV 170, the coolant can flow in different circuits. Depending on the heating / cooling requirements of each circuit at a specific time, a respective coolant temperature can be achieved in each circuit. The addition of the HCIV 170 allows the coolant flow to be changed. The HCIV 170 can be an electric switch valve that changes the coolant flow through the system. The HCIV 170 can be a three-way valve that allows one inlet port to be alternately connected to each of the other two outlet ports based on an activation signal. The HCIV 170 can allow the coolant circuits to be combined into a larger coolant circuit. The HCIV 170 can be switched in such a way as to allow coolant to flow from the engine coolant circuit through the HCIV 170 to the pure electric heater circuit to operate the cabin heating in the pure electric heater circuit 172 or using a combined heating circuit 178 with the engine 118.

[0034] A controller may be used to actuate the HCIV 170. In at least one aspect, a solenoid and spring assembly may be used to set the position of the HCIV 170. Depending on the design of the HCIV 170, it may or may not have feedback regarding the actual position of the HCIV 170. The position of the HCIV 170 may be determined by observing the behavior of the system during operation. In at least one aspect, the position of the HCIV 170 may be inferred from the temperature of the coolant entering the heat exchanger and the temperature of the coolant leaving the engine (e.g., detected at the heater coolant temperature sensor 186 and at the engine coolant temperature sensor).

[0035] Reference again Figure 1 , the climate controller 158 can be adapted to send a signal to the VBC 154 to control the speed of the blower motor 156 based on various blower parameters. In at least one aspect, the VBC 154 can control the speed of the blower motor 156 based on a current input at the blower motor 156. In at least one other aspect, the VBC 154 can control the speed of the blower motor 156 based on a voltage input at the blower motor 156. In at least one other aspect, the VBC 154 can control the speed of the blower motor 156 based on a speed (e.g., revolutions per minute) at the blower motor 156.

[0036] Control of the blower motor 156 allows a vehicle occupant to select a desired air flow rate by setting the fan speed to, for example, "off," "low," "medium," "high," or "auto." At the "low," "medium," and "high" positions, a particular voltage may be supplied to the blower motor 156. The supplied voltage may correspond to the respective desired air flow rate. At the "auto" position, the voltage supplied to the blower motor 156 is controlled as needed by the climate controller 158 (described in more detail below) to achieve the desired conditions.

[0037] The climate controller 158 may be adapted to provide a manual temperature control mode. When the occupant selects an air flow rate (blower speed), the climate controller 158 sends a signal to set the voltage that powers the blower motor 156. The voltage to be used may depend on the selected operating mode and may be contained in a lookup table in the memory of the climate controller 158.

[0038] The climate controller 158 can also be adapted to provide an automatic climate control mode for automatically controlling the climate in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The automatic climate control mode can allow the climate controller 158 to automatically adjust the passenger compartment temperature and control various climate control functions based on environmental conditions and / or vehicle operating characteristics. For example, when the "automatic" gear is selected, the climate controller 158 can apply programming logic and memory to determine and guide the correct temperature, mode and blower speed required to achieve maximum comfort in the passenger compartment based on sensor and operator control inputs. When such an automatic mode is selected, the climate controller 158 can change the blower speed by arbitrarily adjusting the voltage supplied to the blower motor 156 between zero volts (blower off) and the maximum system voltage (blower full speed). Passenger cars can, for example, utilize 9 volts (9V) or 14 volts (14V) electrical systems. For the examples discussed in this disclosure, 14V should be considered equivalent to blower full speed. Some blower motors cannot operate normally at voltages below a certain lower limit. In the example system described herein, it may be assumed that the blower motor is designed for a minimum operating voltage of 4 volts.

[0039] In this way, the driver can input (e.g., at the center console of the vehicle 112) a control such as a target or set point cabin temperature, and the data supplied by the sensor (e.g., the second sensor 152b) can be used to introduce appropriately temperature controlled and / or air conditioned air into the passenger compartment to adjust the cabin temperature according to the user's needs. For example, if the measured temperature of the interior air is lower than the desired temperature, the air flow supplied to the passenger compartment can be heated more or cooled less, and / or the intensity (flow rate) of the heated or cooled air flow can be changed accordingly.

[0040] When the vehicle 112 is operating in the charge sustaining mode, the engine 118 is running and can be used as a heat source for heating air to be supplied to the passenger cabin of the vehicle 112. For example, the vehicle 112 can utilize engine waste heat absorbed by the engine cooling system to provide passenger cabin heating to a plurality of heat exchangers.

[0041] However, in CD mode, the engine 118 is off and may not be available to act as a heat source. In this manner, the vehicle 112 may be provided with a heater 146. The heater 146 may apply heat to the cooling circuit so that the passenger compartment of the vehicle 112 may be heated while keeping the engine 118 off.

[0042] In many cases, the climate control system 150, as operated by the climate controller 158, requires significantly more time to heat the passenger compartment to a desired temperature when the heater 146 is the only heat source (e.g., in CD mode) than when the engine 118 is available as a heat source (e.g., in CS mode).

[0043] As such, when the vehicle is operated in the CD mode under certain cold conditions (such as when the ambient temperature is in the range of about 0 to about -9.5° C.), the blower motor 156 may blow relatively cool air into the passenger compartment for a longer period of time than when the vehicle 112 is operated in the CS mode. When the climate control system 150 is also operated in the automatic temperature control mode, the user may be surprised by the continued discharge of cold air.

[0044] In this way, the climate control system 150 can be provided with mode-specific operating conditions. More specifically, the climate controller 158 can be adapted to: operate the blower motor 156 according to a first parameter set when the vehicle 112 is operating in the first drive mode when the ambient temperature is at or below a predefined temperature; and operate the blower motor 156 according to a second parameter set when the vehicle 112 is operating in the second drive mode and optionally when the climate control system 150 is in the automatic climate control mode when the ambient temperature is at or below a predefined temperature.

[0045] The parameter set may be stored in a memory (e.g., in the memory of the climate controller 158). The parameter set may be in the form of a lookup table that includes at least one threshold temperature (T tN ) and at least one voltage parameter corresponding to a threshold temperature. The threshold temperature may be a plurality of threshold temperatures (e.g., T1, T2, etc.) and may be referred to as a step temperature. The voltage parameter may similarly be a plurality of voltage parameters (e.g., V1, V2, etc.). The voltage parameter may also vary depending on the climate control mode (e.g., automatic climate control or manual climate control). An exemplary set of parameters is shown in Table 1 below.

[0046] Table 1

[0047] T(℃) <![CDATA[T t1 ]]> <![CDATA[T t2 ]]> <![CDATA[T t3 ]]> <![CDATA[T t4 ]]> <![CDATA[T t5 ]]> <![CDATA[T t6 ]]> <![CDATA[V 自动 ]]> <![CDATA[V1]]> <![CDATA[V2]]> <![CDATA[V3]]> <![CDATA[V4]]> <![CDATA[V5]]> <![CDATA[V6]]> <![CDATA[V 手动 ]]> <![CDATA[V7]]> <![CDATA[V8]]> <![CDATA[V9]]> <![CDATA[V 10 ]]> <![CDATA[V 11 ]]> <![CDATA[V 12 ]]>

[0048] When the external ambient temperature (T a ) is at or below the stepped threshold temperature (T t ), the climate controller 158 can be adapted to operate the blower motor 156 in accordance with an associated voltage. In at least one scenario, T t1 < T t2 < T t3 < T t4 < T t5 < T t6 . As discussed in more detail elsewhere herein, when the vehicle is operating in a first mode (e.g., CS mode) and the climate control system is operating in an automatic climate control mode, the voltage can be: V1 > V2 > V3 = V4 = V5 < V6. When the vehicle is operating in a first mode (e.g., CS mode) and the climate control system is operating in a manual climate control mode, the voltage can be: V7 = V8 = V9 = V 10 = V 11 = V 12 . When the vehicle is operating in a second mode (e.g., CD mode) and the climate control system is operating in an automatic climate control mode, the voltage can be: V1 < V2 < V3 < V4 < V5 < V6. When the vehicle is operating in a second mode (e.g., CD mode) and the climate control system is operating in a manual climate control mode, the voltage can be: V7 < V8 < V9 < V 10 = V 11 = V 12 .

[0049] The voltages provided in the tables listed herein can be the maximum voltages for the stepped threshold temperature. As such, the climate controller 158 can be adapted to operate the blower motor 156 in accordance with a voltage less than the maximum voltage for the stepped threshold temperature.

[0050] As discussed, the climate controller 158 can be adapted for: operating the blower motor 156 in accordance with a first set of parameters when the ambient temperature is at or below a predefined temperature and the vehicle 112 is operating in a first drive mode (such as CS mode); and operating the blower motor 156 in accordance with a second set of parameters when the ambient temperature is at or below a predefined temperature and the vehicle 112 is operating in a second drive mode (such as CD mode).

[0051] In at least one scenario, when using the engine 118 to propel the vehicle (CS mode), the climate controller 158 can be adapted to operate the blower motor 156 in accordance with a first set of parameters. An exemplary first set of parameters is shown in Table 2 below.

[0052] Table 2

[0053] T(℃) -9.5 -5 0 5 16 32 <![CDATA[V 自动 ]]> 11 10.5 9 9 9 11 <![CDATA[V 手动 ]]> 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5

[0054] As shown in Table 2, the climate controller 158 may be adapted to operate the blower motor 156 according to the same (or similar) voltage parameters when the ambient temperature corresponds to various threshold temperatures. For example, this may be because the operation of the engine 118 in the first drive mode may heat (or have the ability to heat) the air to be delivered to the passenger compartment to a desired temperature in a relatively short period of time (e.g., 6 minutes). As such, reducing the voltage of the blower motor 156 may not be necessary.

[0055] When the motor 114, rather than the engine 118, is propelling the vehicle, the engine 118 may not be available to heat the air to be delivered to the passenger compartment. Instead, the heater 146 may be the sole (or primary) heat source. The heater 146 may heat the air to be delivered to the passenger compartment to a desired temperature at a relatively slower rate than the engine 118, or the heater 146 may not be able to heat the air to be delivered to the passenger compartment to a sufficient temperature. Thus, when the motor 114, rather than the engine 118, is propelling the vehicle, the climate controller 158 may be adapted to operate the blower motor 156 according to a second set of parameters. An exemplary second set of parameters is shown in Table 3 below.

[0056] Table 3

[0057] T(℃) -9.5 -5 0 5 16 32 <![CDATA[V 自动 ]]> 7 8 8.5 9 9 11 <![CDATA[V 手动 ]]> 9 10 11.5 13.5 13.5 13.5

[0058] As shown, when the motor 114 is propelling the vehicle instead of the engine 118, the climate controller 158 may reduce the voltage used to operate the blower motor 156 based on the ambient temperature. In this way, the maximum speed of the blower fan may be reduced to reduce airflow into the passenger compartment.

[0059] In an alternative approach, the climate controller 158 may further reduce the voltage used to operate the blower motor 156 based on the climate control mode. For example, when the vehicle is operating in the automatic climate control mode, the climate controller 158 may reduce the voltage used to operate the blower motor 156 based on the first mode strategy (such as the V 自动 When the vehicle is operated in the manual climate control mode, the climate controller 158 may be configured to operate the blower motor 156 in accordance with a second mode strategy (such as the V shown in Table 3). 手动 strategy) to reduce the voltage used to operate the blower motor 156. As shown in the table, for a given threshold temperature, the voltage in the second mode strategy can be higher than the voltage in the first mode strategy.

[0060] refer to Figure 3 , a method 200 for operating a vehicle climate system when the ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature is shown. The method 200 begins with a start step 202, which may correspond to, for example, a vehicle start procedure, such as when a user turns on or activates one or more vehicle systems (e.g., when a key fob is near the vehicle, when a user presses a vehicle start button, or when a user inserts a key into a jack of the vehicle). The method 200 may also or may instead begin 202 after a vehicle start procedure (such as during a driving event). As such, the method 200 may begin, for example, in response to a battery state of charge (SOC) reaching or dropping to a threshold SOC.

[0061] At step 204, the vehicle operating mode is determined. For example, at step 204, it may be determined whether the engine is being used to propel the vehicle. In at least one embodiment, the method may include the step of receiving (e.g., at a controller such as a climate controller 158) a signal indicating the vehicle operating mode. The signal may be, for example, issued by a controller (e.g., VSC 148) adapted to control the vehicle operating mode. In at least one embodiment, the vehicle operating state is a CAN signal sent from the VSC 148 to the climate controller 158. The vehicle operating mode may be at least one of the following: a first vehicle operating mode, such as a CS mode, in which the engine is used to propel the vehicle; and a second vehicle operating mode, such as a CD mode, in which a power battery is used instead of an engine to propel the vehicle.

[0062] When the engine is used to propel the vehicle (e.g., when the vehicle is operating in CS mode), method 200 may proceed to 206 where the blower motor is operated according to a first blower parameter. The first blower parameter may correspond to the parameters provided in Table 2 above and may be, for example, a first voltage for operating the blower motor.

[0063] When the engine is not being used to propel the vehicle, such as when the electric machine is the primary or sole source of vehicle propulsion (e.g., when the vehicle is operating in CD mode), method 200 may proceed to step 208. At step 208, it is determined (e.g., at a controller such as climate controller 158) whether the ambient temperature (e.g., the outside ambient temperature) is below a threshold temperature. The threshold temperature may be, for example, in the range of about 0 to about -9.5°C.

[0064] If the ambient temperature is not below the threshold temperature, method 200 may proceed to 206 where the blower motor is operated according to a first blower parameter.

[0065] If the ambient temperature is below the threshold temperature, then method 200 may proceed to 210, where the blower motor is operated according to a second blower parameter. The second blower parameter may correspond to the parameters provided in Table 3 above, and may be a second voltage for operating the blower motor. The second blower parameter may be different from the first blower parameter. For example, the second voltage may be lower than the first voltage.

[0066] In at least one alternative, when operating according to the first blower parameter, method 200 may include an additional step 212 of determining whether an automatic climate control mode is enabled. The automatic climate control mode may, for example, include a target cabin temperature, which may be a user-defined target cabin temperature. In response to determining that the automatic climate control mode is enabled, the method may include operating 214 the blower motor according to a first sub-parameter of the first blower parameter. The first sub-parameter may correspond to, for example, V in Table 2 above. 自动 In response to determining that the automatic climate control mode is not enabled, the method may include operating 216 the blower motor according to a second sub-parameter of the first blower parameter. The second sub-parameter may correspond to, for example, V in Table 2 above. 手动 parameter.

[0067] In at least one alternative, when operating according to the second blower parameter, method 200 may include an additional step 218 of determining whether an automatic climate control mode is enabled. In response to determining that the automatic climate control mode is enabled, the method may include operating 220 the blower motor according to a third sub-parameter of the second blower parameter. The third sub-parameter may correspond to, for example, V in Table 3 above. 自动 In response to determining that the automatic climate control mode is not enabled, the method may include operating 222 the blower motor according to a fourth sub-parameter of the second blower parameter. The fourth sub-parameter may correspond to, for example, V in Table 3 above. 手动 parameter.

[0068] In at least one embodiment, a plurality of threshold temperatures may be provided. For example, the threshold temperature may include at least a first step temperature and a second step temperature. The second step temperature may be lower than the first step temperature.

[0069] In at least one embodiment, the second blower parameter may include at least a first voltage that may correspond to a first step temperature and a second voltage that may correspond to a second step temperature. The second voltage may be lower than the first voltage. Thus, when a power battery is used instead of an engine to propel the vehicle, the climate controller may be adapted to operate the blower motor at a first voltage when the ambient temperature corresponds to the first step temperature, and to operate the blower motor at a second voltage when the ambient temperature corresponds to the second step temperature.

[0070] In at least one embodiment, the first blower parameter may include at least a third voltage that may correspond to a first step temperature and a fourth voltage that may correspond to a second step temperature. The third voltage may be higher than the first voltage. The fourth voltage may be lower than the third voltage but higher than the second voltage. Thus, when the engine is used to propel the vehicle, the climate controller may be adapted to operate the blower motor at the third voltage when the ambient temperature corresponds to the first step temperature, and to operate the blower motor at the fourth voltage when the ambient temperature corresponds to the second step temperature.

[0071] In at least one embodiment, the method may further include changing the vehicle operation mode when the ambient temperature is below a threshold ambient temperature. For example, when the ambient temperature is below -9.5°C, the vehicle operation mode may be changed from a pure electric mode to an engine propulsion mode or a hybrid mode.

[0072] In at least one embodiment, when the vehicle operating mode changes from a pure electric mode (e.g., CD mode) to an engine or hybrid mode (e.g., CS mode), the method may include determining the HCIV position before switching between blower parameter sets. The method may also or instead include determining the difference between the engine coolant temperature and the heater core temperature before switching between the blower parameter sets. This may be, for example, because the engine coolant temperature may take several minutes to warm up to the heater core coolant temperature before the HCIV moves to the open position. If the control head switches to the first blower parameter table immediately after the vehicle operating mode switches from CD mode to CS mode, and while the engine coolant temperature may still be much lower than the heater core coolant temperature, the exhaust air temperature may drop significantly and may cause user discomfort due to the blowing of cold air.

[0073] In at least one aspect, a method for operating a vehicle climate system when an ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature is provided. The method may include, in response to an ambient temperature below the threshold, operating a blower motor at a voltage that is dependent on whether the vehicle is in a charge sustaining mode or a charge depleting mode. In the charge sustaining mode, the vehicle may be propelled by an engine. In the charge depleting mode, the vehicle may be propelled by an electric machine instead of the engine. The method may also include, in response to an ambient temperature above the threshold, operating the blower motor at a voltage that is independent of whether the vehicle is in the charge sustaining mode or the charge depleting mode.

[0074] The method may further include, in response to an ambient temperature below the threshold, operating the blower motor at a first voltage when the vehicle is in the charge maintaining mode, and operating the blower motor at a second voltage lower than the first voltage when the vehicle is in the charge depleting mode.

[0075] The method may further include: in response to a battery state of charge (SOC) being below a SOC threshold when the vehicle is in the charge-depleting mode, using an engine to propel the vehicle. The method may further include operating the blower motor at the first voltage.

[0076] In at least one aspect, a method of operating a vehicle climate system when an ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature is provided. The method may include: in response to the ambient temperature being below the threshold, operating a blower motor at a voltage that is dependent on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode or a manual climate control mode. The method may also include: in response to the ambient temperature being above the threshold, operating the blower motor at a voltage that is not dependent on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in the automatic climate control mode or the manual climate control mode.

[0077] In at least one aspect, the method may further include operating the blower motor at a voltage in response to an ambient temperature below the threshold, the voltage further dependent on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode or a manual climate control mode.

[0078] In at least one embodiment, the method may also include: operating the blower motor at a first voltage when the vehicle climate system is operating in the automatic climate control mode, and operating the blower motor at a second voltage higher than the first voltage when the vehicle climate system is operating in the manual climate control mode, via the controller and in response to an ambient temperature below the threshold.

[0079] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms covered by the claims. The words used in the specification are descriptive rather than restrictive, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the present invention that may not be explicitly described or shown. Although various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being superior to other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve the desired overall system properties, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These properties may include, but are not limited to, cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, maintainability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. Therefore, embodiments described as being less ideal than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the present disclosure and may be desired for a specific application.

[0080] According to the present invention, a method for operating a vehicle climate system of a vehicle is provided: by a controller: in response to an ambient temperature below a threshold, operating a blower motor at a certain voltage, wherein the voltage depends on whether the vehicle is in a charge maintenance mode or a charge consumption mode; and in response to an ambient temperature above the threshold, operating the blower motor at a certain voltage, wherein the voltage does not depend on whether the vehicle is in the charge maintenance mode or the charge consumption mode.

[0081] According to one embodiment, the above invention is further characterized by the charge maintaining mode, the vehicle is propelled by the engine, and wherein in the charge depleting mode, the vehicle is propelled by the electric machine instead of the engine.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the present invention is also characterized in that the controller: in response to an ambient temperature below the threshold, operates the blower motor at a first voltage when the vehicle is in the charge maintenance mode; and operates the blower motor at a second voltage lower than the first voltage when the vehicle is in the charge consumption mode.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the invention is further characterized by, in response to a battery state of charge (SOC) being below a SOC threshold when the vehicle is in the charge depletion mode: using an engine to propel the vehicle; and operating the blower motor at the first voltage.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the invention is further characterized by operating the blower motor at a voltage in response to an ambient temperature below the threshold, the voltage further depending on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode or a manual climate control mode.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the present invention is also characterized in that the controller: in response to an ambient temperature below the threshold, operates the blower motor at a first voltage when the vehicle climate system operates in the automatic climate control mode; and operates the blower motor at a second voltage higher than the first voltage when the vehicle climate system operates in the manual climate control mode.

[0086] According to the present invention, a method for operating a vehicle climate system of a vehicle is provided: by a controller: in response to an ambient temperature below a threshold, operating a blower motor with a certain voltage, the voltage depending on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode or a manual climate control mode; and in response to an ambient temperature above the threshold, operating the blower motor with a certain voltage, the voltage not depending on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in the automatic climate control mode or the manual climate control mode.

[0087] According to one embodiment, the present invention is further characterized by the automatic climate control mode, the controller being adapted to automatically change the voltage at the blower motor in response to one or more vehicle cabin conditions detected at one or more sensors, and wherein in the manual climate control mode, the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor based on user input.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the present invention is also characterized in that the controller: in response to an ambient temperature below the threshold, operates the blower motor at a first voltage when the vehicle climate system operates in the automatic climate control mode; and operates the blower motor at a second voltage higher than the first voltage when the vehicle climate system operates in the manual climate control mode.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the invention is further characterized by the controller: in response to the ambient temperature being below the threshold, operating the blower motor at a voltage further dependent on whether the vehicle is in the charge maintaining mode or the charge depleting mode.

[0090] According to the present invention, a method for operating a vehicle climate system of a vehicle is provided: by a controller: in response to an ambient temperature being lower than a threshold, when an engine is used to propel the vehicle, a blower motor is operated according to a first parameter; and when an electric motor is used instead of the engine to propel the vehicle, the blower motor is operated according to a second parameter different from the first parameter.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the invention is further characterized by operating the blower motor based on the second parameter including operating the blower motor based on the second parameter when the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode with a target cabin temperature.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the threshold value is in the range of about 0 degrees Celsius to about -9.5 degrees Celsius.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the first parameter is a first voltage for operating the blower motor, wherein the second parameter is a second voltage for operating the blower motor, and wherein the second voltage is different from the first voltage.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the second voltage is lower than the first voltage.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the invention is also characterized by receiving a signal at the climate indicating an operating mode of the vehicle.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the vehicle operating mode is at least one of a first vehicle operating mode in which the vehicle is propelled by the engine and a second vehicle operating mode in which the vehicle is propelled by the electric machine instead of the engine.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the threshold temperature includes at least a first step temperature and a second step temperature, wherein the second parameter includes at least a first voltage and a second voltage, and wherein when the motor is used instead of the engine to propel the vehicle, the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor at the first voltage when the ambient temperature corresponds to the first step temperature, and to operate the blower motor at the second voltage when the ambient temperature corresponds to the second step temperature.

[0098] According to one embodiment, the first parameter includes at least a third voltage and a fourth voltage, and when the engine is used to propel the vehicle, the climate controller is adapted to operate the blower motor at the third voltage when the ambient temperature corresponds to the first step temperature, and to operate the blower motor at the fourth voltage when the ambient temperature corresponds to the second step temperature.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the first voltage is lower than the third voltage, and wherein the second voltage is lower than the fourth voltage.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle climate system of a vehicle, the method comprising: Via controller: responsive to an ambient temperature below a threshold, operating a blower motor at a voltage that is dependent on whether the vehicle is in a charge sustaining mode or a charge depleting mode, and the voltage is further dependent on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode or a manual climate control mode; as well as In response to an ambient temperature above the threshold, the blower motor is operated at a voltage that is independent of whether the vehicle is in the charge sustaining mode or the charge depleting mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the charge sustaining mode, the vehicle is propelled by an engine, and wherein in the charge depleting mode, the vehicle is propelled by an electric machine other than the engine.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Through the controller: In response to the ambient temperature falling below the threshold, operating the blower motor at a first voltage when the vehicle is in the charge sustaining mode; as well as The blower motor is operated at a second voltage lower than the first voltage when the vehicle is in the charge depleting mode.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: In response to a battery state of charge being below a battery state of charge threshold while the vehicle is in the charge-depleting mode: using an engine to propel said vehicle; as well as The blower motor is operated at the first voltage.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Through the controller: In response to the ambient temperature falling below the threshold, operating the blower motor at a first voltage when the vehicle climate system is operating in the automatic climate control mode; as well as The blower motor is operated at a second voltage higher than the first voltage when the vehicle climate system is operating in the manual climate control mode.

6. A method of operating a vehicle climate system of a vehicle, the method comprising: Via controller: responsive to an ambient temperature below a threshold, operating a blower motor at a voltage dependent on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode or a manual climate control mode; as well as In response to an ambient temperature above the threshold, the blower motor is operated at a voltage that is independent of whether the vehicle climate system is operating in the automatic climate control mode or the manual climate control mode.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein in the automatic climate control mode, the controller is adapted to automatically vary the voltage at the blower motor in response to one or more vehicle cabin conditions detected at one or more sensors, and wherein in the manual climate control mode, the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor based on user input.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising: Through the controller: In response to the ambient temperature falling below the threshold, operating the blower motor at a first voltage when the vehicle climate system is operating in the automatic climate control mode; as well as The blower motor is operated at a second voltage higher than the first voltage when the vehicle climate system is operating in the manual climate control mode.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising: Through the controller: In response to the ambient temperature being below the threshold, the blower motor is operated at a voltage that is further dependent on whether the vehicle is in a charge sustaining mode or a charge depleting mode.

10. A method of operating a vehicle climate system of a vehicle, the method comprising: Via controller: In response to the ambient temperature falling below a threshold, operating a blower motor according to a first parameter when the engine is used to propel the vehicle; as well as operating the blower motor according to a second parameter different from the first parameter when the electric machine is used to propel the vehicle instead of the engine, Wherein at least one of the first parameter and the second parameter is dependent on whether the vehicle climate system is operating in an automatic climate control mode or in a manual climate control mode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold value is in the range of 0 degrees Celsius to -9.5 degrees Celsius.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first parameter is a first voltage for operating the blower motor, wherein the second parameter is a second voltage for operating the blower motor, and wherein the second voltage is different than the first voltage. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second voltage is lower than the first voltage.

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