Temperature control system and method for on-board charging

Abstract

The present application relates to a temperature control system for on-board charging and a method thereof. The temperature control system for on-board charging according to one aspect of the present application comprises an on-board air conditioner, a temperature monitor and an air conditioner controller. The temperature monitor is configured to monitor a temperature associated with on-board charging. The air conditioner controller is configured to control an air outlet of the on-board air conditioner according to the monitored temperature to adjust the temperature associated with on-board charging so that the on-board charging is in a fast charging mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of on-board charging, and more specifically to a temperature control system and method for on-board charging. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in in-vehicle charging (such as wireless charging for mobile phones), there is a problem where the charger and the battery of the device being charged cannot charge quickly due to unsuitable temperatures. Inability to charge within the optimal temperature range also affects the hardware and wiring of the charger and battery, ultimately impacting their overall lifespan. Furthermore, overheating of the battery / charger can cause charging interruptions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address or at least alleviate one or more of the above problems, the following technical solutions are provided.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a temperature control system for on-board charging is provided, which may include an on-board air conditioner, a temperature monitor, and an air conditioning controller. The temperature monitor can be used to monitor the temperature related to on-board charging. The air conditioning controller can be used to control the airflow of the on-board air conditioner according to the monitored temperature to adjust the temperature related to on-board charging and enable on-board charging to be in fast charging mode.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning controller can be configured to control the airflow of the vehicle air conditioning system to reduce the temperature related to vehicle charging when the monitored temperature is greater than a calibrated value.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the system of the present invention, the air conditioning controller may be further configured to control the airflow of the vehicle air conditioning to reduce the temperature related to vehicle charging based on one or more of the following: the enabled state of the charger, the enabled state of the vehicle air conditioning, the airflow setting state of the vehicle air conditioning, the remaining power of the device being charged, and user input.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the system of the present invention, the air conditioning controller is further configured to adjust one or more of the following of the vehicle air conditioning to regulate the temperature related to vehicle charging: air outlet temperature, air outlet angle, air outlet volume, and air outlet speed.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the system, the temperature associated with on-board charging includes one or both of the charger temperature and the battery temperature.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the system of the present invention, the temperature related to on-board charging also includes the air outlet airflow temperature and the in-vehicle ambient temperature.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the system of the present invention, the temperature control system is further connected to the vehicle's human-machine interface, which is configured to put the on-board charger into fast charging mode in response to user input.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the invention, a temperature control method for on-board charging is provided. The method may include monitoring a temperature related to on-board charging; and controlling the airflow of an on-board air conditioner based on the monitored temperature to adjust the temperature related to on-board charging.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method may further include controlling the airflow of the vehicle air conditioner to reduce the temperature related to vehicle charging when the monitored temperature is greater than a calibrated value.

[0013] According to a method of an embodiment of the present invention, the method may further control the airflow of the vehicle air conditioner to reduce the temperature related to vehicle charging based on one or more of the following: the enabled state of the charger, the enabled state of the vehicle air conditioner, the airflow setting state of the vehicle air conditioner, the remaining power of the device being charged, and user input.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method may further include adjusting one or more of the following of the vehicle air conditioner to adjust the temperature related to vehicle charging: air outlet temperature, air outlet angle, air outlet volume, and air outlet speed.

[0015] According to a method of an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature associated with on-board charging may include one or both of the charger temperature and the battery temperature.

[0016] According to a method of an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature related to on-board charging also includes the air outlet airflow temperature and the in-vehicle ambient temperature.

[0017] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a temperature control system and method can monitor the temperature related to on-board charging in real time and adjust the temperature of the vehicle interior locally or entirely using air conditioning, so that the on-board charger can operate near its optimal operating temperature. The temperature control system and method of the present invention improve charging efficiency, help prevent power outages, and extend the service life of the on-board charger. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and / or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become clearer and more readily understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a temperature control system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2This is a flowchart of a temperature control method 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosed technology or its application and use. Furthermore, it is not intended to be bound by any express or implied theory presented in the foregoing technical fields, background art, or the following detailed description.

[0020] In the following detailed description of the embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosed technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed technology can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.

[0021] Terms such as “comprising” and “including” indicate that, in addition to the units and steps that are directly and explicitly stated in the specification, the technical solution of the present invention does not exclude the presence of other units and steps that are not directly or explicitly stated.

[0022] In the following, various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a temperature control system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The temperature control system 100 for on-board charging includes a temperature monitor 110, an air conditioning controller 120, and an on-board air conditioner 130. The temperature monitor 110 monitors the temperature related to on-board charging, while the air conditioning controller 120 controls the airflow of the on-board air conditioner based on the monitored temperature to adjust the temperature related to on-board charging, thereby enabling the on-board charging to be in fast charging mode.

[0024] Specifically, the temperature monitor 110 may consist of temperature sensors installed at various locations on the vehicle (e.g., seats, dashboard, air conditioning vents, charger ports, wireless charger trays, etc.) and necessary communication modules for summarizing and uploading monitoring data. The temperature monitor 110 is preferably placed in locations related to onboard charging, such as wireless charger trays and mobile phone trays. The temperature monitor 110 transmits its monitored overall / local temperature values ​​to the air conditioning controller 120.

[0025] After receiving temperature data, the air conditioning controller 120 determines whether the current temperature is suitable based on preset standards (e.g., whether the temperature is too high / too low). It can then set different optimal charging temperatures for different on-board charging components. After this determination, the air temperature at and around the charging location can be adjusted by regulating the vehicle's air conditioning, thereby adjusting temperatures related to on-board charging (e.g., charger temperature) to ensure optimal charging conditions. Maintaining optimal charging temperature is particularly important in wireless charging scenarios for personal devices, as it improves charging efficiency and safety, extends the lifespan of charging components and batteries, and prevents power outages. Maintaining optimal charging temperature also allows the on-board charger to operate in fast charging mode.

[0026] In some embodiments, given that overheating of the charger or battery often occurs during charging, the air conditioning controller 120 can be further configured to control the airflow of the vehicle air conditioning system to reduce the temperature associated with vehicle charging when the monitored temperature exceeds a calibrated value. The calibrated value can be the upper limit of the optimal temperature range for vehicle charging. When the temperature monitor 110 detects that the temperature of the vehicle charging (e.g., the temperature near the charger and / or mobile phone battery) exceeds this upper limit at any time, it can control the vehicle air conditioning system to cool down the vehicle charging system.

[0027] Of course, in addition to determining whether the on-board charging temperature is within the optimal temperature range, in some embodiments, the air conditioning controller 120 can be further configured to control the airflow of the on-board air conditioning to reduce the temperature related to on-board charging based on one or more of the following conditions: the enabled state of the charger, the enabled state of the on-board air conditioning, the airflow setting state of the on-board air conditioning, the remaining battery power of the device being charged, and user input. Specifically, the enabled state of the charger indicates whether the charger is charging the personal device, the enabled state of the on-board air conditioning 130 indicates whether the on-board air conditioning is turned on, the airflow setting state of the on-board air conditioning 130 indicates the current user-set / default airflow level, the remaining battery power of the device being charged indicates the remaining battery power and charging percentage of the device being charged, and the user input comes from the user's selection on the input device (e.g., interactive interface, button, etc.) (i.e., the user can choose to have the on-board air conditioning 130 adjust the temperature without any of the aforementioned conditions).

[0028] The air conditioning controller 120 can further control whether the vehicle air conditioning 130 enters the fast charging mode for temperature regulation based on whether one or more of these judgment conditions are simultaneously met. For example, it can be set so that even if the temperature of the vehicle charging exceeds the calibrated value, both the charger and the vehicle air conditioning 130 must be enabled before entering the fast charging mode. As another example, it can be set so that temperature regulation stops when the remaining charge of the device being charged reaches 90% or more.

[0029] In some embodiments, the air conditioning controller 120 may be further configured to adjust one or more of the following parameters of the vehicle air conditioning 130 to regulate the temperature related to vehicle charging: air outlet temperature, air outlet angle, air outlet volume, and air outlet speed. By adjusting these different air outlet parameters, the aforementioned temperature related to vehicle charging is reduced. This further improves the efficiency of temperature regulation.

[0030] As previously mentioned, preferably, the temperature associated with on-board charging includes one or both of the charger temperature and the battery temperature. The charger temperature and battery temperature are two temperature values ​​directly related to the on-board charging temperature; therefore, the temperature monitor 110 is preferably positioned near the charger and / or battery. However, more preferably, the temperature associated with on-board charging may also include the airflow temperature from the vents of the vehicle's air conditioning system 130 and the ambient temperature inside the vehicle. These two temperature values ​​are not directly related to on-board charging but can still affect components associated with on-board charging (e.g., charging lines, communication modules, etc.); therefore, temperature monitors can also be positioned at these locations.

[0031] In some embodiments, the temperature control system is also connected to the vehicle's human-machine interface (HMI), which can communicate with the air conditioning controller, temperature monitor, etc. (e.g., Controller Area Network (CAN) communication). The HMI is configured to put the on-board charger into fast charging mode in response to user input. That is, the user can select either fast charging mode or normal charging mode (i.e., a mode that does not regulate charging temperature) via the HMI. This provides the benefit of accommodating user preferences; for example, if the user does not want the vehicle interior temperature to drop, they can put the on-board charger into normal charging mode even if the temperature exceeds a calibrated value. Furthermore, the HMI can display information such as remaining battery power, charging status, or notify the user of overheating warnings.

[0032] In another respect, the present invention can also be implemented as a temperature control method for on-board charging. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a temperature control method 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method 200 includes steps 210 and 220.

[0033] In step 210, the temperature related to on-board charging is monitored. As mentioned earlier, temperature monitoring at different locations can be achieved, for example, by using temperature sensors located at various locations on the vehicle, and the temperature data can be transmitted to the next module.

[0034] In step 220, the airflow from the vehicle's air conditioning system is controlled based on the monitored temperature to regulate the temperature related to vehicle charging. As mentioned earlier, after receiving the temperature data, it is possible to determine whether the current temperature is suitable based on some preset standards. After the determination, the air temperature at and around the charging location can be adjusted by regulating the vehicle's air conditioning system, ensuring that vehicle charging is at the optimal temperature. This method effectively regulates the vehicle charging temperature through simple steps.

[0035] In some embodiments, step 220, controlling the airflow of the vehicle air conditioner based on the monitored temperature to adjust the temperature related to vehicle charging, may further include: controlling the airflow of the vehicle air conditioner to lower the temperature related to vehicle charging when the monitored temperature is greater than a calibrated value. As mentioned above, the calibrated value may be the upper limit of the optimal temperature range for vehicle charging. When the temperature monitor 110 detects that the temperature of the vehicle charging exceeds this upper limit at any time, it may control the vehicle air conditioner to cool down the vehicle charging.

[0036] In some embodiments, in addition to adjusting the air conditioning output based on the detected temperature, method 200 may also control the air conditioning output to reduce the temperature related to vehicle charging based on one or more of the following: the enabled state of the charger, the enabled state of the vehicle air conditioning, the airflow setting state of the vehicle air conditioning, the remaining power of the device being charged, and user input.

[0037] In some embodiments, controlling the airflow of the vehicle air conditioner in step 220 to adjust the temperature related to vehicle charging further includes adjusting one or more of the following parameters of the vehicle air conditioner to adjust the temperature related to vehicle charging: airflow temperature, airflow angle, airflow volume, and airflow speed. As mentioned above, the vehicle air conditioner 130 can be further controlled to adjust the temperature based on whether one or more of these conditions are met simultaneously. For example, it can be configured so that even if the temperature of the vehicle charging exceeds the calibrated value, both the charger and the vehicle air conditioner 130 must be enabled to enter fast charging mode.

[0038] In some embodiments, the temperatures associated with on-board charging preferably include one or both of the charger temperature and the battery temperature. Further, as previously mentioned, some vent airflow temperature and in-vehicle ambient temperature may also be included.

[0039] The embodiments and examples presented herein are provided to best illustrate embodiments of the invention and its particular applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to practice and use the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the above description and examples are provided merely for ease of illustration and example. The descriptions presented are not intended to cover all aspects of the invention or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.

Claims

1. A temperature control system for onboard wireless charging of personal devices, characterized in that, include: Car air conditioning; A temperature monitor includes temperature sensors disposed at the wireless charging tray and near the battery of the device being charged, for monitoring temperatures related to the in-vehicle wireless charging of the personal device, including the wireless charging tray temperature, the battery temperature of the device being charged, the airflow temperature from the vent, and the ambient temperature inside the vehicle; and An air conditioning controller is used to control the airflow of the vehicle's air conditioning system based on the monitored temperature to adjust the air temperature at and near the charging location, thereby regulating the temperature related to the wireless charging of the personal device in the vehicle, and putting the wireless charging of the personal device in the vehicle into fast charging mode. The air conditioning controller is configured to control the airflow of the vehicle's air conditioning system to lower the temperature related to the wireless charging of the personal device in the vehicle when the following conditions are simultaneously met: the monitored temperature is greater than a calibrated value, which is the upper limit of the optimal temperature range for vehicle charging; the wireless charger is enabled; the vehicle's air conditioning system is enabled; and the remaining battery power of the device being charged is less than 90%; and when the remaining battery power of the device being charged reaches 90% or more, no further adjustment is made to the temperature related to the wireless charging of the personal device in the vehicle.

2. The temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein, The air conditioning controller is further configured to adjust one or more of the following in the vehicle air conditioning system to regulate the temperature related to the vehicle wireless charging of the personal device: air outlet temperature, air outlet angle, air volume, and air outlet speed.

3. The temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein, The temperature control system is also connected to the vehicle's human-machine interface, which is configured to put the personal device's onboard wireless charging into the fast charging mode in response to user input.

4. A temperature control method for onboard wireless charging of personal devices, characterized in that, The method includes: Monitoring the temperature associated with the wireless charging of the personal device in a vehicle, wherein monitoring the temperature associated with the wireless charging of the personal device in a vehicle includes monitoring via temperature sensors located at the wireless charger tray and near the battery of the device being charged; and The system controls the airflow from the vehicle's air conditioning based on the monitored temperature to adjust the air temperature at and around the charging location, thereby regulating the temperature associated with the wireless charging of the personal device. The temperature associated with the in-vehicle wireless charging of the personal device includes the temperature of the wireless charger tray, the battery temperature of the device being charged, the airflow temperature at the vent, and the ambient temperature inside the vehicle. Furthermore, the method further includes controlling the airflow from the in-vehicle air conditioner to lower the temperature associated with the in-vehicle wireless charging of the personal device when the following conditions are simultaneously met: the monitored temperature is greater than a calibrated value, which is the upper limit of the optimal temperature range for in-vehicle charging; the wireless charger is enabled; the in-vehicle air conditioner is enabled; and the remaining battery power of the device being charged is less than 90%; and when the remaining battery power of the device being charged reaches 90% or more, no further adjustment is made to the temperature associated with the in-vehicle wireless charging of the personal device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The method further includes adjusting one or more of the following to regulate the temperature related to the in-vehicle wireless charging of the personal device: air outlet temperature, air outlet angle, air outlet volume, and air outlet speed.

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