Climate control system for a vehicle, gateway device, method for setting a parameter of a climate control device and computer-readable storage medium for implementing the method

Abstract

Climate control system for a vehicle (1, 1'), comprising: - a climate bus (41); - an air conditioning system (30), in particular a heater (30); - a control element (2) for setting a target temperature value of the air conditioning system (30); - a gateway device (60) which is connected to the climate control device (30) via the climate bus (41), where The gateway device (60) is configured to communicate as a master on the climate bus (41) and includes a control device (66) for controlling the climate control device (30), and the gateway device (60) generates control commands that are sent via the climate bus (41) to the climate control device (30) in order to control the climate control device (30) in such a way that the temperature in the vehicle interior corresponds to the set temperature value.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a climate control system for a vehicle, a gateway device, a method for setting a parameter of a climate control device, a computer-readable storage medium and a method for controlling a climate control system in a vehicle.

[0002] In many cases, it's possible to retrofit a parking heater into a vehicle. A fundamental problem with retrofitting parking heaters is that often no dedicated actuators, fans, and air vents or flaps are installed for air circulation. For example, it's possible to install a retrofitted heater into a vehicle's existing heating system. To enable heating of the interior when the vehicle is switched off, it's necessary to activate the actuators, such as those for air vents and fans, as well as the parking heater itself, or to position them in a way that allows air circulation.

[0003] Modern vehicles use bus systems for communication between their various components. For example, a control unit located inside the vehicle can be connected to the auxiliary heater via a bus. The driver can then control the heater using this control unit. The auxiliary heater can also be connected to an actuator so that switching it on also activates a blower actuator.

[0004] A disadvantage of the described state of the art is the very complex wiring required. Cables must be run from the control unit to the auxiliary heater and from the heater to a blower actuator. However, the blower, like the control unit, is usually located in the vehicle interior to facilitate installation. The auxiliary heater, on the other hand, is located in the engine compartment. Installing an auxiliary heater is therefore complex. Furthermore, a problem with this state of the art is that retrofitting installed auxiliary heaters is very difficult.

[0005] German patent DE 102 54 284 A1 discloses a method for the remote monitoring of motor vehicles, in which a central server is connected to an on-board terminal via a communication network. The remote monitoring service is divided into sub-functions that are distributed between the server and the terminal device, with time-critical functions being executed on the terminal device and time-independent functions on the server.

[0006] US patent 2015 / 0089236A1 discloses a real-time frame authentication protocol for vehicle networks. A frame identifier is anonymized for unauthorized parties but remains identifiable to authorized parties. Anonymous identifiers are generated for each frame and embedded in every data frame transmitted by a sending ECU. Receiving ECUs use the anonymous identifiers to filter incoming data frames before verifying data integrity. Invalid data frames are filtered out without additional runtime calculations.DE 10 2007 012 304 A1 discloses an interface in a vehicle for connecting to a mobile computing device for data exchange between the interface and the mobile computing device, wherein the interface is connected to a vehicle data bus for data exchange with at least one vehicle system, characterized in that the data exchange between the mobile computing device and the interface takes place according to a first data protocol and the data exchange between the interface and the at least one vehicle system takes place according to a second data protocol that differs from the first data protocol.

[0007] Based on this prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved climate control system that can be easily installed in a vehicle. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to provide a climate control system that reduces the required cable lengths. It is also an object of the invention to provide a gateway device that addresses the disadvantages described above. Finally, the object of the invention is to provide an improved method for setting a parameter of a climate control system and a corresponding computer-readable storage medium.

[0008] The problem is solved by a climate control system for a vehicle according to claim 1.

[0009] In particular, the task is solved by a climate control system for a vehicle, comprising: - a climate bus, - an air conditioning system, in particular a heater, - a control element for setting a target temperature value of the air conditioning system, - a gateway device that is connected to the climate control system via the climate bus, at least where The gateway device is designed to communicate as a master on the climate bus and includes a control device for controlling the climate control system, and the gateway device generates control commands that are sent to the climate control system via the climate bus to control the climate control system in such a way that the temperature in the vehicle interior corresponds to the set temperature value.

[0010] A key aspect of the invention is that the gateway device communicates as the master on the climate bus. Because the control logic is now located in the gateway device, the climate control unit can be correspondingly less complex. It is also possible for the gateway device to be located remotely from the climate control unit, for example, in the vehicle interior. This allows additional components to be connected to the climate bus without requiring complex wiring to the climate control unit, which might be configured as a heater, for instance. This simplifies the installation of a climate control system in a vehicle. A climate bus can be defined as any bus suitable for connecting gateway devices and climate control units.

[0011] In one embodiment, the climate control unit and / or the control element can each be designed as a slave of the climate bus.

[0012] If the climate control unit and / or the control element are configured as slaves, their communication complexity is low. In particular, the necessary circuits are only present once on the gateway unit, which acts as the master. Multiple climate control units, control elements, etc., can also be operated in parallel on a single bus. Retrofitting is therefore easy.

[0013] In one embodiment, the gateway device can be configured to initiate a communication sequence with at least one bus participant, in particular the climate control unit and / or the control element.

[0014] In its role as master, the gateway device can send data or signals to the other bus participants. No prior coordination is required, allowing for particularly efficient communication between the gateway and the other bus participants. For the other bus participants, i.e., the slaves, to communicate with each other, they may first need to send a request signal to the gateway device so that the gateway can open the climate bus for communication. In other configurations, each slave is assigned a time slot by the master, and each slave is configured to communicate within its assigned time slot.

[0015] In one embodiment, the climate control unit can be configured as a blower and / or fan. It is therefore also possible that only a blower is operated with the gateway unit. This allows existing vehicle hardware to be controlled via the gateway unit.

[0016] In one embodiment, the gateway device can comprise at least one communication device, in particular a pluggable one, e.g. in the form of a circuit board, for wireless communication, wherein the communication device can be designed for communication, in particular via Bluetooth, with a mobile terminal device.

[0017] The gateway unit is therefore capable of wirelessly receiving and sending data via a communication device. The climate bus and the devices connected to it thus become accessible to devices located outside the vehicle or outside the vehicle hardware.

[0018] In one embodiment, the gateway device can be configured to: - to receive a target parameter from a / the mobile device; - to generate a control command using the target parameter; and - to send the control command to the climate control unit.

[0019] For example, the smartphone can send a target temperature value as a target parameter to the gateway device, which then controls the climate control system using a control command. This provides a particularly convenient way for the driver to use the climate control system.

[0020] In one embodiment, the gateway device may include an interface for sending and / or receiving vehicle data from a vehicle bus, wherein the gateway device is preferably configured to control the climate control system using the vehicle data.

[0021] With the described climate control system, it is therefore possible to provide information in the form of vehicle data to the gateway unit via a vehicle bus. This allows the climate control system to also consider vehicle data provided by components connected to the vehicle bus. The climate control system is therefore highly versatile.

[0022] In one embodiment, the gateway device can be configured to communicate as a slave on the vehicle bus, e.g., a LIN bus. Adding another slave to the vehicle bus eliminates the need to modify the communication on the vehicle bus, thus preventing conflicts with an existing master on the vehicle bus.

[0023] In one embodiment, the gateway device can include a (cellular) communication device, particularly a plug-in one, for communication within a cellular network. The gateway device can therefore also receive signals via a mobile network, e.g., GSM, LTE, or UMTS. The gateway device can thus be controlled from any location. For example, a driver can control the target temperature in the vehicle from their home using their smartphone.

[0024] The (cellular) communication device can also be retrofitted, for example, in the form of a "shield". This simplifies installation and allows customers to add functionality later.

[0025] In one embodiment, the (cellular) communication device can be configured to send status information. This allows for communication with a smartphone, enabling the transmission of status information. The driver of a vehicle can therefore be informed at any time about the status of components connected to the climate bus, such as a heater. This allows for the early detection of damage and the initiation of appropriate countermeasures. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the gateway device could transmit status information in advance to a workshop tasked with repairing the climate system. Overall, this greatly simplifies the maintenance and monitoring of the climate system.

[0026] In one embodiment, the gateway device can have at least one sensor for acquiring sensor data, particularly a pressure sensor and / or temperature sensor, which can be plugged in together with a circuit board. The gateway device can be configured to send the sensor data to the climate control unit via the climate bus and / or to generate control commands using the sensor data. The gateway device can therefore record sensor data itself, such as pressure or temperature, and use this data to control the climate control unit. Consequently, no separate sensors need to be installed that are connected to the climate control unit. This further reduces the complexity of installing the entire climate control system in a vehicle.

[0027] In one embodiment, the climate control system can include a second climate control unit, which can be connected to the gateway unit via the climate bus. The gateway unit can then send control commands to both climate control units, thus controlling both. This makes it possible to heat a vehicle particularly efficiently. For example, both climate control units can be switched on simultaneously to enable rapid heating of the vehicle interior. Furthermore, the climate control units can be arranged at different locations within the vehicle in such a way that the airflows to be distributed can reach their point of use efficiently.

[0028] The problem is further solved by a gateway device according to claim 10.

[0029] In particular, the task is solved by a gateway device, especially in a climate system as described above, comprising: - at least one attachable primary communication device for (wireless) reception of target parameters, - a control device for controlling an air conditioning system using the target parameters, - a pluggable second communication device for communication on a climate bus, wherein the gateway device is designed to communicate as the master of the climate bus.

[0030] In one embodiment, the gateway device can be configured to initiate a communication process with another bus participant, in particular a slave of the climate bus.

[0031] This results in similar or identical advantages to those already described in connection with the climate system.

[0032] The problem is further solved by a method for adjusting a parameter of an air conditioning system according to claim 12.

[0033] In particular, the problem is solved by a method for adjusting a parameter of an air conditioning system, especially a heater, comprising: - Receiving at least one target parameter via a preferably cellular network at a gateway device, - Processing of at least one target parameter by the gateway device and generation of at least one control command, - Setting a parameter of an air conditioning system using a climate bus, wherein the parameter is determined by the gateway system based on at least one control command, and - Sending at least one control command to the climate control system to control the climate control system in such a way that the temperature in the vehicle interior corresponds to the target temperature value.

[0034] The described method is very versatile, as the target parameters can basically be sent from any component to the gateway device via the cellular network.

[0035] The problem is further solved by a computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13.

[0036] In particular, the problem is solved by a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that cause at least one processor to implement a method as described above when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor.

[0037] The advantages are similar or identical to those described in connection with the climate system and the process.

[0038] Further embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0039] The invention is described below with reference to several exemplary embodiments, which are explained in more detail by means of figures. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic view of a vehicle with a climate bus, wherein some components, including a climate control unit, are connected to the climate bus; Fig. 2 a schematic view of a second vehicle with a vehicle bus and a climate bus; Fig. 3 A schematic view of a gateway setup.

[0040] In the following description, the same reference numbers are used for identical and equivalent parts.

[0041] The Fig. Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 and a mobile terminal 70. The vehicle 1 is shown with the components that are important for understanding the invention. The vehicle 1 has a heater 30, a gateway unit 60, a control element 2, a ventilation unit 20, and a fan flap 3. The heater 30, the gateway unit 60, and the control element 2 are connected to the climate bus 40 via connections 41, 41', and 41" and are interconnected via the climate bus 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the climate bus 40 is configured as a W-bus.

[0042] The W-Bus is characterized by the fact that a master controls the communication between a large number of slaves among themselves and with the master.

[0043] The master can therefore initiate communication without coordinating with other components. The one in the Fig. The Klimabus 40 shown has a wire that is terminated at its end by means of a pull-up resistor.

[0044] In the illustrated embodiment, the gateway unit 60 is configured as the master of the climate bus 40. The heater 30, the fan flap 3, and the control element 2 are configured as slaves. This means that the gateway unit 60 can send data to the heater 30, the fan flap 3, and the control element 2 without being prompted. Those components that operate as slaves on the climate bus 40 must first request permission from the gateway unit 60 to communicate on the climate bus 40.

[0045] In the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. In vehicle 1, control unit 2 is configured as an input / output device. The driver of vehicle 1 can enter a target temperature as a target parameter for the interior of vehicle 1 via control unit 2. Control unit 2 then sends the target temperature as a target parameter via port 41 on the climate bus 40 to gateway unit 60. Gateway unit 60 includes a temperature sensor that measures the temperature inside vehicle 1. If the target temperature set by the driver does not correspond to the measured temperature inside vehicle 1, gateway unit 60 sends a control command via climate bus 40 to heater 30. If gateway unit 60 determines that the temperature inside vehicle 1 is too low, heater 30 is activated.The heater 30 heats the vehicle interior until the gateway unit 60 measures, using its temperature sensor, that the target temperature entered by the driver has been reached.

[0046] To enable efficient heating of the vehicle interior of vehicle 1, the gateway unit 60 additionally sends control commands to the fan flap 3. The fan flap 3 includes an actuator, e.g., a servo motor or a stepper motor, which is configured to change the angle of the fan flap 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the fan flap 3 is adjusted so that the largest possible airflow can pass through it, e.g., to 90°.

[0047] To allow the heated air to flow through the fan flap 3, the gateway device 60 also sends a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal to the ventilation device 20. For this purpose, the gateway device 60 has a PWM controller, e.g., a microcontroller, which outputs a corresponding signal via a ventilation connection 21 that connects the gateway device 60 to the ventilation device 20. The ventilation device 20 has an actuator that is driven using the PWM signal. A fan is attached to the actuator.

[0048] Furthermore, the gateway unit 60 includes a Bluetooth module 62 (see Fig. 3) which can be used for wireless communication with a nearby device. For example, a Bluetooth connection can be established with a mobile device 70. The mobile device 70, which could be, for example, the driver's smartphone, can be used to specify a desired temperature in the interior of the vehicle 1. After such an input, the smartphone 70 sends a target temperature value via the Bluetooth connection to the gateway unit 60. As described above, the gateway unit 60 generates control commands that are sent via the climate bus 40 to the climate control unit 30 in order to control the climate control unit 30 so that the temperature in the vehicle interior corresponds to the target temperature value.

[0049] Furthermore, the gateway unit 60 can send status information about the devices connected to the climate bus 40 to the mobile device 70. This status information could include, for example, maintenance instructions, sensor data, manufacturer information, or error messages. The driver of vehicle 1 therefore always has access to all information relating to the devices connected to the climate bus 40.

[0050] The Fig. Figure 2 shows a second vehicle 1', which, unlike the vehicle of the Fig. In addition to a climate bus 40, there is also a vehicle bus 42. As in Fig. 1, the heater 30 or the air conditioning unit 30, the fan flap 3 and the gateway unit 60 are connected. In the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 2. The Klimabus 40 is designed as a two-wire bus. Of course, this can also be the case in the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 2 a single-wire climate bus 40, as used in connection with the Fig. The gateway unit 60, as described in section 1, is used. The gateway unit 60 is configured as the master of the climate bus 40. The climate control unit 30 and the fan flap 3 are each configured as slaves of the climate bus 40.

[0051] The gateway unit 60 and a climate control unit 80 are connected to the vehicle bus 42. The gateway unit 60 is configured as a slave of the vehicle bus 42. The gateway unit 60 thus performs a dual function. On the one hand, it acts as a master on the climate bus 40, and on the other hand, as a slave on the vehicle bus 42. In another embodiment, the gateway unit 60 only has a monitoring function with respect to the vehicle bus 42 and merely listens to the data traffic on the vehicle bus 42. This means that the gateway unit 60 can be configured neither as a master nor as a slave on the vehicle bus 42. In the illustrated embodiment of the Fig. 2. The climate control unit 80 is used to accept user input and make it available to the gateway unit as vehicle data via the vehicle bus 42. The gateway unit 60 processes the vehicle data from the climate control unit 80 and generates control commands that are transmitted via the climate bus 40 to the climate control unit 30 for control of the climate control unit 30. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the gateway unit 60 is used as a bridge between the climate bus 40 and the vehicle bus 42.

[0052] In the illustrated embodiment of the Fig. 2. The gateway unit 60 is further equipped to communicate with a ventilation unit 20 via its Bluetooth communication unit 62. The gateway unit 60 of the Fig. 2 is designed to transmit control commands to the ventilation unit 20 via Bluetooth. The ventilation unit 20 of the Fig. 2 includes a Bluetooth receiver and a computing device, e.g. a microcontroller, to convert the received control signals into PWM signals in order to control an actuator.

[0053] Naturally, the Gateway 60 can also communicate with a variety of other sensors and / or actuators via Bluetooth, so that the necessary cabling in the vehicle can be significantly reduced.

[0054] In addition to the Bluetooth communication device 62, the gateway device 60 includes a plug-in LTE module 68 for communication in an LTE network. In the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. Furthermore, a smartphone 70 is provided, which also has an LTE communication module, enabling the smartphone 70 to communicate with the gateway unit 60 via the LTE network. In particular, it is not necessary for the smartphone 70 to be located near the vehicle 1'. This allows the driver of the vehicle 1' to control its components from anywhere in the world via the gateway unit 60. For example, the driver can specify a target temperature to be regulated by the climate control unit 30. In addition, the driver can use their smartphone 70 to query information transmitted via the gateway unit 60 to the climate control bus 40 or the vehicle bus 42. The driver can therefore be shown comprehensive information about the status of the vehicle 1'.

[0055] The Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of the gateway device 60. The gateway device 60 comprises a processing unit 61, which is configured, for example, as a microcontroller. The processing unit 61 is configured to receive control commands via a bus communication device 63 and subsequently process them. Furthermore, the gateway device 60 has a communication device 62 for wireless communication, which is configured for communication via Bluetooth and / or for communication with a cellular network.

[0056] The bus communication device 63 is configured to receive and send data via at least one bus 40, 42. Received data can be stored in a storage device 65 so that the processing unit 61 can process it. Furthermore, the gateway device has a PWM connection by means of which a PWM signal can be sent to a load, e.g., the fan device 20. The processing unit 61 can be used to generate the PWM signal. Additionally, the gateway device 60 has a temperature sensor 66 and a pressure sensor 67. The two sensors 66 and 67 can output signals that are interpreted by the processing unit 61 as temperature and pressure, respectively, and can be temporarily stored in the storage device 65. Using the sensor data, the processing unit 61 can calculate control commands that can be used to control the heater 30.

[0057] With regard to Fig. Section 2 now describes a method for installing the essential components in the vehicle 1'. First, an air conditioning unit 30 must be installed inside the vehicle 1'. The engine compartment of the vehicle 1' is particularly suitable for this purpose. The air conditioning unit 30 is connected to a climate bus 40 via a connector 41. The gateway unit 60 can then be installed in the vehicle 1'. In principle, the gateway unit 60 can be installed anywhere in the vehicle 1'. However, installation inside the vehicle interior is preferred for ease of installation. The gateway unit 60 is then connected to the climate bus 40 via a connector 41" and also to the vehicle bus 42 via a connector 43. These steps alone enable the gateway unit 60 to control the air conditioning unit 30.

[0058] In one embodiment, the gateway unit 60 can also be retrofitted. This eliminates the need for additional climate control units 30 or operating elements 2. It then becomes possible, for example, to monitor and / or control an existing climate control system of a vehicle 1, 1' using the gateway unit 60.

[0059] It should be noted here that all the parts described above, considered individually and in any combination, especially the details shown in the drawings, are claimed as essential to the invention. Modifications to this are familiar to those skilled in the art. In particular, those skilled in the art are familiar with combining the individual embodiments in any way they choose. Reference symbol list 1, 1' vehicle 2 Control element 3 fan flap 20 Ventilation equipment 21 Ventilation connection 30 heaters / parking heaters 40 Climate Bus, W-BUS 41, 41', 41" connection for W-BUS 42 vehicle bus, LIN-BUS 43, 43' Connection for bus / LIN bus 55 computing unit or microcontroller 60 Gateway setup 61 Computing unit / microcontroller 62 Wireless communication device 63 BUS communication device 64 PWM connector 65 Storage setup 66 Temperature sensor 67 Pressure sensor 70 (mobile) device 80 Climate control unit

Claims

[1] Climate control system for a vehicle (1, 1'), comprising: - a climate bus (41); - an air conditioning system (30), in particular a heater (30); - a control element (2) for setting a target temperature value of the air conditioning system (30); - a gateway device (60) which is connected to the climate control device (30) via the climate bus (41), where The gateway device (60) is configured to communicate as a master on the climate bus (41) and includes a control device (66) for controlling the climate control device (30), and the gateway device (60) generates control commands that are sent via the climate bus (41) to the climate control device (30) in order to control the climate control device (30) in such a way that the temperature in the vehicle interior corresponds to the set temperature value. [2] Climate system according to claim 1, characterized by, that the climate control unit (30) and / or the control element (2) are each configured as slaves of the climate bus (41). [3] Climate system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the gateway device (60) is designed to initiate a communication process to at least one bus participant, in particular the climate control device (30) and / or the control element (2). [4] Climate system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the gateway device (60) comprises at least one, in particular pluggable, communication device (62) for wireless communication, wherein the communication device (62) is designed for communication, in particular via Bluetooth, with a mobile terminal device (70). [5] Climate system according to any of the preceding claims, in particular according to claim 4, characterized by , that the gateway device (60) is designed to: - to receive a target parameter from a / the mobile device (70); - to generate a control command using the target parameter; and - to send the control command for controlling the climate control unit (30) to the climate control unit (30). [6] Climate system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the gateway device (60) includes an interface for sending and / or receiving vehicle data from a vehicle bus (42), wherein the gateway device (60) is preferably configured to control the climate control device (30) using the received vehicle data. [7] Climate system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the gateway device (60) is designed to communicate as a slave on the vehicle bus (42). [8] Climate system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the gateway device (60) comprises a, in particular pluggable, (cellular) communication device (67) for communication in a cellular network. [9] Climate system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the gateway device (60) has at least one sensor (67), in particular one that can be plugged in together with a circuit board, for acquiring sensor data, in particular a pressure sensor (67) and / or temperature sensor, wherein the gateway device (60) is configured to send the sensor data to the climate control device (30) via the climate bus (41) and / or to generate control commands using the sensor data, (formerly claim 9) [10] Gateway device (60) in an air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising: - at least one attachable, first communication device (62) for (wireless) reception of target parameters; - a control device (66) for controlling an air conditioning system (30) using the target parameters; - a plug-in, second communication device for communication on a climate bus (41), characterized by , that the gateway device (60) is trained to communicate as a master on the climate bus (41). [11] Gateway device (60) according to claim 10, characterized by , that the gateway device (60) is designed to initiate a communication process to another bus participant, in particular a slave of the climate bus. [12] Method for adjusting a parameter of an air conditioning system (30), in particular a heater (30), comprising: - wireless reception of at least one target parameter via a preferably cellular network at a gateway device (60); - Processing of at least one target parameter by the gateway device (60) and generating at least one control command; - Setting a parameter of an air conditioning unit (30) using a climate bus (41), wherein the parameter is determined by the gateway unit (60) based on at least one control command. - Sending at least one control command to the climate control unit (30) to control the climate control unit (30) in such a way that the temperature in the vehicle interior corresponds to the set temperature value. [13] Computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that cause at least one processor to implement a method according to claim 12 when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor.

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