Vehicle air conditioning control device

Abstract

To inhibit an electric component installed at a rear part of a vehicle from being heated to a high temperature when my room mode is set.SOLUTION: In a case that my room mode and control of air conditioning by detection of an occupant is set during charging of a vehicle 10, when it is determined that no occupant is seated on a rear seat of the vehicle 10 and a temperature of an electric component installed at a rear part of the vehicle 10 is higher than or equal to a threshold value, an ECU 32 causes air conditioning to be operated for the rear seat.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a device for controlling air conditioning in a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle that has a My Room mode, which is a mode in a vehicle that can run on electrical energy, in which external charging is performed while operation of on-board auxiliary devices is permitted. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-54206 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when the air conditioning system in the vehicle compartment is operating, it may be necessary to determine whether or not there is an occupant in the rear seat, and if there is no occupant in the rear seat, the air conditioning for the rear seat may not be operated.

[0005] However, when My Room Mode is set and there are passengers in the front seats but no passengers in the rear seats, the air conditioning will be concentrated in the front seats, causing the temperature in the rear seats to rise.If electrical components such as an inverter are installed in the rear of the vehicle (for example, in the trunk), the temperature of those electrical components may rise.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to prevent electrical components installed in the rear of the vehicle from becoming too hot when the My Room mode is set. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle charging system that includes a My Room mode and a The air conditioning operates when there are passengers in the vehicle, but does not operate when there are no passengers in the rear seats.This is an air conditioning control device for a vehicle, characterized by having a control unit that activates air conditioning for the rear seats when air conditioning control is set, it is determined that there are no occupants in the rear seats of the vehicle, and the temperature of electrical components installed in the rear of the vehicle is above a threshold value. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, when the My Room mode is set, it is possible to prevent electrical components installed in the rear of the vehicle from becoming too hot. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of operation of the vehicle according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] 1 shows the configuration of a vehicle 10 according to an embodiment. The vehicle 10 is a vehicle that can run on electric energy, such as a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) or a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle). For example, the vehicle 10 can be connected to an external power supply device 14 via a charging cable 12. Here, as an example, the vehicle 10 is a PHEV.

[0011] The power supply device 14 is a device that supplies AC power or DC power. The power supply device 14 supplies power to charge the power storage device 16 mounted on the vehicle 10.

[0012] The power storage device 16 includes a plurality of stacked batteries. The batteries are, for example, secondary batteries such as nickel-metal hydride batteries or lithium-ion batteries.

[0013] The detection device 18 detects the state of the power storage device 16. Specifically, the detection device 18 includes a voltage sensor that detects the voltage of the power storage device 16, a current sensor that detects the current input to and output from the power storage device 16, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the power storage device 16, and the like.

[0014] The SMR 20 is connected between the high-voltage lines PL, NL and the power storage device 16. When the SMR 20 is in a closed state, power is supplied from the power storage device 16 to the PCU 22. When the SMR 20 is in an open state, power is not supplied from the power storage device 16 to the PCU 22.

[0015] In response to a control signal from ECU 32, PCU 22 converts the DC power stored in power storage device 16 into AC power and supplies it to motor generators MG1, MG2. PCU 22 also converts the AC power generated by motor generators MG1, MG2 into DC power and supplies it to power storage device 16. PCU 22 includes, for example, two inverters provided corresponding to motor generators MG1, MG2, and a converter that boosts the DC voltage supplied to each inverter to a level equal to or higher than the output voltage of power storage device 16. For example, the inverters are installed in the rear of vehicle 10 (for example, in the trunk).

[0016] Motor generators MG1 and MG2 are each a rotating electric machine such as a three-phase AC rotating electric machine. Motor generator MG1 is connected to a crankshaft of engine 26 via power split device 24. Motor generator MG2 rotates drive shaft 28 using at least one of electric power from power storage device 16 and electric power generated by motor generator MG2.

[0017] The power split device 24 is, for example, a planetary gear mechanism having a sun gear, a carrier, and a ring gear, and splits the power generated by the engine 26 into power transmitted to the drive wheels 30 and power transmitted to the motor generator MG1.

[0018] The ECU 32 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and controls each device. For example, the ECU 32 controls the motor generators MG1 and MG2 and the engine 26 to control the running of the vehicle 10. The functions of the ECU 32 may be realized by software or by hardware such as an electronic circuit. The ECU 32 is an example of a control unit.

[0019] The vehicle 10 also includes a main DC / DC converter 34 , an auxiliary battery 36 , a low-voltage auxiliary load 38 , and a high-voltage auxiliary load 40 .

[0020] The auxiliary battery 36 is connected to the low-voltage line EL and stores electric power for operating a plurality of low-voltage auxiliary loads 38. The voltage of the auxiliary battery 36 is set lower than the voltage of the power storage device 16.

[0021] The low-voltage auxiliary loads 38 are connected to the low-voltage line EL and are operated by power supplied from the low-voltage line EL. Examples of the low-voltage auxiliary loads 38 include lighting devices, wiper devices, audio devices, navigation devices, meter panels, headlights, and in-vehicle outlets.

[0022] The high-voltage auxiliary load 40 is connected to the high-voltage lines PL, NL that connect the SMR 20 and the PCU 22, and operates with power supplied from the high-voltage lines PL, NL. The high-voltage auxiliary load 40 is, for example, an air conditioner.

[0023] The main DC / DC converter 34 is connected between the high voltage lines PL, NL and the low voltage line EL, and steps down the power supplied from the high voltage lines PL, NL and supplies the power to the low voltage line EL.

[0024] Vehicle 10 also includes a charging relay 42, a charging device 44, an inlet 46, and a sub DC / DC converter 48 as components for performing external charging.

[0025] The charging relay 42 switches between an open and closed state in response to a control signal from the ECU 32. The inlet 46 is connected to the power supply device 14 via the charging cable 12.

[0026] The charging device 44 is connected between the inlet 46 and the charging relay 42. The charging device 44 includes, for example, an AC / AC converter, and converts AC power supplied from the power supply device 14 via the charging cable 12 and the inlet 46 into DC power and outputs the DC power to the charging relay 42.

[0027] Sub DC / DC converter 48 is connected between charging device 44 and low-voltage line EL, and steps down the power supplied via inlet 46 and supplies the power to low-voltage line EL.

[0028] The air conditioner 50 is a device that conditions the air inside the vehicle cabin. Specifically, the air conditioner 50 has a cooling function, a heating function, a dehumidifying function, etc., and adjusts the temperature and humidity of the front seats and the rear seats of the vehicle 10. For example, the air conditioner 50 conditions the air for the front seats and the rear seats independently.

[0029] The detection device 52 is a sensor that detects passengers in the front seats and passengers in the rear seats.

[0030] The temperature sensor 54 measures the temperature of an electrical component installed in the rear of the vehicle 10. The electrical component is, for example, an inverter.

[0031] For example, air conditioning control is set in response to the detection of an occupant. That is, when an occupant is detected by the detection device 52, the ECU 32 operates the air conditioner 50 to condition the interior of the vehicle. Specifically, when the air conditioner 50 is operating and there is no occupant in the rear seat (that is, when the detection device 52 does not detect any occupant in the rear seat), control that does not operate the air conditioning for the rear seat (hereinafter referred to as S-FLOW mode) is set.

[0032] In addition, the vehicle 10 includes a communication device, an accelerator pedal sensor, a shift position sensor, a start switch, and the like.

[0033] The vehicle 10 has a my room mode as a control mode when the vehicle 10 is stopped. For example, when the shift range is in the parking range and the user turns on the my room switch, the ECU 32 sets the control mode of the vehicle 10 to the my room mode.

[0034] In the My Room mode, the ECU 32 prohibits the vehicle 10 from traveling and allows the operation of auxiliary devices, allowing the user to use the vehicle 10 as if it were his or her own room, for example, by operating the air conditioner to adjust the temperature in the vehicle cabin, operating the audio system, operating the navigation system, watching movies, or connecting a PC to an outlet in the vehicle.

[0035] For example, when the power supply device 14 and the vehicle 10 are connected (i.e., when the power supply device 14 is connected to the inlet 46 of the vehicle 10 via the charging cable 12), if the my room mode is turned on, the ECU 32 prohibits the vehicle 10 from traveling and allows the auxiliary devices (the low-voltage auxiliary load 38 and the high-voltage auxiliary load 40) to operate while performing external charging using power from the power supply device 14. Specifically, the ECU 32 closes the charging relay 42 and operates the charging device 44 and the sub DC / DC converter 48 as needed. As a result, the power storage device 16 is charged with power from the power supply device 14, and a portion of the power from the power supply device 14 is supplied to the low-voltage auxiliary load 38 or the high-voltage auxiliary load 40 via the sub DC / DC converter 48.

[0036] The operation of the vehicle 10 will now be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0037] The ECU 32 determines whether or not the My Room mode is set (S01).

[0038] When the my room switch is turned on and set (S01, Yes), the ECU 32 determines whether or not S-FLOW mode cooling is set (S02). S-FLOW mode cooling is a mode in which the rear seats are not cooled if the detection device 52 does not detect any rear seat occupants while the air conditioner 50 is operating and performing cooling. S-FLOW mode cooling may be set, for example, by the user or according to a predetermined standard.

[0039] If the S-FLOW mode cooling is set (S02, Yes), the ECU 32 determines whether or not there is an occupant in the rear seat based on the detection result of the detection device 52 (S03).

[0040] If there is no passenger in the rear seat, that is, if the detection device 52 does not detect any passenger in the rear seat (S03, Yes), the ECU 32 determines whether the temperature of an electrical component (e.g., an inverter) installed in the rear of the vehicle 10 is equal to or higher than a threshold value (S04). That is, the ECU 32 determines whether the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 54 is equal to or higher than a threshold value.

[0041] If the temperature of the electrical components installed in the rear of the vehicle 10 is equal to or higher than the threshold value (S04, Yes), the ECU 32 controls the air conditioner 50 to activate the air conditioning for the rear seats (S05). In other words, even if there are no passengers in the rear seats, the ECU 32 assumes that there are passengers in the rear seats and activates the air conditioning for the rear seats. As a result, the air conditioner 50 conditions the rear seats. For example, the air conditioner 50 cools the rear seats.

[0042] If My Room mode is not set (S01, No), if S-FLOW mode cooling is not set (S02, No), if there is an occupant in the rear seat (S03, No), or if the temperature of an electrical component (e.g., an inverter) installed in the rear of the vehicle 10 is below a threshold value (S04, No), the ECU 32 performs normal control of the air conditioning (S06).

[0043] According to this embodiment, even when the S-FLOW mode cooling is set and there are no passengers in the rear seats, the rear seats are air-conditioned. For example, the rear seats are air-conditioned. This prevents electrical components installed in the rear of the vehicle 10 from becoming too hot. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 14 power supply device, 32 ECU, 50 air conditioning device, 52 detection device, 54 temperature sensor.

Claims

[Claim 1] a control unit that activates the air conditioning for the rear seats when it is determined that there are no occupants in the rear seats of the vehicle and when the temperature of an electrical component installed in the rear of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a threshold value, while the vehicle is being charged and when the vehicle is in a My Room mode and air conditioning control is set to activate the air conditioning for the rear seats when there are occupants and not when there are no occupants in the rear seats; 1. A vehicle air conditioning control device comprising:

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