Motor vehicle and method for time-based control of operation of a computing device of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (10) and a method for time-based control of operation of a computing device (14) of a motor vehicle (10). The method comprises establishing (S10) a data processing process to be performed by the computing device (14) of the motor vehicle (10); determining (S12) whether a motor vehicle device (12) requires a heat supply for heating to an ideal temperature at a predetermined operating time. If the motor vehicle device (12) requires a heat supply at the operating time, the data processing process is scheduled (S14) on the computing device (14) as a function of the predetermined operating time, wherein at least a portion of a heat generation that is generated during operation of the computing device (14) for carrying out the data processing process is used for heating to the ideal temperature; and if the motor vehicle device (12) does not require a heat supply at the operating time, the data processing process is scheduled (S16) on the computing device (14) as a function of the environmental data, wherein the environmental data is used to determine an optimised environmental condition for cooling the computing device (14).

Description

[0001] Motor vehicle and method for temporally controlling the operation of a computing device of a motor vehicle

[0002] DESCRIPTION:

[0003] The invention relates to a method for temporally controlling the operation of a computing device of a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle configured to carry out the method.

[0004] Motor vehicles, especially self-driving vehicles, are equipped with increasingly powerful control units or computing devices, for example, to autonomously calculate driving maneuvers or evaluate sensor data. Furthermore, increasing amounts of data are being transmitted to or from the vehicle. However, this requires more energy to operate the computing devices, which also increases the demands on their cooling.

[0005] From DE 10 2019 126 496 A1, a cooling circuit arrangement for a motor vehicle is known, which has at least one traction drive as a drive unit, wherein the cooling circuit arrangement comprises at least a first cooling circuit with a first heat exchanger, wherein a fluid conveyed by a pump circulates in the first cooling circuit and through the first heat exchanger and can be temperature-controlled by the first heat exchanger, wherein a computing unit is arranged in thermally conductive connection to the fluid, wherein the computing unit is provided for carrying out computing operations required for operation of the motor vehicle, wherein the computing unit is arranged at least outside an electrical circuit via which electrical power can be provided to drive the traction drive, or is provided for carrying out computing operations which are directed towards realising autonomous driving.

[0006] DE 10 2018 212 437 A1 discloses a device for raising a temperature in at least one part of a vehicle from a low temperature value to a higher temperature value, comprising at least one electronic component that generates waste heat. The at least one electronic component is designed as a processor. Furthermore, a controller is provided, which is designed to cause the processor, in a heating mode, to provide computing capacity and to supply the waste heat generated when the processor performs at least one calculation to the at least one part of the vehicle.

[0007] From DE102019114820B3 a method for heating a motor vehicle part of an at least partially electrically operated motor vehicle is known, in which the motor vehicle is operated with an electric motor and in which a computing operation is carried out by means of an electronic computing device of a functional unit separate from the electric motor, wherein waste heat generated during the computing operation of the electronic computing device of the separate functional unit is used to heat the motor vehicle part.

[0008] The object of the invention is to improve the control of the operation of a computing device of a motor vehicle with respect to heat generation of the computing device.

[0009] This object is achieved by the independent patent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent patent claims, the following description, and the figures.

[0010] The invention is based on the idea that data processing processes of a computing device of a motor vehicle are time-controlled in such a way that the heat generated can either be used to heat up other motor vehicle devices, in particular at low ambient temperatures below an ideal temperature, or that the data processing processes are shifted to times in which the motor vehicle can release the generated heat into the environment in an improved manner through passive cooling.

[0011] One aspect of the invention relates to a method for temporally controlling the operation of a computing device of a motor vehicle, wherein the following steps can be controlled by a control device of the motor vehicle. A control device refers to a device or device component, in particular a control unit or vehicle computer, which can control a sequence of the following steps, in particular the associated devices.

[0012] The method comprises determining a data processing process to be carried out by the computing device of the motor vehicle, determining whether a motor vehicle device requires a heat supply to heat up to an ideal temperature at a predetermined operating time, wherein an anticipated initial temperature of the motor vehicle device is estimated before the operating time using environmental data, and if the motor vehicle device requires a heat supply at the operating time, planning the data processing process on the computing device depending on the anticipated initial temperature and the predetermined operating time of the motor vehicle device, wherein at least a portion of heat generation which occurs when the computing device is operated to carry out the data processing process is used for heating up from the initial temperature to the ideal temperature of the motor vehicle device.

[0013] If the motor vehicle device does not require heat supply at the time of operation, the data processing process on the computing device is planned depending on the environmental data, whereby an optimized environmental condition for cooling the computing device is determined on the basis of the environmental data.

[0014] In other words, it can first be determined whether a data processing process is pending on the computing device. This can be determined, for example, by a task scheduler that detects the pending data processing process. A data processing process can, for example, comprise a calculation and / or evaluation of data from the motor vehicle, in particular sensor data, and / or a transmission of data from the motor vehicle to a server external to the vehicle, for example, to transmit operating data of the motor vehicle and / or to receive updates to the motor vehicle's software.Preferably, data processing processes can be divided into critical and non-critical data processing processes, whereby only non-critical data processing processes are considered for the scheduling of the computing device, and critical data processing processes, which are required, for example, for autonomous driving, are executed immediately. The computing device can be a vehicle computer, which is designed, for example, to control a driver assistance system and / or autonomous driving.

[0015] Once it has been determined that a data processing operation is to be performed, the control device can determine whether a motor vehicle device in the motor vehicle requires heat input to be warmed up to an ideal temperature. For this purpose, an operating time of the motor vehicle device can preferably be predetermined or estimated at which the motor vehicle device should have an ideal temperature, and an initial temperature that the motor vehicle device has without heating at that operating time can be measured or estimated using environmental data. The environmental data can, for example, be measured by a sensor device of the motor vehicle and / or originate from a source external to the vehicle.The environmental data can, for example, comprise temperature information of an environment of the motor vehicle, such as a temperature profile measured by the sensor device of the motor vehicle, on the basis of which the ambient temperature and thus the initial temperature of the motor vehicle device at the time of operation can be approximated and / or the environmental data can comprise a weather report on the basis of which the ambient temperature and thus the initial temperature of the motor vehicle device at the time of operation can be predicted.

[0016] The expected operating time of the vehicle device can be derived from the vehicle's or a vehicle user's routines and determined, for example, by artificial intelligence. Alternatively or additionally, planned events can be detected, for example, from a link between a user's electronic calendar and the vehicle's control unit, allowing the operating time of the vehicle device to be deduced.

[0017] A motor vehicle device is understood here to mean components of the motor vehicle, for example, drive components, in particular a traction battery of an electrically powered motor vehicle, which can exhibit improved efficiency and thus lower energy consumption at a given ideal temperature. Furthermore, a motor vehicle device can be understood to mean an air conditioning system of the motor vehicle, which means, for example, that a passenger compartment is to be heated to an ideal temperature.

[0018] If it is determined that the motor vehicle device requires a heat supply at the time of operation, which can be the case particularly at low ambient temperatures, for example in winter, then the execution of the data processing process on the computing device can be scheduled before the expected operating time of the motor vehicle device, so that a portion of the heat generated when operating the computing device to carry out the data processing process can be used to heat the motor vehicle device to the ideal temperature. Preferably, it can also be estimated how long or what proportion of heat the motor vehicle device requires to warm up from the expected initial temperature to the ideal temperature, wherein the execution of the data processing process can be carried out by this period of time before the expected operating time.The portion of the heat used to heat the motor vehicle device can, for example, be transported from the computing device to the respective motor vehicle device via cooling circuits of the motor vehicle, wherein, for example, heat exchangers can be provided on the respective device to dissipate the heat.

[0019] However, if it is determined that no heat supply is required at the time the motor vehicle device is operating, which may be the case, for example, at high ambient temperatures, particularly in summer, then the scheduling for the execution of the data processing process can be postponed to a time when optimized ambient conditions for cooling the computing device exist. The optimized ambient conditions for cooling the computing device can be determined using the predetermined ambient data. Optimized ambient conditions may include, for example, low temperatures and / or the presence of shade, whereby operation of the computing device requires less cooling power.

[0020] Consequently, at low ambient temperatures, the timing of the computing device for warming the motor vehicle device can be scheduled, preferably before operation of the motor vehicle and / or the motor vehicle device, and at high temperatures, the operation of the computing device can be scheduled preferably after operation of the motor vehicle and / or the motor vehicle device, at times when cooler ambient conditions prevail.

[0021] The invention provides the advantage that less energy is consumed because excess energy can be used to heat other vehicle components and / or less energy is required to cool the computing device.

[0022] The invention also includes embodiments which provide additional advantages.

[0023] One embodiment provides that the motor vehicle is an electrically powered motor vehicle, and the motor vehicle device is designed at least as a traction battery. This means that it can be checked for the traction battery whether it has an ideal temperature at the anticipated time of operation, wherein this temperature can be heated using the waste heat from the computing device if this is not the case. In particular, with traction batteries, there is a predetermined ideal temperature below which the function of the traction battery is optimized, wherein the ideal temperature can be achieved by means of the method without additional heating processes. In addition, the method can also check whether the electrically powered motor vehicle is being charged or not, wherein execution of the data processing process is preferably scheduled during a charging process of the traction battery.This means that battery conditioning can be included in the planning.

[0024] Preferably, it is provided that planning of the data processing process is carried out using a predicted residual capacity of the traction battery after the data processing process and predetermined route data, wherein the route data is used to check whether the predicted residual capacity of the traction battery is sufficient for a given route length. If this is the case, the data processing process can be carried out, and if this is not the case, the data processing process can be postponed, in particular to a period in which the residual capacity is sufficient. In other words, it is possible to estimate the capacity of the traction battery before and after the data processing process. Using the residual capacity after the data processing process, it can then be determined whether this capacity is sufficient for a predetermined route, which can be determined in particular from predetermined route data.The control of the computing device can then be planned based on this. Particularly preferably, a route and / or a destination known from the route data can also be used to determine or estimate the environmental data available at the respective locations. For example, it can be determined from the route data that a route leads through a cooler region and / or a rainy area. This can then result in optimized environmental conditions for cooling the computing device, and the data processing process can be scheduled for this period.

[0025] A further embodiment provides for the execution of the data processing process on the computing device to be scheduled outside of the motor vehicle's ferry operation. This means that the data processing process, in particular the non-critical data processing process, is not scheduled during the motor vehicle's operation, but rather when the motor vehicle is stationary. In particular, depending on the available environmental data, the data processing process can be scheduled before or after the ferry operation, with the data processing process preferably being scheduled before the ferry operation in cold ambient conditions and after the ferry operation in warm ambient conditions.

[0026] A further embodiment provides that the operating time is determined by linking the motor vehicle to an electronic calendar entry. In particular, a user's electronic assistant can be connected to a navigation system of the motor vehicle via a data connection, whereby a departure time and / or arrival time can be known. Route data can preferably also be known from the electronic calendar entry, which can be used, for example, to estimate the required remaining capacity of a traction battery. This embodiment offers the advantage that the operating time of the motor vehicle device can be determined more effectively.

[0027] Another embodiment provides for a motor vehicle usage routine to be trained by artificial intelligence, with the operating time being determined by the trained artificial intelligence. This means that the artificial intelligence, which can be operated on the control device, for example, learns at what times a user uses the motor vehicle. For example, a trip to or from work during the week can take place at regular times, which teaches the artificial intelligence. From this, the artificial intelligence can then determine the operating time of the motor vehicle device so that the motor vehicle device can be heated to the ideal temperature at this operating time.Furthermore, the usage routine can identify periods of non-use of the vehicle, thus determining the optimal ambient conditions for cooling the vehicle's equipment. This design offers the advantage of allowing for improved prediction of operating times.

[0028] A further embodiment provides that the environmental data comprise temperature data and / or weather data that are determined by a sensor device of the motor vehicle and / or that originate from a weather data source external to the vehicle. In other words, the motor vehicle can have a sensor device, for example temperature sensors, brightness sensors and / or cameras, by means of which temperature data and / or weather data can be determined. Weather data can include, for example, whether the sun is shining, whether it is raining and / or what the humidity is. Based on the environmental data recorded by the sensor device of the motor vehicle, a temperature and / or weather profile can be created, from which the initial temperature of the motor vehicle device and / or the ambient condition for cooling the computing device can be determined.Alternatively or additionally, the respective data can also originate from a weather data source external to the vehicle, which can preferably be received wirelessly by the motor vehicle. The weather data source can, for example, provide a forecast of the ambient data, in particular temperature data and / or weather data. This embodiment offers the advantage of improving the determination of the ambient data.

[0029] A further embodiment provides that the environmental data include camera data for detecting shadow areas to determine optimized environmental conditions for cooling the computing device, which are determined by a camera device of the motor vehicle. In other words, the motor vehicle can have a camera device that captures camera data. The camera data can be provided as environmental data to detect, for example, whether the motor vehicle is located in a shadow area, wherein such a shadow area can serve as an optimized environmental condition for cooling the computing device during the data processing process. Consequently, the data processing process on the computing device can be scheduled such that it is only carried out in dark and / or shadowy environmental conditions.This design offers the advantage that the optimized environmental conditions for cooling the computing device can be determined more effectively.

[0030] A further embodiment provides that the data processing process provides computing power for computing processes external to the vehicle. This means that the method can be used to automatically plan periods in which the computing device can be available for computing external processes. For example, it can be provided that the motor vehicle device is to be heated to an ideal temperature, but no data processing process of the motor vehicle is pending. In this case, the computing device can be released for computing processes external to the vehicle, which can be carried out on the computing device. Computing processes external to the vehicle can include, for example, simulations and / or Bitcoin mining. This embodiment offers the advantage that unused computing power can be avoided and, in addition, motor vehicle devices can be heated to the ideal temperature.

[0031] A further aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle, comprising at least one motor vehicle device, a control device and a computing device, wherein the computing device is designed to carry out data processing processes, wherein the control device is designed to establish a data processing process to be carried out by the computing device, to determine whether the motor vehicle device requires a heat supply to heat up to an ideal temperature at a predetermined operating time and to estimate a probable initial temperature of the motor vehicle device before the operating time using environmental data, and if the motor vehicle device requires a heat supply at the operating time,to plan the data processing process on the computing device depending on the expected initial temperature and the predetermined operating time of the motor vehicle device, and to control the heat transport of at least a portion of the heat that can be generated during operation of the computing device to carry out the data processing process, for heating from the initial temperature to the ideal temperature of the motor vehicle device. If the motor vehicle device does not require any heat supply at the operating time, the control device can be designed to plan the data processing process on the computing device depending on optimized ambient conditions for cooling the computing device that can be determined from the ambient data. This results in the same advantages and possible variations as in the method. The motor vehicle according to the invention is preferably designed as a motor vehicle,in particular as a passenger car or truck, or as a passenger bus or motorcycle.

[0032] For use cases or application situations that may arise during the method and which are not explicitly described here, it may be provided that, in accordance with the method, an error message and / or a request to enter user feedback is issued and / or a default setting and / or a predetermined initial state is set.

[0033] The invention also includes the control device for the motor vehicle. The control device can have a data processing apparatus or a processor device that is configured to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the processor device can have at least one microprocessor and / or at least one microcontroller and / or at least one FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and / or at least one DSP (Digital Signal Processor). In particular, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), or an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) can be used as the microprocessor. Furthermore, the processor device can have program code that is configured to carry out the embodiment of the method according to the invention when executed by the processor device. The program code can be stored in a data memory of the processor device.The processor device can be based, for example, on at least one circuit board and / or on at least one SoC (System on Chip).

[0034] The invention also includes further developments of the motor vehicle according to the invention that have features already described in connection with the further developments of the method according to the invention. For this reason, the corresponding further developments of the motor vehicle according to the invention are not described again here.

[0035] As a further solution, the invention also encompasses a computer-readable storage medium comprising program code which, when executed by a computer or computer network, causes the computer to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The storage medium can be provided at least partially as a non-volatile data memory (e.g. as a flash memory and / or as an SSD - solid state drive) and / or at least partially as a volatile data memory (e.g. as a RAM - random access memory). The storage medium can be arranged in the computer or computer network. However, the storage medium can also be operated, for example, as a so-called app store server and / or cloud server on the Internet. The computer or computer network can provide a processor circuit with, for example, at least one microprocessor.The program code may be provided as binary code and / or as assembly code and / or as source code of a programming language (e.g. C) and / or as a program script (e.g. Python).

[0036] The invention also encompasses combinations of the features of the described embodiments. The invention therefore also encompasses implementations that each comprise a combination of the features of several of the described embodiments, unless the embodiments are described as mutually exclusive.

[0037] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below. Shown are:

[0038] Fig. 1 shows a schematically illustrated motor vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 2 shows a schematic process diagram for the temporal control of the operation of a computing device of a motor vehicle.

[0039] Fig. 1 shows a schematically illustrated motor vehicle 10, which may have one or more motor vehicle devices 12 that are intended to have an ideal temperature at a time of operation of the motor vehicle 10. The motor vehicle 10 may, for example, be an electrically powered motor vehicle 10, and the motor vehicle device may include a traction battery 12. Furthermore, the motor vehicle 10 may include a computing device 14, which may be embodied as a vehicle computer. The computing device 14 may be configured to perform data processing operations that may include, for example, computing operations for autonomous driving, processing of vehicle-specific data, updating software, and / or uploading or downloading data from a source external to the vehicle (not shown).

[0040] In order for the computing device 14 to operate in an energy-efficient manner and for heat generated during the execution of the data processing processes not to be lost unused or for cooling of the computing device 14 to be carried out more efficiently, the motor vehicle 10 can further comprise a control device 16 which temporally controls the execution of the data processing processes on the computing device 14 for efficient thermal management.

[0041] For this purpose, the control device 16 can, for example, have access to a sensor device 18 of the motor vehicle 10. The sensor device 18 can measure environmental data, which in particular include temperature data and / or weather data of an environment of the motor vehicle 10, in order to determine an initial temperature of the traction battery 12 and, from this, derive a need to heat the traction battery 12 to an ideal temperature at a specific operating time. The sensor device 18 can, for example, determine a current temperature or temperature profiles, preferably over several days, as environmental data, whereby a temperature profile can be created by means of which the initial temperature of the traction battery 12 can be predicted.For example, in winter months, an average temperature and thus the initial temperature of the traction battery 12 may be below an ideal temperature of the traction battery 12, which can determine that the traction battery 12 should be warmed up before operation. Alternatively or additionally, data from a vehicle-external weather data source (not shown) can also be used as environmental data, which can be transmitted wirelessly to the motor vehicle 10.

[0042] In order to control the operation of the computing device 14 in an energy-efficient manner, it can first be provided that a data processing process to be performed on the computing device 14 is detected, which is preferably not time-critical and can therefore be postponed. Furthermore, based on the environmental data that can be determined by the sensor device 18, it can be checked whether the traction battery 12 should be heated from an initial temperature, which the traction battery 12 has before the operating time, to an ideal temperature at an expected operating time.

[0043] In order to determine the expected operating time of the motor vehicle 10 and thus of the traction battery 12, a personal electronic assistant can be linked or connected to the motor vehicle 10, in particular to the control device 16, in order to determine planned operating times of the motor vehicle 10. Alternatively or additionally, usage routines of the motor vehicle 10, which are preferably user-specific, can also be learned by an artificial intelligence, which can be operated, for example, on the control device 16, in order to anticipate the user's behavior and thus determine the operating times of the motor vehicle and / or the traction battery 12.If it is determined that the traction battery 12 should be heated at the predetermined operating time, the data processing process on the computing device 14 can be scheduled to take place before the operating time, and the heat generated is used by the computing device 14 to heat the traction battery 12. The heat can be transported via one or more heat circuits (not shown) of the motor vehicle 10, wherein, for example, pumps of the heat circuits can be controlled by the control device 16 to transport the heat to the appropriate location.

[0044] If no vehicle-internal data processing process is planned to be carried out on the computing device 14, it can preferably be provided that a computing power of the computing device 14 is made available for external computing processes, for example to process fleet data on the computing device 14 and to use the heat generated in the process to heat the traction battery 12.

[0045] If the control device 16 determines that the motor vehicle device, in particular the traction battery 12, does not require additional heat to be heated to the ideal temperature, which may be the case in the summer months, for example, the control device 16 can schedule the execution of the data processing process for a time period during which heat dissipation to the environment and thus cooling can be improved. For this purpose, it is preferably possible to check from the environmental data, which may include a current and / or future temperature and / or weather data, whether or when environmental conditions exist that are optimized for cooling the computing device 14. For example, at least one temperature and / or a predetermined air humidity can be predetermined that are optimized for cooling the computing device 14.Particularly preferably, the motor vehicle 10 can additionally comprise a camera device 20 that can capture image data of the surroundings of the motor vehicle 10. For example, lighting conditions can be determined from the image data, wherein the optimized ambient conditions for cooling the computing device 14 can include the motor vehicle 10 being in the shade and / or it being nighttime.

[0046] Fig. 2 shows a schematic process diagram for the temporal control of the operation of a computing device 14 of a motor vehicle 10. A control device 16 can determine in a step S10 that a data processing process pending on the computing device 14 is to be performed.

[0047] Then, in a step S12, the control device 16 can determine whether a motor vehicle device 12 requires a heat supply to heat up to an ideal temperature that should be present at a predetermined operating time. For this purpose, a probable initial temperature of the motor vehicle device 12, for example, an interior of the motor vehicle 10, can be estimated using environmental data that can be measured, for example, by a sensor device 18 of the motor vehicle 10.

[0048] If the motor vehicle device 12 requires a heat supply at the time of operation, the data processing process on the computing device 14 can be planned in a step S14 based on the expected initial temperature before the time of operation and the ideal temperature required at the time of operation, so that heat generated during operation of the computing device 14 can be used to heat the motor vehicle device 12 from the initial temperature to the ideal temperature. Particularly preferably, the operation of the computing device 14 can be planned before the time of operation in such a way that the required heat difference can be provided by the time of operation.

[0049] If it is determined in step S12 that the motor vehicle device does not require heat supply at the time of operation, the data processing process on the computing device 14 can be scheduled in a step S16 based on the environmental data such that environmental conditions for cooling the computing device 14 are optimized. This means that the data processing process can be scheduled during a period in which, for example, cooler temperatures and / or less solar radiation on the motor vehicle 10 are present.

[0050] In a further example, it is provided that an intelligent temporal control of computing operations is carried out for the intelligent use of heat equivalents in the motor vehicle 10. In this case, a spatially close connection of processors or a computing device 14 to drive components (motor vehicle device 12) and a possibility for the thermal exchange of heat equivalents between the components (motor vehicle device 12) can be provided.

[0051] For this purpose, the motor vehicle 10 can have a central control unit (control device 16). This can have access to thermal sensors of drivetrain components (motor vehicle device 12) via a backend. If temperatures are too low during an actual or predicted vehicle start, a need for additional heating can be determined. Particularly at low ambient temperatures below an ideal temperature of motor vehicle devices 12, such as a battery and / or power electronics, additional heat quantities are provided, which can be detected, for example, via appropriate component sensors.

[0052] The control device 16 monitors and controls the need for larger computing operations and data uploads and no longer starts them randomly at the end of a usage phase of the motor vehicle 10. Instead, it can coordinate the need with the thermal sensor data, current and future weather conditions, and predicted driver requests. Large computing operations and data uploads can thus be synchronized with the air conditioning requirement in the motor vehicle 10. To detect current and future environmental and weather conditions, the control device 16 can be connected to the internet and a corresponding vehicle sensor system (sensor device 18) via the backend and can continuously evaluate the relevant data.

[0053] The control device 16 can recognize connected devices or assign them to a current user using a personalized key, allowing the user to be identified and personal data stored and retrieved for that user. Furthermore, access to a navigation device and all previously entered navigation destinations can be assigned to a user. Using devices linked to the motor vehicle, such as personal assistants or applications, a calendar of the various users can be accessed, and destinations from the calendar entries can be transferred directly to the navigation system, or calendar entries can be linked to navigation destinations manually entered by the user.An artificial intelligence algorithm can use all destinations entered into the navigation device, all journeys of a user, departure times and calendar entries as learning data to predict the behavior of a user and thus determine an operating time at which the motor vehicle device 12 should have the ideal temperature.

[0054] In addition, by offering additional computing power, preferably for a fee, the motor vehicle 10 can make this computing power available in order to generate heat for heating motor vehicle devices 12.

[0055] Overall, the vehicle's range increases because less energy is required to heat the vehicle's components 12, such as the powertrain, and later, after the usage phase, to cool the processors. Overall, these examples demonstrate how smart data handling can be provided to optimize thermodynamics.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS: 1 . Method for the temporal control of an operation of a computing device (14) of a motor vehicle (10), wherein the following steps are controlled by a control device (16) of the motor vehicle (10): - determining (S10) a data processing process to be carried out by the computing device (14) of the motor vehicle (10); - determining (S12) whether a motor vehicle device (12) requires a heat supply to heat up to an ideal temperature at a predetermined operating time, wherein an expected initial temperature of the motor vehicle device (12) is estimated before the operating time using environmental data; - if the motor vehicle device (12) requires a heat supply at the operating time, planning (S14) the data processing process on the computing device (14) as a function of the expected initial temperature and the predetermined operating time of the motor vehicle device (12), wherein at least a portion of heat generation which occurs when the computing device (14) is operated to carry out the data processing process is used for heating from the initial temperature to the ideal temperature of the motor vehicle device (12); - if the motor vehicle device (12) does not require any heat supply at the time of operation, planning (S16) the data processing process on the computing device (14) as a function of the environmental data, wherein an optimized environmental condition for cooling the computing device (14) is determined on the basis of the environmental data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle (12) is an electrically operated motor vehicle, and the motor vehicle device (12) is designed at least as a traction battery.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein a planning of the data processing process is carried out with a predicted remaining capacity of the traction battery (12) after the data processing process and predetermined route data, wherein it is checked on the basis of the route data whether the predicted remaining capacity of the traction battery (12) is sufficient for a route length.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the execution of the data processing process on the computing device (14) is planned outside of a ferry operation of the motor vehicle (10).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating time is determined by linking the motor vehicle (10) with an electronic calendar entry.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a usage routine of the motor vehicle (10) is learned by an artificial intelligence, wherein the operating time is determined by the learned artificial intelligence.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the environmental data comprise temperature data and / or weather data which are determined by a sensor device (18) of the motor vehicle (10) and / or which originate from a weather data source external to the vehicle.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the environmental data comprises camera data for detecting shadow areas to determine optimized environmental conditions for cooling the computing device (14) which are determined by a camera device (20) of the motor vehicle (10).

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing process provides computing power for computing processes external to the vehicle.

10. Motor vehicle (10), comprising at least one motor vehicle device (12), a control device (16) and a computing device (14), wherein the computing device (14) is designed to carry out data processing processes, wherein the control device (16) is designed to establish a data processing process to be carried out by the computing device (14), to determine whether the motor vehicle device (12) requires a heat supply to heat up to an ideal temperature at a predetermined operating time, and in doing so to estimate a probable initial temperature of the motor vehicle device (12) before the operating time using environmental data, and if the motor vehicle device (12) requires a heat supply at the operating time,to plan the data processing process on the computing device (14) as a function of the expected initial temperature and the predetermined operating time of the motor vehicle device (12), and to control a heat transport of at least a portion of the heat generated during operation of the computing device (14) to carry out the data processing process, for heating from the initial temperature to the ideal temperature of the motor vehicle device (12), and if the motor vehicle device (12) does not require any heat supply at the operating time, to plan the data processing process on the computing device (14) as a function of optimized ambient conditions for cooling the computing device (14) that can be determined from the ambient data.

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