Crowdsourced Remote Start for Vehicle Cabin Temperature

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle remote start systems rely on user estimation for starting the vehicle to achieve a desired cabin temperature, which can lead to inaccurate timing, resulting in wasted fuel, reduced engine and HVAC component lifespan, and inconvenience due to factors like weather and vehicle model variability.

Innovation Solution

A system that calculates the optimal vehicle start time using weather conditions, vehicle configuration, historic temperature data, and crowdsourced information from fleet vehicles within a geofence, minimizing fuel consumption and ensuring the vehicle reaches the desired cabin temperature by the user's departure time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If user manually estimates vehicle start time to reach desired cabin temperature, then user can control when vehicle starts, but timing accuracy deteriorates leading to fuel waste and component wear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle start time accuracyVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically calculates and executes the optimal vehicle start time without requiring user manual estimation or intervention. The server autonomously processes weather data, vehicle specifications, and cabin temperature requirements to determine the precise start time, eliminating the imprecision of human estimation while reducing fuel waste from premature starting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates real-time weather condition data and vehicle-specific thermal characteristics to dynamically adjust the calculated start time. By continuously monitoring ambient temperature, humidity, and vehicle thermal response patterns, the system optimizes the start time calculation to ensure the vehicle reaches desired cabin temperature exactly when needed, minimizing unnecessary fuel consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If user manually estimates vehicle start time, then operation simplicity is maintained, but reliability of achieving desired cabin temperature deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecabin temperature achievementVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A server acts as an intermediary between the user's temperature requirement and the vehicle's starting mechanism. The server collects weather data, vehicle specifications, and thermal history, then calculates the optimal start time and transmits it to the vehicle. This intermediary processing layer significantly improves the reliability of achieving desired cabin temperature while keeping the user interface simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary calculations of the optimal start time by analyzing weather forecasts, vehicle thermal characteristics, and desired cabin temperature requirements before the user needs the vehicle. This advance calculation ensures reliable temperature achievement when the vehicle starts, while the user only needs to provide simple input parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Temperature

If vehicle starts earlier to ensure temperature is reached, then cabin temperature comfort is improved, but fuel consumption and engine wear increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecabin temperatureVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the vehicle start time parameter based on changing weather conditions, vehicle thermal characteristics, and desired cabin temperature. By precisely calculating the minimum time required for the cabin to reach the target temperature under specific conditions, the system eliminates the need for premature vehicle starting, thereby reducing fuel consumption and engine wear while ensuring temperature comfort is achieved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of operation

If remote start is activated without precise timing calculation, then user convenience is improved, but HVAC component lifespan deteriorates due to excessive running time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidHVAC component lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual user estimation and mechanical remote start activation with an automated computational approach. The server calculates the precise start time based on thermal models and weather data, then automatically triggers the vehicle start. This substitution eliminates the need for users to estimate timing while preventing excessive HVAC operation, thereby extending component lifespan while maintaining user convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11498387B2Crowdsourced remote start for vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.11.15 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A server includes a processor, programmed to receive a vehicle location from a vehicle, receive a weather condition of the vehicle location from a cloud server, responsive to receiving a calendar of a user including an event, calculate a departure time based on the vehicle location and a location of the event, responsive to receiving a desired cabin temperature of the user from a mobile device, calculate a minimum time for the vehicle to reach the desired cabin temperature based on the weather condition, calculate a vehicle start time using the departure time and the minimum time, and send an instruction to the vehicle to start at the vehicle start time.