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US 12,668,098 B2Granted
HVAC inlet control based on thermal event
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsDave Gerard Rich, Joshua Aaron Vallender, Jermaine L. StanFord
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an exemplary embodiment, a system is provided that includes one or more sensors and a processor. The one or more sensors are configured to at least facilitate obtaining sensor data as to a vehicle. The processor is coupled to the one or more sensors, and is configured to at least facilitate obtaining sensor data from the one or more sensors; determining whether a thermal event occurs for the vehicle, based on the sensor data; and controlling an inlet for a climate control system for the vehicle based at least in part on whether the thermal event has occurred.
Claims16
A method comprising:
- obtaining sensor data from one or more sensors of a vehicle pertaining to a component of the vehicle that is different from a climate control system of the vehicle;
- determining, via a processor of the vehicle, whether a thermal event occurs for the vehicle, based on the sensor data, including based on:
- (a) a temperature reading from any of the sensors of the component exceeds a first predetermined threshold temperature for the component;
- (b) temperature readings from any of the sensors increase with a rate of change that exceeds a second predetermined threshold for the rate of change of the temperature for the component;
- (c) temperature readings from different respective sensors pertaining to the component differ from one another by a difference that exceeds a third predetermined threshold for different temperature sensors for the component;
- and
- controlling an inlet for the climate control system for the vehicle based at least in part on whether the thermal event has occurred, and wherein the method further comprises:
- determining, via the processor using the sensor data, whether the thermal event is occurring within an engine compartment or a passenger cabin of the vehicle;
- automatically closing the inlet, in accordance with instructions provided by the processor, when it is determined that the thermal event has occurred within the engine compartment, thereby preventing harmful gases from entering the passenger compartment from the engine compartment;
- and
- automatically allowing the inlet to remain open, in accordance with instructions provided by the processor, when it is determined that the thermal event has occurred in the passenger cabin, thereby allowing the harmful gases to exit the passenger compartment into the engine compartment.
8 more elements
A system comprising:
- one or more sensors configured to at least facilitate obtaining sensor data pertaining to a component of the vehicle that is different from a climate control system of the vehicle;
- and
- a processor that is coupled to the one or more sensors and that is configured to at least facilitate:
- obtaining sensor data from the one or more sensors;
- determining whether a thermal event occurs for the vehicle, based on the sensor data, including based on:
- (a) a temperature reading from any of the sensors of the component exceeds a first predetermined threshold for the temperature for the component;
- (b) temperature readings from any of the sensors increase with a rate of change that exceeds a second predetermined threshold for the rate of change of the temperature for the component;
- and
- (c) temperature readings from different respective sensors pertaining to the component differ from one another by a difference that exceeds a third predetermined threshold for different temperature sensors for the component;
- and
- controlling an inlet for a climate control system for the vehicle based at least in part on whether the thermal event has occurred, and wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:
- determining, using the sensor data, whether the thermal event is occurring within an engine compartment or a passenger cabin of the vehicle;
- automatically closing the inlet, in accordance with instructions provided by the processor, when it is determined that the thermal event has occurred within the engine compartment, thereby preventing harmful gases from entering the passenger compartment from the engine compartment;
- and
- automatically allowing the inlet to remain open, in accordance with instructions provided by the processor, when it is determined that the thermal event has occurred in the passenger cabin, thereby allowing the harmful gases to exit the passenger compartment into the engine compartment.
12 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a climate control system having an inlet;
- one or more sensors configured to at least facilitate obtaining sensor data pertaining to a component of the vehicle that is different from a climate control system of the vehicle;
- and
- a processor that is coupled to the one or more sensors and that is configured to at least facilitate:
- obtaining sensor data from the one or more sensors;
- determining whether a thermal event occurs, the thermal event pertaining to one or more vehicle components other than the climate control system, based on the sensor data, including based on:
- (a) a temperature reading from any of the sensors of the component exceeds a first predetermined threshold for the temperature for the component;
- (b) temperature readings from any of the sensors increase with a rate of change that exceeds a second predetermined threshold for the rate of change of the temperature for the component;
- and
- (c) temperature readings from different respective sensors pertaining to the component differ from one another by a difference that exceeds a third predetermined threshold for different temperature sensors for the component;
- and
- controlling the inlet for the climate control system for the vehicle based at least in part on whether the thermal event has occurred, and wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:
- determining, using the sensor data, whether the thermal event is occurring within an engine compartment or a passenger cabin of the vehicle;
- automatically closing the inlet, in accordance with instructions provided by the processor, when it is determined that the thermal event has occurred within the engine compartment, thereby preventing harmful gases from entering the passenger compartment from the engine compartment;
- and
- automatically allowing the inlet to remain open, in accordance with instructions provided by the processor, when it is determined that the thermal event has occurred in the passenger cabin, thereby allowing the harmful gases to exit the passenger compartment into the engine compartment.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.