Control apparatus and method for actuating an electrically driven compressor used in an air conditioning system of an automotive vehicle

A control apparatus for actuating an electrically driven compressor equipped in an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• manual switch means for allowing a use to adjust an output of said compressor and generating a request signal representing a quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• command generating means for receiving said request signal and generating an output command supplied to said compressor in accordance with said quantity of manual adjustment;
• drive means for actuating said compressor based on said output command;
• temperature sensing means for generating a temperature signal representing a temperature of a component in the control apparatus;
• and
• adjusting means for receiving said temperature signal from said temperature sensing means and generating a modified output command when said temperature detected by said temperature sensing means exceeds a predetermined upper-limit value, said modified output command being smaller than said output command but larger than 0.

A control apparatus for actuating an electrically driven compressor equipped in an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• manual switch means for allowing a use to adjust an output of said compressor and generating a request signal representing a quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• target output means for receiving said request signal from said manual switch means and obtaining a target output of said compressor, said target output being proportional to said quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• temperature sensing means for generating a temperature signal representing a temperature of a component in the control apparatus;
• modified output means for receiving said temperature signal from said temperature sensing means and obtaining a modified output when said temperature detected by said temperature sensing means exceeds a predetermined upper limit, said modified output being smaller than said target output obtained by said target output means but larger than 0;
• command generating means for generating an output command supplied to said compressor in such a manner that said output command is equalized to said target output when said temperature detected by said temperature sensing means is within a predetermined allowable range while said output command is equalized to said modified output when said temperature detected by said temperature sensing means exceeds said upper limit;
• and
• drive means for actuating said compressor based on said output command generated from said command generating means.

A control apparatus for actuating an electrically driven compressor equipped in an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• manual switch means for allowing a use to adjust an output of said compressor and generating a request signal representing a quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• target output means for receiving said request signal from said manual switch means and obtaining a target output of said compressor, said target output being proportional to said quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• temperature sensing means for generating a temperature signal representing a temperature of a component in the control apparatus;
• modified output means for receiving said temperature signal from said temperature sensing means and obtaining a modified output when said temperature detected by said temperature sensing means exceeds a predetermined upper limit, said modified output being smaller than said target output obtained by said target output means but larger than 0;
• emergency means for receiving said temperature signal from said temperature sensing means and forcibly stopping said compressor when said temperature detected by said temperature sensing means exceeds a predetermined critical value higher than said upper limit;
• command generating means for generating an output command supplied to said compressor in such a manner that said output command is equalized to said target output when said temperature detected by said temperature sensing means is within a predetermined allowable range while said output command is equalized to said modified output when said temperature detected by said temperature sensing means is higher than said upper limit but lower than said critical value;
• and
• drive means for actuating said compressor based on said output command generated from said command generating means.

A control method for actuating an electrically driven compressor equipped in an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:

• reading a request signal representing a quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• setting a target output of said compressor based on said request signal;
• detecting a temperature of a component in the control apparatus;
• judging whether said temperature is larger than a predetermined upper limit;
• obtaining an output command in such a manner that said output command is equalized to said target output when said temperature is within a predetermined allowable range while said output command is reduced to a modified value larger than 0 when said temperature exceeds said upper limit;
• and
• actuating said compressor based on said output command.

A control method for actuating an electrically driven compressor equipped in an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:

• reading a request signal representing a quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• setting a target output of said compressor based on said request signal, said target output being proportional to said quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• detecting a temperature of a component in the control apparatus;
• judging whether said temperature is larger than a predetermined upper limit;
• generating an output command equalized to said target output when said temperature is within a predetermined allowable range;
• setting a modified output by reducing said target output by a predetermined correction value, said modified output being smaller than said target output but larger than 0;
• generating an output command equalized to said modified output when said temperature exceeds said upper limit;
• and
• actuating said compressor based on said output command.

A control method for actuating an electrically driven compressor equipped in an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:

• reading a request signal representing a quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• setting a target output of said compressor based on said request signal, said target output being proportional to said quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• detecting a temperature of a component in the control apparatus;
• judging whether said temperature is larger than a predetermined critical value;
• stopping said compressor when said temperature exceeds said critical value, regardless of said quantity of user's manual adjustment;
• judging whether said temperature is larger than a predetermined upper limit, said upper limit being lower than said critical value;
• generating an output command equalized to said target output when said temperature is within a predetermined allowable range;
• setting a modified output by reducing said target output by a predetermined correction value, said modified output being smaller than said target output but larger than 0;
• generating an output command equalized to said modified output when said temperature is higher than said upper limit but lower than said critical value;
• and
• actuating said compressor based on said output command.