Automatic reactivation of passenger-activated functions for short engine run cycle times
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsPaul A. Bauerle, Thomas W. Odell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for automatically reactivating passenger-activated functions in an automobile, upon restart of the automobile engine, following an engine shutdown. The functional status of each passenger-activated function that is activated when the engine is shut off is stored. An activation time of each passenger-activated function, which corresponds to the time that the passenger-activated function was activated prior to the engine being shut off, is also stored. Upon engine restart, each passenger-activated function that was previously activated is reactivated to its stored functional status, if its stored activation time is less than a predetermined calibration time.
Claims18
In an automobile having an engine and one or more passenger-activated functions each having a functional status, a method of reactivating a passenger-activated function that was previously activated by an automobile passenger, the method comprising:
- storing the functional status of each passenger-activated function that is activated when the engine is shut off;
- storing an activation time of each passenger-activated function, the activation time corresponding to a time that the passenger-activated function was activated prior to the engine being shut off;
- reactivating upon engine restart, each passenger-activated function that was previously activated to its stored functional status, if its stored activation time is less than a predetermined calibration time;
- determining an engine shut-off time, which corresponds to a time that the engine has been shut-off;
- and
- wherein each passenger-activated function is reactivated to its stored functional status if (i) its stored activation time is less than a predetermined calibration time and (ii) the engine shut-off time is less than a predetermined soak time.
In an automobile having an engine, a system for reactivating previously activated functions, comprising:
- a controller operable to at least monitor one or more passenger-activated functions, each passenger-activated function having a functional status;
- a timer circuit in operable communication with the controller and operable to determine an activation time of each passenger-activated function, the activation time corresponding to a time that the passenger activated function was activated prior to the engine being shut off;
- and
- a memory coupled to receive and store, upon engine shut-off, both the functional status and the activation time of each passenger-activated function that is activated when the engine is shut off;
- wherein the controller is further operable, upon engine restart, to reactivate, to its stored functional status, each passenger-activated function that was activated when the engine was shut off, if its stored activation time is less than a predetermined calibration time;
- wherein the timer circuit is further operable to determine an engine shut-off time, which corresponds to a time that the engine has been shut;
- and
- wherein the controller is operable, upon engine restart, to reactivate each passenger-activated function to its stored functional status if (i) its stored activation time is less than a predetermined calibration time and (ii) the engine shut-off time is less than a predetermined soak time.
An automobile comprising:
- an engine;
- a controller operable to at least monitor one or more passenger-activated functions, each passenger-activated function having a functional status;
- a timer circuit in operable communication with the contoller and operable to determine an activation time of each passenger-activated function, the activation time corresponding to a time that the passenger activated function was activated prior to the engine being shut off;
- and
- a memory coupled to receive and store, upon engine shut-off, both the functional status and the activation time of each passenger-activated function that is activated when the engine is shut off;
- wherein the controller is further operable, upon engine restart, to reactivate, to its stored functional status each passenger-activated function that was activated when the engine was shut off, if its stored activation time is less than a predetermined calibration time;
- wherein the timer circuit is further operable to determine an engine shut-off time, which corresponds to a time that the engine has been shutoff;
- and
- wherein the controller is operable, upon engine restart, upon to reactivate each passenger-activated function to its stored functional status if (i) its stored activation time is less than a predetermined calibration time and (ii) the engine shut-off time is less than a predetermined soak time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.