Method for determining ambient air temperature outside of a vehicle
AssigneeVolvo Group North America, LLC
InventorsRonald C. Dehart, Jason Stone, Mark Mittelstaedt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining ambient air temperature outside of a vehicle with a sensor mounted on the vehicle, includes the steps of determining a road speed of the vehicle, comparing the determined road speed to a reference road speed value, if the determined road speed is below the reference road speed value, activating a device to move ambient air across the sensor, the ambient air being drawn from a location outside the vehicle, taking a temperature reading with the sensor, and, if the temperature reading is lower than a stored temperature value, storing the lower temperature reading as the ambient air temperature.
Claims20
A system for determining ambient air temperature outside of a vehicle, comprising:
- a temperature sensor mounted on the vehicle to measure ambient air temperature;
- a fan mounted on the vehicle and positioned to blow ambient air across the temperature sensor;
- and,
- a controller configured to receive temperature sensor values, vehicle road speed values, and engine temperature values, the controller also connected to control fan operation, wherein the controller is configured to:
- compare a received road speed value to a reference road speed value, and, if the received road speed value is below the reference road speed value, activate the fan to move ambient air across the sensor, the ambient air being drawn from a location outside the vehicle;
- take a temperature reading with the sensor after the fan has been activated;
- and,
- if the temperature reading is lower than a stored temperature value, holding the lower temperature reading as the ambient air temperature.
A system for determining ambient air temperature outside of a vehicle, comprising:
- a temperature sensor mounted on the vehicle to measure ambient air temperature;
- a fan mounted on the vehicle and positioned to blow ambient air across the temperature sensor;
- and,
- a controller configured to receive temperature sensor values, vehicle road speed values, and engine temperature values, the controller also connected to control fan operation, wherein the controller is configured to:
- compare a received engine temperature value to a reference engine temperature value, and if the received engine temperature value is above the reference engine temperature value, activate the fan to move ambient air across the sensor, the ambient air being drawn from a location outside the vehicle;
- take a temperature reading with the sensor after the fan has been activated;
- and,
- if the temperature reading is lower than a stored temperature value, holding the lower temperature reading as the ambient air temperature.
A method for determining ambient air temperature outside of a vehicle, the vehicle having a temperature sensor mounted on the vehicle to measure ambient air temperature, a fan mounted on the vehicle and positioned to blow ambient air across the temperature sensor, and a controller configured to store a reference road speed value and a reference engine temperature value and configured to receive temperature sensor values, vehicle road speed values, and engine temperature values, the controller also connected to control fan operation, the method comprising the steps of:
- comparing a received road speed value to a reference road speed value, and, if the received road speed value is below the reference road speed value, activating the fan to move ambient air across the sensor, the ambient air being drawn from a location outside the vehicle;
- taking a temperature reading with the sensor after the fan has been activated;
- and,
- if the temperature reading is lower than a stored temperature value, holding the lower temperature reading as the ambient air temperature.
A method for determining ambient air temperature outside of a vehicle, the vehicle having a temperature sensor mounted on the vehicle to measure ambient air temperature, a fan mounted on the vehicle and positioned to blow ambient air across the temperature sensor, and a controller configured to store a reference road speed value and a reference engine temperature value and configured to receive temperature sensor values, vehicle road speed values, and engine temperature values, the controller also connected to control fan operation, the method comprising the steps of:
- comparing a received engine temperature value to a reference engine temperature value, and if the received engine temperature value is above the reference engine temperature value, activating the fan to move ambient air across the temperature sensor, the ambient air being drawn from a location outside the vehicle;
- taking a temperature reading with the temperature sensor after the fan has been activated;
- and,
- if the temperature reading is lower than a stored temperature value, holding the lower temperature reading as the ambient air temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.