Energy-efficient controlling of air conditioning system

Abstract

An air conditioning system of an at least partly electrically driven vehicle comprises an air conditioning module that controls a temperature inside the vehicle, an air conditioning controller that controls the air conditioning module, and a detector to detect when a vehicle battery is used for driving the vehicle is charged by supplied energy. When the detector detects that the vehicle battery is being charged, the air conditioning controller uses the supplied energy directly to drive the air conditioning module.

1 . An air conditioning system of an at least partly electrically driven vehicle, the system comprising:
 an air conditioning module that controls a temperature inside the vehicle;   an air conditioning controller controls the air conditioning module; and   a detector that detects when a vehicle battery that is used for driving the vehicle is being charged by supplied energy, wherein when the detector detects that the vehicle battery is being charged, the air conditioning controller uses the supplied energy directly to drive the air conditioning module.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , further comprising a database comprising a timetable in which information is provided on when the vehicle will be used next, wherein the detector detects if a vehicle engine is running or not, wherein when the detector detects that the vehicle engine is not running, the air conditioning controller uses the supplied energy to drive the air conditioning module in dependence on the fact of when the vehicle will be used next. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning system of  claim 2 , wherein the air conditioning controller uses route information provided by a navigation module to determine when and how the air conditioning module will be operated during driving as an operation schedule. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning system of  claim 3 , wherein the air conditioning controller calculates a temperature profile along the route of a first temperature inside the vehicle based on the operation schedule. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning system of  claim 3 , wherein a motor of the vehicle is used as a generator to supply energy when no acceleration of the vehicle is required. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning system of  claim 5 , wherein the generator is configured to transform kinetic energy of the vehicle into supplied energy during braking or free-wheeling of the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning system of  claim 4 , wherein the air conditioning controller determines the operation schedule such that the first temperature remains within a target temperature range. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the air conditioning controller only drives the air conditioning module using energy withdrawn from the vehicle battery if the first temperature is not within the target temperature range. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning system of  claim 3 , wherein the air conditioning controller is configured to reduce the energy withdrawn from the battery to drive the air conditioning module. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioning system of  claim 5 , wherein the air conditioning controller determines the operation schedule in such a way that it only uses the supplied energy from the generator to drive the air conditioning module. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioning system of  claim 3 , wherein the operation schedule comprises information on a temperature of the air which is cooled by the air conditioning module and on the amount of air per time which is cooled by the air conditioning module. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the air conditioning controller only operates the air conditioning module when the detector detects that energy is supplied to the battery. 
     
     
         13 . A method for operating an air conditioning module provided in an at least partly electrically driven vehicle and used for controlling a temperature inside the vehicle, the method comprising:
 detecting a charging of a vehicle battery by supplied energy, the battery being used to drive the vehicle, wherein when it is detected that the vehicle battery is being charged, the supplied energy is used directly to drive the air conditioning module.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of detecting whether a vehicle engine is running or not, wherein when it is detected that the vehicle engine is not running, information is retrieved from a timetable allowing a determination of when the vehicle will be used next, wherein the supplied energy is used to drive the air conditioning module in dependence on the retrieved information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein when the retrieved information allows a determination that the vehicle will be started within a predetermined time period the air conditioning module will be started. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of using route information provided by a navigation module in order to determine when and how the air conditioning module will be operated during driving in the form of an operation schedule. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of calculating a temperature profile of a first temperature inside the vehicle based on the operation schedule. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein energy is supplied to the battery during braking or free-wheeling of the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the operation schedule is determined in such a way that it only uses the supplied energy during braking or free-wheeling of the vehicle to drive the air conditioning module. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the operation schedule is determined such that the first temperature remains within a target temperature range. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the air conditioning module is only driven using energy withdrawn from the vehicle battery if the first temperature is not within the target temperature range. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the operation schedule is determined such that the energy withdrawn from the battery to drive the air conditioning module is minimized. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the air conditioning module will only be operated when energy is supplied to the battery.