Patent ID: 7658083
Filing Date: 2010-02-09
Classification: B60H,B60L,H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A method for cooling a battery in a vehicle including an engine, a passenger compartment, and a cooling system operable to selectively cool the battery, the passenger compartment, or the battery and the passenger compartment together, the method comprising: determining whether the cooling system is operating to cool the passenger compartment; operating the cooling system to cool the battery when it is determined that the cooling system is operating to cool the passenger compartment, and it is determined that at least one predetermined condition is met, the at least one predetermined condition being chosen from a set of predetermined conditions, including a temperature of the battery being greater than a first predetermined battery temperature and less than a second predetermined battery temperature and the cooling system operating to cool the passenger compartment for at least a first predetermined time; determining whether the engine is operating; and operating the cooling system to cool the battery when it is determined that the engine is operating and the battery temperature is greater than the second predetermined battery temperature and less than a third predetermined battery temperature.