Patent ID: 6040561
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: B60H,B60L,B60T,Y02T

Abstract:
An auxiliary heater control system for a vehicle having a climate control system and one or more wheels powered by an electric motor that is energized from a power source via a voltage supply bus, said heater control system comprising:a heater control circuit having an electric heating element that is electrically coupled to the voltage supply bus and thermally coupled to the climate control system to provide heat for use by the climate control system using energy from the power source, said heater control circuit further including an input and being responsive to a control signal on said input to provide operating power from the voltage supply bus to said heating element; anda vehicle system controller having an input for receiving a cabin heat request from the climate control system and having an output coupled to said input of said heater control circuit, said system controller being responsive to a cabin heat request to provide said heater control circuit with said control signal, whereby said electric heating element provides heat to the climate control system in response to a cabin heat request;wherein said vehicle system controller is operable to monitor the voltage on the voltage supply bus and to provide said control signal to said heater control circuit when the monitored voltage exceeds a lower threshold voltage, whereby said electric heating element dissipates energy supplied to said voltage supply bus when the monitored voltage exceeds the lower threshold voltage.