Example apparatus and methods are disclosed for a vehicle-based smart cooler. An example disclosed cooler includes an electric cooling unit, a plurality of sensors, a wireless node, and a cooling control unit. The example wireless node communicatively couples to the vehicle. The example cooling control unit monitors a charge margin of the vehicle and, in response to the charge margin being below a threshold, activates a power management technique.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to portable coolers for vehicles and, more specifically, a vehicle-based smart cooler.

BACKGROUND

Getting items cold and keeping them cold requires a power draw that can deplete a vehicle battery. Even when the vehicle engine is running, power demand from the systems of the vehicle, such as an HVAC system, can demand more current draw than the alternator can supply. Traditionally, coolers either turn off when the ignition is off, providing no cooling even during short stops when cooling is desired; or cooler stay on when the ignition is off, which can deplete the vehicle battery during longer stops.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments are disclosed for a vehicle-based smart cooler. An example disclosed cooler includes an electric cooling unit, a plurality of sensors, a wireless node, and a cooling control unit. The example wireless node communicatively couples to the vehicle. The example cooling control unit monitors a charge margin of the vehicle and, in response to the charge margin being below a threshold, activates a power management technique.

An example disclosed method to manage a portable cooler for a vehicle includes receiving, via a wireless node to communicatively coupled to the vehicle, charge margin and operational information from the vehicle. Additionally, the example method includes, in response to a level of the charge margin and the operational information, activating, with a processor, a power management technique of the portable cooler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle power bus supplies current from the alternator and the battery to the subsystems of the vehicle. When the engine of the vehicle is running, the alternator supplies current in relation to the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the engine. When the alternator is supplying current, the voltage of the vehicle power bus is higher than the voltage of the battery (e.g., 12.6 volts (V)). For example, the voltage of the power bus may be between 13.8V and 14.2V. When current demand exceeds the current supplied by the alternator, the battery supplies additional current. In such a scenario, (a) the voltage of the power bus drops to the voltage of the battery (e.g., from 14.2V to 12.6V), (b) the battery is not being recharged, and (c) the vehicle battery discharges. In such a manner, the charge of the battery may discharge below a threshold voltage to supply enough current to start the vehicle (e.g., starter current). For example a nominally 12.6V vehicle battery may not be able to supplied starter current when the battery is below 12.1V. As used herein, depletion voltage is the voltage at which the battery cannot provide the starter current. As used herein, the charge margin of the battery is a difference between current power bus voltage of the vehicle and the depletion voltage of the battery.

As disclosed below, a cooler is (i) electrically coupled to the vehicle (e.g., via a power port in an infotainment head unit), and (ii) communicatively coupled to the vehicle via a wireless connection. The cooler receives power information from the vehicle and sends status information to the vehicle via the wireless connection. The cooler monitors the charge margin of the vehicle, the available alternator current, and/or the voltage of the power bus. The cooler activates one or more power management techniques when the charge margin is below a threshold value, the available alternator current is less than the current demand, and/or the voltage of the current bus is below a threshold voltage. Example power management techniques include (a) requesting the engine control unit increase the RPM of the engine, (b) cycling power to the cooler, and (c) notifying the user that the cooler will turn off and turning off the cooling portion of the cooler.

FIG. 1is a system diagram of a vehicle100and a cooler102in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. The vehicle100may be a standard gasoline powered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and/or any other mobility implement type of vehicle. The vehicle100includes parts related to mobility, such as a powertrain with an engine, a transmission, a suspension, a driveshaft, and/or wheels, etc. Additionally, the vehicle100may be non-autonomous, semi-autonomous or autonomous. In the illustrated example, the vehicle100includes a battery management unit104, a battery106, an engine control unit108, an infotainment head unit110, a wireless node112, and a vehicle data bus114.

The battery management unit104monitors the battery106and manages the recharging of the battery106. The battery management unit104includes sensors, such as voltage sensors, current sensors, temperature sensors. The battery management unit104monitors voltages of the battery106, the charge and discharge currents of the battery106, the internal temperature of the battery106and the ambient temperature around the battery106(e.g., in the engine compartment of the vehicle100). The battery management unit104may calculate a state of charge (SoC) value that estimates the amount of useful charge (e.g., from 0% to 100%) of the battery106. The battery106is a rechargeable battery (e.g., a lead-acid battery, a lithium-ion battery, etc.) that supplies power to subsystems (e.g., a sound system, an HVAC system, lights, starter motor, etc.) of the vehicle100via a power bus. The battery106recharges with excess current from an alternator (not shown) (e.g., current that is not used by the other subsystems).

The engine control unit108controls subsystems related to engine performance, such as ignition, fuel injection, and spark plug timing, etc. Additionally, the engine control unit108controls the idle RPM of the engine. The idle RPM of the engine is associated with the amount of current produced by the alternator that is coupled the driveshaft of the engine. For example, at 500 RPM, the alternator may provide 20 amps (A) and at 1000 RPM, the alternator may provide 70 A.

The infotainment head unit110provides an interface between the vehicle100and a user (e.g., a driver, a passenger, etc.). The infotainment head unit110includes digital and/or analog interfaces (e.g., input devices and output devices) to receive input from the user(s) and display information. The input devices may include, for example, a control knob, an instrument panel, a digital camera for image capture and/or visual command recognition, a touch screen, an audio input device (e.g., cabin microphone), buttons, or a touchpad. The output devices may include instrument cluster outputs (e.g., dials, lighting devices), actuators, a heads-up display, a center console display (e.g., a liquid crystal display (“LCD”), an organic light emitting diode (“OLED”) display, a flat panel display, a solid state display, etc.), and/or speakers. In some examples, the infotainment head unit110includes hardware (e.g., a processor or controller, memory, storage, etc.) and software (e.g., an operating system, etc.) for an infotainment system. Additionally, in some examples, the infotainment system includes an application that (a) receives and displays status information (e.g., internal temperature, ambient temperature, lid position, power management mode, etc.) received from the cooler102, and/or (b) receives input of a temperature setting and sends the temperature setting to the cooler102.

The wireless node112includes hardware (e.g., processors, memory, storage, antenna, etc.) and software to communicate over wireless network interfaces. The wireless node112may include controllers to communicate over one or more local area wireless networks (e.g. IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/p or others) and/or one or more personal area networks (e.g., Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) etc.). The BLE protocol is set forth in Volume 6 of the Bluetooth Specification 4.0 (and subsequent revisions) maintained by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group.

The vehicle data bus114communicatively couples the battery management unit104, the engine control unit108, the infotainment head unit110, and the wireless node112. In some examples, the vehicle data bus114includes one or more data buses. The vehicle data bus114may be implemented in accordance with a controller area network (CAN) bus protocol as defined by International Standards Organization (ISO) 11898-1, a Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus protocol, a CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus protocol (ISO 11898-7), a K-line bus protocol (ISO 9141 and ISO 14230-1), and/or an Ethernet™ bus protocol IEEE 802.3 (2002 onwards), etc.

In the illustrated example, the cooler102includes an insulated lid116and an insulated body118. The insulated body118forms a cavity to place items to be cooled. When the insulated lid116is shut, a gasket (not shown) forms a seal to prevent cool air inside the cooler102being displaced by warmer air outside of the cooler102. The example cooler102also includes a wireless node120, a cooling unit122, sensors124, a power module126, and a cooling control unit128.

The wireless node120is configured to communicatively couple to the wireless node112of the vehicle100. The wireless node120includes hardware (e.g., processors, memory, storage, antenna, etc.) and software to communicate over wireless network interfaces. The wireless node112may include controllers to communicate over one or more local area wireless networks (e.g. IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/p or others) and/or one or more personal area networks (e.g., Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) etc.).

The cooling unit122cools the interior of the cooler102. In some examples, the cooling unit122is a Peltier heat pump (sometimes referred to as a “thermoelectric cooler”). In such examples, the cooling unit122draws current based on the difference between the target temperature the interior of the cooler102and the ambient temperature around the exterior of the cooler. For example, the cooling unit122may draw 0 A to 8 A.

The sensors124are positioned to monitor the status of the cooler102. The example cooler102includes internal temperature sensor(s) (e.g., thermistor(s), etc.), a lid position sensor (e.g., a mechanical switch, an infrared switch, etc.), a content temperature sensor (e.g., an infrared temperature sensor, etc.), an object presence sensor (an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a capacitive sensor, etc.) and an ambient temperature sensor (e.g., a thermistor, etc.). The sensors124are communicatively coupled to the cooling control unit128.

The power module126electrically couples to the power bus of the vehicle100when a plug130of the cooler102is plugged into a power socket132of the vehicle100. The power module126includes a voltage regulator to control power from the vehicle100. Additionally, the power module126is communicatively coupled to the cooling control unit128to facilitate the cooling control unit128controlling the power to the cooling unit122.

The cooling control unit128monitors the status of the cooler102and employs power management techniques based on operation information from the vehicle. The operation information from the vehicle includes (a) the charge margin and state of charge of the battery106, (b) the cabin temperature of the vehicle100, (c) a location of the cooler (e.g., based on a signal strength between the wireless node112of the vehicle100and the wireless node120of the cooler102and/or which power socket132the plug130of the cooler102is plugged into, etc.), (d) the time of day, (e) a time to destination (e.g., from a navigation system executing on the infotainment system), (f) the occupancy status (e.g., occupied, unoccupied,) of the vehicle100(e.g., from interior object detection sensors), and/or (g) the engine state (e.g., on, off, etc.). The cooling control unit128is communicatively coupled to wireless node120, the sensors124, and the power module126.

When (i) the charge margin of the battery106satisfies (e.g., is less than) a voltage threshold, (ii) the current demand of the cooler102exceeds the supply of current from the alternator and/or (iii) the voltage of the power bus of the vehicle100approaches voltage of the battery106, the cooling control unit128employs power management techniques. If the engine of the vehicle100is running, The cooling control unit128requests, via the wireless node120, the engine control unit108, if able, to increase the RPM of the engine to increase the current supplied by the alternator. If the engine is not running or the engine control unit108is unable to increase the RPM of the engine, the cooling control unit128cycles power to the cooling unit122. For example, the cooling control unit128may cycle the cooling unit122on for a minute and off for five minutes. If the internal temperature of the cooler102satisfies (e.g., is less than) a threshold temperature below a set temperature, the cooling control unit128, via the wireless node120, broadcasts an alert. Additionally, if during the power cycling, the charge margin drops below a second charge threshold, the cooling control unit128deactivates the cooling unit122and broadcasts an alert.

In some examples, the cooling control unit128determines whether power is available to meet a temperature set based on the current draw to reach the set point and the current available from the vehicle100. In some such examples, if power is not available, the cooling control unit128requests an increase to the RPM of the engine. In some examples, after a set time (e.g., one minute, two minutes, etc.) has elapsed since requesting the RPM increase and the charge margin continues to decrease, the cooling control unit128suggests, via the application executing on the infotainment system, an intervention (e.g., turning down the blower speed of the HVAC system, turning off cooled seats, etc.) by an occupant of the vehicle100. In some examples, the cooling control unit128determines, via the object presence sensor, when cooler102is empty for a set period of time (e.g., two minutes, five minutes, etc.). In some such examples, if the cooler102is empty, the cooling control unit128deactivates the cooling unit122.

In some examples, from time to time, the cooling control unit128determines a temperature difference between (i) the cabin temperature and (ii) the set temperature for the cooler102, and determines if the set temperature is achievable. For example, a single-stage thermoelectric cooler can typically achieve a temperature difference of 40° F. If the cooling control unit128determines the set temperature is not achievable, the cooling control unit128notifies, via the infotainment system, occupants of the vehicle. For example, if the ambient temperature of the cabin of the vehicle100is 90° F. and the set temperature is 45° F., the cooling control unit128may send the notification. Additionally, in some examples, when, in response to an increase in the cabin temperature, the cooling control unit128increases the power to the cooling unit122to maintain the temperature setting, the cooling control unit128sends a notification to the vehicle100. In some such examples, when, in response to an increase in the cabin temperature, the cooling control unit128increases the power to the cooling unit122to maintain the temperature setting, the cooling control unit128recommends to a location to move cooler102. For example, the cooling control unit128may recommend moving the cooler102from a trunk to second row seat in the vehicle100.

In some examples, the cooling control unit128, via the infotainment system, provides a graphical depiction of the current and previous (i) actual internal temperature of the cooler102, (ii) set temperature, and (iii) ambient temperature around the cooler102. In some examples, the cooling control unit128, via the content temperature sensor, determines whether temperature of the contents of the cooler102is outside a safe temperature range (e.g., 40° F.) for period of time. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends discarding any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40° F. for two hours or more, and frozen food is safe for refreezing if the contents are above 0° F. but stay below 40° F. If the temperature of the contents of the cooler102is outside the safe temperature range for the period of time, the cooling control unit128sends a notification to the vehicle100. Additionally, in some examples, when employing the power management techniques discussed above, the cooling control unit128may, from time to time, predict when the contents of the cooler102will outside the safe temperature range for the period of time and sends a notification with the prediction to the vehicle100. In some examples, the cooling control unit128predicts whether the temperature setting will be met when the vehicle100reaches its destination. In such examples, the cooling control unit128calculates a time to cool the contents of the cooler102based on (a) a starting temperature of objects in the cooler102, and (b) a change in the temperature of the objects in the cooler102over a period of time (e.g., five minutes, etc.) For examples, filling the cooler102with a large heat mass, such as numerous cans of warm soda, may take some time to cool.

FIG. 2is a block diagram of the electronic components200of the cooler102ofFIG. 1. In the illustrated example, the cooler102includes the wireless node120, the cooling unit122, the sensors124, the power module126, and the cooling control unit128. The sensors124include a lid sensor202, an interior temperature sensor204, an ambient temperature sensor206, an object sensor208, and a content temperature sensor210. The lid sensor202is a mechanical switch (e.g., a push-button switch) or an electrical switch (e.g., an infrared switch, a capacitive switch, etc.) that detected the state (e.g., open, closed, etc.) of the lid116of the cooler102. The interior temperature sensor204is a thermistor that measures the temperature of the internal air of the cooler102. The ambient temperature sensor206is a thermistor that measures the temperature of the air external to the cooler102. The object sensor208detects whether one or more objects are inside the cooler102. In some examples, the object sensor208is an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor. The content temperature sensor210measures the surface temperature of the objects inside the cooler102. In some examples, the content temperature sensor210is an infrared thermometer, or a probe placed on the surface of one of the objects.

The cooling control unit128includes a controller or processor212and memory214. The processor or controller212may be any suitable processing device or set of processing devices such as, but not limited to: a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit, one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and/or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The memory214may be volatile memory (e.g., RAM, which can include non-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, and any other suitable forms); non-volatile memory (e.g., disk memory, FLASH memory, EPROMs, EEPROMs, memristor-based non-volatile solid-state memory, etc.), unalterable memory (e.g., EPROMs), read-only memory, and/or high-capacity storage devices (e.g., hard drives, solid state drives, etc). In some examples, the memory214includes multiple kinds of memory, particularly volatile memory and non-volatile memory.

The memory214is computer readable media on which one or more sets of instructions, such as the software for operating the methods of the present disclosure can be embedded. The instructions may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described herein. In a particular embodiment, the instructions may reside completely, or at least partially, within any one or more of the memory214, the computer readable medium, and/or within the processor212during execution of the instructions.

FIG. 3is a flowchart of a method to manage the power draw of the cooler102ofFIG. 1based on wireless signals received from the vehicle100ofFIG. 1. The method illustrated inFIG. 3may be implemented by the electronic components200ofFIG. 2. Initially, at block302, the cooling control unit128requests, via the wireless node120, the charge margin and the vehicle operation information from the vehicle100. At block304, the cooling control unit128determines whether the charge margin received at block302satisfies (e.g., is greater than) a threshold. For example, the threshold may be 60% of the peak charge margin. If the charge margin satisfies the threshold, the method continues at block322. Otherwise, if the charge margin does not satisfy the threshold, the method continues at block306.

At block306, the cooling control unit128determines, based on the vehicle operation information, whether the engine of the vehicle100is running. If the engine is running, the method continues to block308. Otherwise, if the engine is not running, the method continues at block310. At block308, the cooling control unit128determines, based on the vehicle operation information, whether the engine control unit108of the vehicle100is able to increase the RPM of the engine. In some examples, the cooling control unit128includes a maximum RPM value at which it will not request the RPM of the engine to be increased. If the engine control unit108is able to increase the RPM of the engine, the method continues to block320. Otherwise, if engine control unit108is not able to increase the RPM of the engine, the method continues to block310.

At block310, the cooling control unit128determines, based on the interior temperature sensor204and/or the content temperature sensor210, whether the current cooling is sufficient. The current cooling is sufficient, for example, if (a) the cooler is substantially close to the temperature set point of the cooler102and/or (b) the temperature of the contents of the cooler102is not outside the safe temperature range for the recommended period of time. If the current cooling is sufficient, the method continues at block318. Otherwise if the current cooling is not sufficient, the method continues to block312. At block312, the cooling control unit128manages the power consumption of the cooler102. For example, the cooling control unit128power cycles the cooling unit122to be on for a minute and off for five minutes. At block314, the cooling control unit128determines whether the internal temperature of the cooler102satisfies a threshold. The threshold may be set at a safety temperature (e.g., 40° F.) or a margin above the set temperature (e.g., 10° F. above). If the internal temperature of the cooler102satisfies a threshold, the method continues at block318. Otherwise, if the internal temperature of the cooler102does not satisfy a threshold, the method continues at block316. At block316, the cooling control unit128sends, via the wireless node120, a warning message to the vehicle100. At block318, the cooling control unit128sends, via the wireless node120, a status message to the vehicle100. The status message includes the internal temperature of the cooler102, the ambient temperature around the cooler102, and/or the temperature of the contents of the cooler102.

At block320, the cooling control unit128sends, via the wireless node120, a request to increase the RPM of the engine to the vehicle100. In some examples, the cooling control unit128requests to increase the RPM of the engine by a fixed amount (e.g., 100 RPM, 500 RPM, etc.). At block322, the cooling control unit128sends, via the wireless node120, a status message to the vehicle100.

The flowchart ofFIG. 3is a method that may be implemented by machine readable instructions that comprise one or more programs that, when executed by a processor (such as the processor212ofFIG. 2), cause the cooler102to implement the cooling control unit128ofFIGS. 1 and 2. Further, although the example program(s) is/are described with reference to the flowchart illustrated inFIG. 3, many other methods of implementing the example the cooling control unit128may alternatively be used. For example, the order of execution of the blocks may be changed, and/or some of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated, or combined.