Patent Description:
This document describes techniques for parking and ventilation management systems for vehicle batteries. An example system includes a processor that determines whether a battery temperature is above a temperature threshold. In response to a determination that the battery temperature is above the temperature threshold, the processor determines where the vehicle is located. For example, the vehicle may be located in or near a home garage or in a public location. If the vehicle is parked in the home garage, the processor requests a change to an initial state value of a home component to reduce the ambient temperature of the home garage. The processor may cause the garage door to be partially opened to improve ventilation. In response to the battery temperature returning below the temperature threshold, the processor requests the initial state value of the home component to be restored. If the vehicle is in a public location, the processor determines a parking space with improved ambient conditions and autonomously operates the vehicle to the selected parking space. For example, the selected parking space may be shaded or separated from nearby vehicles to allow for improved ventilation and reduced reflective heat. In this way, the described system can manage ambient conditions to improve the temperature management of vehicle batteries, thereby improving their reliability and longevity.

This document also describes methods performed by the above-summarized system and other configurations set forth herein and computer-executable instructions and means for performing these methods.

This Summary introduces simplified concepts related to parking and ventilation management systems for vehicle batteries described in the Detailed Description and Drawings. This Summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

The details of one or more aspects of parking and ventilation management systems and techniques for vehicles are described in this document with reference to the following figures. The same numbers are often used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components:.

As described above, the reliability and longevity of vehicle batteries, especially high-capacity batteries, are affected by their temperature. Some vehicles use cooling systems to manage the battery temperature when the vehicle is parked. A vehicle may include heat exchange devices (e.g., fans), whose effectiveness is limited by the ambient conditions (e.g., temperature, ventilation) of the surrounding environment. If the ambient temperature is high, these systems are generally unable to effectively manage the battery temperature.

In contrast, this document describes techniques and systems for parking and ventilation management system to manage battery temperatures. As one example, a ventilation management system of a host vehicle determines whether the battery requires cooling. In response to determining that the battery requires cooling, a parking system determines where the host vehicle is located (e.g., in or near a home garage or a public location). In response to determining that the host vehicle is parked in a home garage, the ventilation management system requests an initial state value of a home component to be changed. For example, the garage door may be partially opened to improve ventilation in the home garage or lower the ambient temperature. In response to determining that the host vehicle is in a public location (e.g., parking lot, parking garage, roadway), the ventilation management system may obtain ambient environmental data and determine parking location for the host vehicle with optimal thermal conditions. The parking system may autonomously operate the host vehicle to park in the selected parking location. In this way, the described techniques and systems can manage ambient heat-soak conditions for vehicle batteries to improve their reliability and longevity.

This example is just one example of the described techniques and systems for parking and ventilation management systems for vehicles. This document describes other examples and implementations.

<FIG> illustrates an example environment <NUM> in which parking and ventilation management systems can manage the battery temperature of a host vehicle <NUM> in accordance with techniques of this disclosure. In the depicted environment <NUM>, the host vehicle <NUM> is in a parking lot or other environment that includes multiple parking spaces <NUM>. The environment <NUM> includes other vehicles <NUM> parked in some of the parking spaces <NUM>. The environment <NUM> also includes multiple available spaces <NUM>; in the depicted environment <NUM>, there are three available spaces <NUM> including one near a tree <NUM>.

Although illustrated as a passenger truck, the host vehicle <NUM> may be other types of motorized vehicles (e.g., a car, an automobile, a motorcycle, a bus, a tractor, a semi-trailer truck), watercraft (e.g., a boat), or aircraft (e.g., an airplane). Similarly, the other vehicles <NUM> may be other types of motorized vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, or other objects located in the parking spaces <NUM> (e.g., dumpsters, shopping carts).

The host vehicle <NUM> includes one or more sensors <NUM>, a ventilation management system <NUM>, and a parking system <NUM>. In the depicted environment <NUM>, the sensors <NUM> are mounted to, or integrated within, the host vehicle <NUM>. As described in greater detail below, the sensors <NUM> can include camera systems, radar systems, lidar systems, thermal sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), wheel-tick sensors, odometry sensors, ambient-light sensors, or ultrasonic systems. The sensors <NUM> can provide sensor data regarding the parking spaces <NUM>, the other vehicles <NUM>, and the available spaces <NUM> to the ventilation management system <NUM> and the parking system <NUM>. In particular, the sensors <NUM> provide data regarding the surrounding environment to facilitate the selection of a parking space with optimal thermal conditions (e.g., a shaded parking space) and autonomous operation of the host vehicle <NUM> to parking in the selected parking space.

The ventilation management system <NUM> monitors the temperature of one or more components of the host vehicle <NUM>. For example, the temperature of a high-capacity battery is monitored. In other implementations, the ventilation management system <NUM> can monitor the temperature of other internal components (e.g., one or more computer systems, electrical systems, engines, or mechanical systems requiring temperature management) or the interior cabin. In response to detecting a battery temperature that exceeds a threshold level, the ventilation management system <NUM> may request remote systems to change their state values to alter the ambient conditions in which the host vehicle <NUM> is parked. For example, if the host vehicle <NUM> is parked in a home garage of a driver, the ventilation management system <NUM> may request a garage door controller or opener to slightly open the garage door to improve the ventilation in the home garage and lower the ambient temperature.

The term home garage as used herein can represent a residential garage or a commercial garage (e.g., a home office location), or other location where the host vehicle <NUM> regularly parks in a garage environment in which the host vehicle <NUM> has permissions to control conditions at that location (e.g., controlling a garage door, controlling a heating, ventilation, and cooling or HVAC system). A public location as used herein refers to any location outside of one or more home garage locations where the host vehicle <NUM> has permission to control itself but not elements in its surroundings.

The ventilation management system <NUM> may also cause the parking system <NUM> or an autonomous-driving system (not illustrated in <FIG>) to park the host vehicle <NUM> in another location with improved ambient conditions to manage the battery temperature. For example, the ventilation management system <NUM> may request the garage door to be opened and the parking system <NUM> to autonomously move the host vehicle <NUM> outside the home garage. In this way, the ventilation management system <NUM> can monitor and manage the battery temperature to improve battery reliability and longevity. The ventilation management system <NUM> can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

The parking system <NUM> can autonomously park the host vehicle <NUM> or provide inputs to an autonomous-driving system to manage the battery temperature in conjunction with the ventilation management system <NUM>. As another example, the parking system <NUM> can identify a parking space with improved or optimal ambient conditions (e.g., shaded, fewer nearby vehicles for improved ventilation, concrete instead of asphalt paving) and perform a parking maneuver to move the host vehicle <NUM> to the selected parking space. The parking system <NUM> can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In this way, the parking system <NUM> can select and park the host vehicle <NUM> in the available space <NUM> providing improved ambient conditions and allowing for superior temperature management of vehicle components, including vehicle batteries.

<FIG> illustrates an example configuration of a vehicle with parking and ventilation management systems that can manage the battery temperature of the host vehicle <NUM>. As described for <FIG>, the host vehicle <NUM> includes the sensors <NUM>, the ventilation management system <NUM>, and the parking system <NUM>. In addition, the host vehicle <NUM> may include one or more communication devices <NUM>, one or more processors <NUM>, computer-readable storage media (CRM) <NUM>, and a control interface <NUM> to one or more vehicle-based systems, including one or more autonomous-driving systems <NUM>.

The communication devices <NUM> may include a sensor interface and a vehicle-based system interface. The sensor interface and the vehicle-based system interface transmit data (e.g., radar data, images from a camera system, and other sensor data) over a communication bus of the host vehicle <NUM>, for example, when the individual components of the sensors <NUM>, ventilation management system <NUM>, and/or the parking system <NUM> are integrated within the host vehicle <NUM>. The communication devices <NUM> may also facilitate the exchange of data, including outside temperature and weather forecasts, over a wireless link between a remote system and the host vehicle <NUM>. The communication devices <NUM> may include hardware, software, and/or firmware required to communicate via Wi-Fi, wireless local area networks (WLANs), Dedicated Short-Range Communication, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), or cellular communication.

The processors <NUM> (e.g., energy processing units or electronic control units) may be a microprocessor or a system-on-chip. The processors <NUM> execute instructions stored in the CRM <NUM>, on one or more disks, memories, or other non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. For example, the processors <NUM> process sensor data from the sensors <NUM> and execute instructions loaded from the CRM <NUM> to cause the processors <NUM> to determine whether the battery temperature is above a threshold temperature and cause the ventilation management system <NUM> to manage remote systems to improve the ambient conditions. For example, the instructions may cause the processors <NUM> to be configured to select a parking space using the parking system <NUM> that improves the ambient conditions (e.g., a shaded parking space). The processors <NUM> execute the instructions on the CRM <NUM> to configure the processor <NUM> to control the autonomous-driving system <NUM> of the host vehicle <NUM> to cause the host vehicle <NUM> to park in the selected parking space.

The ventilation management system <NUM> can be stored in the CRM <NUM>. The ventilation management system <NUM> may include a temperature monitor <NUM> and an environment manager <NUM>. The temperature monitor <NUM> monitors the battery temperature. For example, the temperature monitor <NUM> can periodically compare the battery temperature to one or more threshold temperatures. If the battery temperature is above the threshold temperature(s), the temperature monitor <NUM> may provide an alert or notification to the environment manager <NUM>. The temperature monitor <NUM> may also track the battery temperature and use machine-learned or other algorithms to determine a predicted battery temperature. Similarly, if the predicted battery temperature is above the threshold temperature(s), the temperature monitor <NUM> may alert or notify the environment manager <NUM>.

In response to the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature exceeding the threshold(s), the environment manager <NUM> determines where the host vehicle <NUM> is located or parked and, if possible (e.g., the host vehicle is parked in a home garage), controls remote systems to improve the ambient conditions of the host vehicle <NUM>. For example, in response to the battery temperature exceeding a first threshold, the environment manager <NUM> sends a request to a garage door controller to partially open a garage door to improve ventilation in a home garage and reduce the ambient temperature. In response to the battery temperature exceeding a second threshold, the environment manager <NUM> sends a request to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controller to turn on air conditioning in the home garage. If the environment manager <NUM> is unable to send requests to remote systems (e.g., the host vehicle <NUM> is parked in a parking garage or a parking lot), the environment manager <NUM> can send a notification to the parking system <NUM>.

The parking system <NUM> can be stored in the CRM <NUM>. The parking system <NUM> may include a parking space selector <NUM> and a navigation system <NUM>. The parking space selector <NUM> identifies the available spaces <NUM> and selects a parking space (e.g., a parking space with optimal thermal conditions) for the host vehicle <NUM> to reduce the battery temperature. The selected parking space can be presented to the navigation system <NUM>. The navigation system <NUM> determines directions or instructions necessary to instruct the autonomous-driving system <NUM> to move the host vehicle <NUM> to the selected parking space. In this way, the parking system <NUM> can identify a parking space that provides improved ambient conditions to lower the battery temperature and cause the host vehicle <NUM> to move to that space.

The host vehicle <NUM> also includes the control interface <NUM> to one or more vehicle-based systems, which individually or in combination provide a way for receiving a parking-space selection and navigation instructions to control the host vehicle <NUM>. Some examples of vehicle-based systems to which the control interface <NUM> supplies parking information include the autonomous-driving system <NUM>, which may rely on information output from the parking system <NUM>.

The autonomous-driving system <NUM> may also rely on data, which is communicated via the communication devices <NUM> and obtained from the sensors <NUM>, to navigate the host vehicle <NUM>. Generally, the autonomous-driving system <NUM> can use data provided by the parking system <NUM> and/or sensors <NUM> to control operations of the host vehicle <NUM> to park in selected parking spaces.

<FIG> illustrates an example method <NUM> of parking and ventilation management systems to manage the battery temperature of a vehicle parked in a home garage. Method <NUM> is shown as operations (or acts) performed, but not necessarily limited to the order or combinations in which the operations are shown herein. Further, any one of one or more of the operations may be repeated, combined, or reorganized to provide other methods. In portions of the following discussion, reference may be made to the environment <NUM> of <FIG>, and entities detailed in <FIG> and <FIG>, reference to which is made for example only. The techniques are not limited to performance by one entity or multiple entities.

At step <NUM>, it is determined whether the battery of a host vehicle requires cooling. For example, the ventilation management system <NUM> or the temperature monitor <NUM> uses sensor data <NUM> to determine whether a temperature of the battery of the host vehicle <NUM> is above a temperature threshold. The sensor data <NUM> is provided by one or more thermistors, electronic battery sensors (EBS), or intelligent battery sensors (IBS). The temperature monitor <NUM> may determine cooling is required by comparing the battery temperature or a projected battery temperature to one or temperature thresholds. As examples, a first temperature threshold may be set at <NUM> degrees Fahrenheit and a second temperature threshold may be set at <NUM> degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature monitor <NUM> may determine the projected battery temperature using a time-average change in the battery temperature to estimate a future battery temperature (e.g., in ten minutes or an hour). The temperature monitor <NUM> may also use a machine-learned algorithm with at least one of the battery temperature over time, the ambient temperature, a projected ambient temperature, and a charging state of the battery as inputs.

At step <NUM>, in response to a determination that the battery requires cooling, it is determined where the host vehicle is located. For example, in response to determining that the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature exceeds the temperature threshold, the ventilation management system <NUM> determines where the host vehicle <NUM> is parked or located. For example, the ventilation management system <NUM> determines whether the host vehicle <NUM> is parked in a home garage or a public location (e.g., a parking lot, parking garage, parking structure, side of a roadway).

The ventilation management system <NUM> may use various sensor data <NUM> to determine that the host vehicle <NUM> is parked in the home garage or a public location. For example, a camera (e. g, an image of the area in front of the host vehicle <NUM>) or GNSS sensor (e.g., location information for the host vehicle <NUM>) may be used to determine where the host vehicle <NUM> is located. Similarly, a network connection of the communication device <NUM> to a WiFi or WLAN link associated with the home garage may indicate that the host vehicle <NUM> is parked in the home garage.

At step <NUM>, in response to a determination that the host vehicle is parked in the home garage, a change to an initial state value of a home component is requested to reduce the ambient temperature of the home garage. For example, the environment manager <NUM> can request a change in an initial state value of a home component to reduce the ambient temperature of the home garage or move the host vehicle <NUM> to an area (e.g., a home driveway) with a lower ambient temperature.

In one example, the home component is a garage door controller or opener. The environment manager <NUM> may request that the garage door controller at least partially open the garage door to increase ventilation in the home garage in response to the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature exceeding the temperature threshold or the first temperature threshold. Before partially opening the garage door, the environment manager <NUM> may perform a security check to verify that a door from the home garage into the home is locked. Alternatively, the environment manager <NUM> may request user permission to open the garage door by sending a authorization request to a remote computer system (e.g., a smartphone) or an application (e.g., email application or home security application) associated with the user of the host vehicle <NUM>. The environment manager <NUM> may also request the garage door controller open the garage door and cause the autonomous-driving system <NUM> to park the host vehicle <NUM> outside the home garage. As another example, the environment manager <NUM> may request an HVAC system associated with the home garage to lower the ambient temperature of the home garage.

At step <NUM>, in response to a cooling threshold being satisfied, the restoration of the initial state value of the home component is requested. For example, the environment manager <NUM> requests that the initial the state value of the home component to be restored in response to a predefined time elapsing (e.g., one hour) or the battery temperature being lower than the one or more temperature threshold(s). If the garage door was partially opened, the environment manager <NUM> requests that the garage door be closed. If the HVAC system was turned on or set to a lower temperature, the environment manager <NUM> requests that the HVAC system be turned off or returned to its previous temperature setting. If the host vehicle <NUM> was parked in the driveway or outside the home garage, the environment manager <NUM> causes the host vehicle <NUM> to be returned inside the home garage.

<FIG> illustrates a flowchart of an example process <NUM> of parking and ventilation management systems to manage the battery temperature of a vehicle parked in a public location. Process <NUM> is shown as operations (or acts) performed, but not necessarily limited to the order or combinations in which the operations are shown herein. Further, any one of one or more of the operations may be repeated, combined, or reorganized to provide other methods, including with those of method <NUM>. In portions of the following discussion, reference may be made to the environment <NUM> of <FIG>, and entities detailed in <FIG> and <FIG>, reference to which is made for example only. The techniques are not limited to performance by one entity or multiple entities.

As described with reference to step <NUM> of <FIG>, the ventilation management system <NUM> or the temperature monitor <NUM> uses sensor data <NUM> to determine whether the battery of the host vehicle <NUM> requires cooling. In response to a determination that the battery requires cooling and as described with reference to step <NUM> of <FIG>, it is determined whether the host vehicle is located in a home garage or a public location. If it is determined that the host vehicle <NUM> is parked in a public location, then the ventilation management system <NUM> proceeds with the process <NUM> to determine a parking space with optimal thermal conditions in which the battery temperature can be lowered.

Process <NUM> can also represent a series of steps taken by the host vehicle <NUM> before an automatic parking maneuver begins. For example, a driver of the host vehicle <NUM> can arrive at a destination. Upon arrival, the driver exits the host vehicle <NUM> and instructs the host vehicle <NUM> to automatically park (e.g., perform an automatic valet parking function). The host vehicle <NUM> may then proceed to perform process <NUM> to determine a parking space with optimal thermal conditions to maintain the battery temperature under the temperature thresholds.

At step <NUM>, in response to a determination that the host vehicle is parked in a public location, ambient environment data is obtained. For example, the environment manager <NUM> can collect present and forecast environment data for a vicinity near the public location. The environment data may include camera data (e.g., from an onboard camera system or an infrastructure camera) that identifies sun loading or shade available for certain parking spaces to identify shaded parking spaces and car congestion for the parking spaces to identify nearby occupied and unoccupied parking spaces. It may also include camera data (e.g., from an onboard camera, infrastructure camera, or satellite image) that identifies the roadway type(s) of the parking spaces (e.g., spaces with concrete or gravel surfaces as opposed to asphalt, which may radiate a larger amount of heat to the host vehicle <NUM> and the battery). The environment data may also include weather forecasts for the vicinity or daily temperature trends for the area.

At step <NUM>, a parking space with improved ambient conditions is determined. For example, the parking space selector <NUM> processes the environment data to determine a parking space with improved or optimal thermal conditions. The selected parking space can maximize shade time, maximize airflow (e.g., via minimization of other vehicles parked nearby), avoid other nearby vehicles to reduce reflective sun loading, or be in the shadow of a large vehicle (e.g., a semi-trailer truck or moving truck).

At step <NUM>, the vehicle is autonomously operated to the selected parking space. For example, the parking system <NUM> or the navigation system <NUM> can provide instructions to the autonomous-driving system <NUM> to autonomously or automatically park the host vehicle <NUM> in the selected parking space.

The ventilation management system <NUM> can repeat the process <NUM> or a portion thereof once the host vehicle <NUM> is parked in the selected parking space. For example, the temperature monitor <NUM> uses sensor data <NUM> to determine whether battery temperature is above the temperature threshold at a later time (e.g., one hour later) or periodically (e.g., every thirty minutes). In response to a determination that the battery temperature is above the temperature threshold, the environment manager <NUM> can obtain updated environment data for the public location. The parking space selector <NUM> may then determine if another parking space provides improved thermal conditions. If another parking space is identified with improved thermal conditions, the parking system <NUM> or the navigation system <NUM> can provide instructions to the autonomous-driving system <NUM> to autonomously or automatically park the host vehicle <NUM> in the new parking space.

<FIG> illustrates a flowchart of an example process <NUM> for parking and ventilation management systems to manage the battery temperature of a vehicle parking in a home garage. The parking system and ventilation management system that performs the process <NUM> can, for example, be the ventilation management system <NUM> and the parking system <NUM> of <FIG>. Process <NUM> is shown as operations (or acts) performed or determinations made but is not necessarily limited to the order or combinations in which the operations or determinations are shown herein. Further, any one of one or more of the operations or determinations may be repeated, combined, or reorganized to provide other flowcharts. In portions of the following discussion, reference may be made to the environment <NUM> of <FIG>, and entities detailed in <FIG> and <FIG>, reference to which is made for example only. The techniques are not limited to performance by one entity or multiple entities.

At step <NUM>, the parking system <NUM> or the autonomous-driving system <NUM> begins a parking maneuver. The parking maneuver includes an automatic valet parking or similar function. For example, the user or driver of the host vehicle <NUM> may arrive at a destination, exit the host vehicle <NUM>, and initiate the parking maneuver. In other implementations, the process <NUM> can initiate at step <NUM> a set time (e.g., <NUM> minutes) after the host vehicle <NUM> is parked.

At step <NUM>, the environment manager <NUM> determines whether the host vehicle is located at or near the driver's home. As described with respect to <FIG>, the environment manager <NUM> may use an image from an onboard camera, localization information from a GNSS sensor, or connection to a home WLAN or Internet-of-Things (IoT) network to make this determination. If the environment manager <NUM> determines that the host vehicle <NUM> is located in a public location (e.g., not at or near the driver's home), then the ventilation management system <NUM> proceeds to <FIG>.

At step <NUM>, if the environment manager <NUM> determines that the host vehicle <NUM> is located at or near the driver's home, the parking system <NUM> and/or the navigation system <NUM> interfaces with the autonomous-driving system <NUM> to perform one or more home parking routine(s) (e.g., park the host vehicle <NUM> in a garage). If the host vehicle <NUM> is already parked at or near the driver's home, then the ventilation management system <NUM> may proceed to step <NUM>.

At step <NUM>, the environment manager <NUM> determines whether the house, garage or components thereof are connectable (e.g., over a WLAN network or IoT network). For example, the environment manager <NUM> may be able to connect to a garage door controller, a home HVAC system associated with the garage, or a door lock for a door that connects the garage to the home. Similarly, the environment manager <NUM> can determine whether the connection with the home component(s) has been established. If the home components are not connectable or not able to be connected at the moment (e.g., WLAN network or IoT network failure), then the ventilation management system <NUM> ends the routine. In some implementations, in response to connection failure, the ventilation management system <NUM> may restart the routine or process <NUM> after a predefined time (e.g., <NUM> minutes).

At step <NUM>, in response to a determination that the home components are connectable, the ventilation management system <NUM> confirms whether user authorization exists for parking and ventilation management. The user or driver may give general authorization for parking and ventilation management for a specific location (e.g., at home), for a specific period (e.g., weekdays, summer months), or in all situations. The ventilation management system <NUM> may also request user authorization each time the host vehicle is parked. If user authorization is not confirmed, the ventilation management system <NUM> ends the routine.

At step <NUM>, in response to confirming user authorization, the ventilation management system <NUM> determines whether a user preference exists to limit parking to in-garage-only parking. For example, the driver may interact with a user interface in the host vehicle <NUM> or an application on a smartphone associated with the host vehicle <NUM> to indicate user preferences for parking outside a home garage. The driver may restrict parking at their home to the home garage. Similarly, the driver may limit parking outside of the home garage to a certain length of time (e.g., two hours) or certain weather conditions.

At step <NUM>, in response to determining that the user preference restricts parking to in-garage parking, the temperature monitor <NUM> determines whether the battery temperature is above a temperature threshold. As described with respect to <FIG>, the temperature monitor <NUM> may also determine a predicted battery temperature that accounts for heating associated with the battery being charged.

At step <NUM>, in response to determining that the battery temperature or predicted battery temperature is above the temperature threshold, the environment manager <NUM> sends a request to a garage door controller to open the garage door (e.g., via a WLAN or IoT connection) or causes the garage door to remain open. In this way, the ventilation in the garage is increased and the ambient conditions allow the onboard ventilation system to lower the battery temperature. Similarly, the environment manager <NUM> may request an HVAC controller to lower the temperature of the home garage. In some implementations, the HVAC request may be sent in response to the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature exceeding a second temperature threshold or if the outside temperature is greater than the ambient temperature of the home garage.

At step <NUM>, the ventilation management system <NUM> delays the routine illustrated in process <NUM> before returning to step <NUM>. For example, the ventilation management system <NUM> may delay thirty minutes (or another predefined period) before proceeding back to step <NUM>.

At step <NUM>, in response to determining that the battery temperature or predicted battery temperature is not above the temperature threshold, the environment manager <NUM> sends a request to the garage door controller to close the garage door (e.g., via a WLAN or IoT connection) or causes the garage door to remain closed. The ventilation management system <NUM> then ends the routine.

At step <NUM>, in response to determining that the user preference does not restrict parking to in-garage parking, the environment manager <NUM> determines whether the outdoor temperature is cooler than the indoor (e.g., ambient garage) temperature. The environment manager <NUM> can obtain the outdoor temperature from an onboard exterior temperature sensor, an online database providing the local temperature for the home area, or a home sensor (e.g., a HVAC unit with an external temperature sensor or a weather unit). Similarly, the indoor temperature can be determined from the onboard exterior temperature sensor (e.g., if the host vehicle is already parked in the garage) or the home sensor (e.g., an HVAC unit). If the outdoor temperature is not cooler than the indoor temperature, the ventilation management system <NUM> proceeds to step <NUM> to request the garage door be opened to finish the parking maneuver.

At step <NUM> (and similar to step <NUM>), in response to determining that the outdoor temperature is cooler than the indoor temperature, the temperature monitor <NUM> determines whether the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature is above the temperature threshold.

At step <NUM>, in response to determining that the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature is above the temperature threshold, the environment manager <NUM> determines whether inclement weather exists or is forecasted. Inclement weather may include hail, snow, strong winds, or thunderstorms. User preferences may also be received to determine inclement weather. The environment manager <NUM> may determine that inclement weather is occurring or may soon occur via an online database providing weather forecasts for the home area or a weather sensor in or near the home.

At step <NUM>, in response to determining that the battery temperature or predicted battery temperature is not above the temperature threshold or that inclement weather exists or is forecasted, the parking system <NUM> causes the host vehicle <NUM> to be parked inside the garage. The environment manager <NUM> then proceeds to step <NUM> to close the garage door once the parking maneuver is completed.

At step <NUM>, in response to determining that inclement weather does not exist or is not forecasted, the parking system <NUM> causes the host vehicle <NUM> to be parked outside the garage (e.g., in the driveway). At step <NUM>, the ventilation management system <NUM> delays the routine of the process <NUM> before returning to step <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a flowchart of an example process <NUM> for parking and ventilation management systems to manage the battery temperature of a vehicle parking in a public location. The parking system and ventilation management system that performs the process <NUM> can, for example, be the ventilation management system <NUM> and the parking system <NUM> of <FIG>. Process <NUM> is shown as operations (or acts) performed or determinations made but is not necessarily limited to the order or combinations in which the operations or determinations are shown herein. Further, any one of one or more of the operations or determinations may be repeated, combined, or reorganized to provide other flowcharts. In portions of the following discussion, reference may be made to the environment <NUM> of <FIG>, and entities detailed in <FIG> and <FIG>, reference to which is made for example only. The techniques are not limited to performance by one entity or multiple entities.

At step <NUM>, the parking system <NUM> begins an automatic valet parking routine for a public location. For example, the user or driver of the host vehicle <NUM> arrives at a destination, exits the host vehicle <NUM>, and initiates automatic valet parking. In other implementations, the routine of process <NUM> can initiate at step <NUM> (or another step) a predefined time (e.g., <NUM> minutes) after the host vehicle <NUM> is parked in a public location (e.g., a parking lot or parking garage).

At step <NUM>, the ventilation management system <NUM> confirms whether user authorization exists for parking and ventilation management. The user or driver may give general authorization for parking and ventilation management for a specific location (e.g., at a parking garage associated with the user's workplace), for a specific period (e.g., weekdays, summer months), or in all situations. The ventilation management system <NUM> may also request user authorization each time the host vehicle <NUM> is parked. If user authorization is not confirmed, the ventilation management system <NUM> ends the routine.

At step <NUM>, in response to confirming user authorization, the temperature monitor <NUM> determines whether the battery temperature is above a temperature threshold. The temperature monitor <NUM> may also determine a predicted battery temperature that accounts for heating associated with the battery being charged, current thermal conditions, and predicted thermal conditions. If the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature is not above the temperature threshold, the ventilation management system <NUM> ends the routine, and the parking system <NUM> or the autonomous-driving system <NUM> executes or maintains the automatic valet parking with a static parking location.

At step <NUM>, in response to determining that the battery temperature or predicted battery temperature is above the temperature threshold, the parking space selector <NUM> selects a parking location with optimized thermal characteristics. As described above, the parking space selector <NUM> can identify a parking space that is shaded or will be shaded (e.g., by building structures, trees, or other large vehicles), separated from other vehicles, covered with a less radiative surface (e.g., concrete or gravel versus asphalt), or subject to greater air movement. The parking system <NUM> can also cause the autonomous-driving system <NUM>, in conjunction with the navigation system <NUM>, to operate (e.g., steer, brake, and accelerate) the host vehicle <NUM> to the selected parking space and finish the automatic valet parking.

The parking space selector <NUM> can select the parking space using a variety of databases. For example, the parking space selector <NUM> can obtain crowd-sourced data <NUM>-<NUM> on parking lot temperatures and conditions for identified locations (e.g., via the Internet). The crowd-sourced data <NUM>-<NUM> may maintain an updated list of occupied parking spots and thermal conditions per parking spot. The parking system <NUM> may also publish data to the crowd-sourced data <NUM>-<NUM> based on collected sensor data. The parking space selector <NUM> may also obtain weather forecasts <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., via the Internet) that include temperature forecasts throughout the day, sunrise time, sunset time, and overcasting. Similarly, the navigation system <NUM> may access a map database <NUM>-<NUM> to provide navigation instructions to the autonomous-driving system <NUM> to complete the automatic valet parking.

The parking space selector <NUM> may also select the parking space using a variety of sensor data, including data from camera(s) <NUM>-<NUM>, radar sensor(s) <NUM>-<NUM>, localization sensor(s) <NUM>-<NUM>, and thermal sensor(s) <NUM>-<NUM>. The cameras <NUM>-<NUM> may provide images of the public location that the parking space selector <NUM> processes to identify shadows for shaded parking spaces or the type of roadway material. Similarly, lidar sensors may be used to identify shadows. The radar sensors <NUM>-<NUM> may be used to localize the host vehicle <NUM> (e.g., in GNSS-denial environments) and perform the automatic valet parking function. The autonomous-driving system <NUM> may also use lidar and ultrasonic sensors to operate the host vehicle <NUM>. The localization sensors <NUM>-<NUM> provide localization information for the host vehicle <NUM> to obtain relevant information (e.g., from the crowd-sourced data <NUM>-<NUM>, weather forecasts <NUM>-<NUM>, or the map database <NUM>-<NUM>) and localize the vehicle during the parking routine. The localization sensors <NUM>-<NUM> may include GNSS or GPS sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), or odometers. The thermal sensors <NUM>-<NUM> may include infrared sensors that provide thermal characteristics for the public location.

At step <NUM>, the parking system <NUM> logs the parking location. For example, the parking location may be provided as an alert or notification to the driver (e.g., via a smartphone application). The parking system <NUM> can also wait for final or interim vehicle moving requests.

At step <NUM>, the parking system <NUM> determines whether the user or driver has requested (e.g., summoned) the host vehicle <NUM>. At step <NUM>, if the user has not requested the host vehicle <NUM>, the ventilation management system <NUM> delays the routine of the process <NUM> before proceeding to step <NUM>. For example, the ventilation management system <NUM> may wait thirty minutes (or another predefined period) before proceeding to step <NUM>.

At step <NUM>, the temperature monitor <NUM> determines whether the battery temperature is above the temperature threshold. The temperature monitor <NUM> may also determine a predicted battery temperature that accounts for heating associated with the battery being charged, current thermal conditions, or predicted thermal conditions. If the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature is not above the temperature threshold, the ventilation management system <NUM> ends the routine, and the parking system <NUM> or the autonomous-driving system maintains the same parking location.

At step <NUM>, in response to the battery temperature or the predicted battery temperature being above the temperature threshold, the parking space selector <NUM> refreshes the parking space selection. In particular, the parking space selector <NUM> may refresh the sensor data and database information to select a new parking space with improved thermal conditions. If a new parking space location is identified, the parking system <NUM> returns to step <NUM> to move the host vehicle <NUM> to the new parking space.

At step <NUM>, if the user has requested the host vehicle <NUM>, the parking system <NUM> causes the autonomous-driving system <NUM> to return the host vehicle <NUM> to the driver. The autonomous-driving system <NUM> can use the cameras <NUM>-<NUM>, radar sensors <NUM>-<NUM>, and localization sensors <NUM>-<NUM> to complete the summon function.

Claim 1:
A method comprising:
determining whether a temperature of a battery of a host vehicle is above a temperature threshold;
in response to determining that the temperature of the battery is above the temperature threshold, determining a location of the host vehicle;
in response to determining that the host vehicle is located in a home garage associated with a user of the host vehicle, requesting a change to an initial state value of a home component to reduce an ambient temperature of the home garage; and
in response to determining that the temperature of the battery is below the temperature threshold, requesting a restoration of the initial state value of the home component.