Patent ID: 7784576

Claim:
A method of controlling the flow of air through at least one vehicle opening, the at least one vehicle opening comprising at least one of a grille opening and a bumper opening, the method comprising: sensing at least one vehicle operating parameter; providing at least one parameter representing signal on a data bus representing the at least one vehicle operating parameter; determining from said at least one parameter representing signal whether an adjustment in the extent to which the at least one opening is open to the air flow is to be made in response to the at least one signal; providing a control signal on the data bus to cause the adjustment of the extent to which the at least one opening is open in the event the act of determining indicates that an adjustment is to be made; wherein the sensed at least one vehicle operating parameter comprises the vehicle speed and at least one additional vehicle operating parameter; and wherein the at least one opening is controlled to be closed substantially continuously while the vehicle speed is above a threshold speed and at least one additional vehicle operating parameter and at least one environmental condition in which the vehicle is operated are not at respective conditions indicating that the opening should not be closed.