Patent ID: 8256399

Claim:
An automatic management and control system for controlling a transport motor vehicle engine idle conditions, operation of vehicle accessories and engine controls when said vehicle is at a rest condition; said transport motor vehicle having a main battery supply to support an electrical load associated therewith, said system comprising a control unit with a programmable computer having a memory for storing instructions for execution of an interactive management control program by said control unit, a timer associated with said computer; said control unit being interfaced with actuable switching devices to control said vehicle accessories, and said engine controls; actuable switch means to enable said control unit through enabling switch means when said vehicle is at said rest condition, and when a transmission of said vehicle is at a neutral position and when an ignition switch of said vehicle is at a disabled OFF position; display means having means to access programmed parameters and monitored parameters associated with said control unit, said sensor means and said engine controls; mode selection switch means to condition said control program to operate in one of a cabin heating mode or a cabin air-conditioning mode, sensor means monitors a cabin temperature sensor to provide temperature signals representative of actual cabin temperature to said control unit, said control unit being conditioned by said control program to enable a defeat protection circuit to control a fast idle cruise switch in said cabin to prevent a vehicle operator to attempt to override an idle shut-down mode of the control unit during which said engine is operated at slow idle for a set programmed time period whereby to ensure autonomous automatic engine control by said control unit when said vehicle is at said rest condition to thereby optimize fuel efficiency, said defeat protection circuit having disabling switching means to disable said idle shut-down mode of said control unit and requiring disabling said enabling switch means by said vehicle operator and displacing said vehicle from said rest condition to permit said vehicle operator to re-enable said control unit and idle shut-down mode.