Patent ID: 8118237

Claim:
A vehicle comprising: a power connector configured to mate with an electrical power grid receptacle and receive a grid power therefrom; a heating and cooling system electrically connected to the power connector to receive grid power therefrom and configured to modify a temperature in a cabin of the vehicle; a temperature control loop configured to selectively activate and control the heating and cooling system; and a controller configured to: receive a first input signal comprising a desired vehicle activation time; receive a second input signal comprising a starting vehicle cabin temperature and a desired vehicle cabin temperature; determine a temperature control loop activation time based on the first and second input signals, the temperature control loop activation time being a time prior to the desired vehicle activation time; transmit an activation signal to the temperature control loop at the temperature control loop activation time to activate the heating and cooling system; determine if the vehicle is activated at the desired vehicle activation time or within a pre-determined time thereafter; and if the vehicle is not activated at the desired vehicle activation time or within the pre-determined time thereafter, then transmit a deactivation signal to the temperature control loop to deactivate the heating and cooling system.