Driver initiated remote engine start for vehicle preconditioning having battery charge maintenance priority

• Main Authors: Holub, Patrick Kevin, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2019
• Subjects: BLASTING; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTINGELECTRIC POWER; COMBUSTION ENGINES; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRICITY; GENERATION; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; LIGHTING; MEASURING; MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY; TESTING; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; WEAPONS

A method includes remotely starting an engine of a vehicle in response to a command, from a remote user of the vehicle, to start the engine for preconditioning the vehicle. The method assesses a charge level of a battery of the vehicle following engine start and adjusts engine-on time and vehicle settings to prioritize battery charge maintenance versus preconditioning based on the charge level. Another method for remotely starting the engine includes notifying, from the vehicle, the user that the battery has a charge level below a predetermined threshold. This method includes remotely starting the engine to charge the battery with energy from the engine upon receiving from the user a confirmation to start the engine.