An engine pre-heating system includes a housing that houses a climate control heating element and a controller configured in the housing. The controller generates an energizing signal for controlling an amount of electrical power provided to multiple engine heating elements that are thermally coupled to the engines of multiple vehicles. The controller also generates a climate control signal for controlling the climate controlled heating element to maintain the controller inside the housing within a specified temperature range. The energizing signal provided to the engine heating elements is inversely proportional to an ambient temperature proximate the engines.

A motor vehicle comprises an HVAC system including a climate control circuit coupled to onboard sensors, a human-machine interface, and climate actuators. The actuators are responsive to respective command parameters generated by the control circuit in response to the sensors and the human-machine interface. A wireless communication system transmits vehicle HVAC data to and receives crowd data from a remote server. The control circuit initiates a request for crowd data via the communication system to the remote server, wherein the request includes peer parameters for identifying a vehicle environment. The control circuit receives a response via the communication system from the remote server. The response comprises crowd data and at least one weight indicating a confidence level associated with the crowd data. The control circuit generates at least one command parameter using a set of fuzzy rules responsive to the crowd data and the weight from the response.

A motor vehicle comprises an HVAC system including a climate control circuit coupled to onboard sensors, a human-machine interface, and climate actuators. The actuators are responsive to respective command parameters generated by the control circuit in response to the sensors and the human-machine interface. A wireless communication system transmits vehicle HVAC data to and receives crowd data from a remote server. The control circuit initiates a request for crowd data via the communication system to the remote server, wherein the request includes peer parameters for identifying a vehicle environment. The control circuit receives a response via the communication system from the remote server. The response comprises crowd data and at least one weight indicating a confidence level associated with the crowd data. The control circuit generates at least one command parameter using a set of fuzzy rules responsive to the crowd data and the weight from the response.

A multifunctional battery health state detection device is disclosed, which includes a housing, two ignition clamps for connecting to a vehicle battery; a microcontroller; a sampling circuit connected to the two ignition clamps for sampling a voltage signal of the vehicle battery; and an indicator unit including a plurality of indicators configured to display a ranking of the battery health state of the vehicle battery. The microcontroller is configured to obtain the sampled voltage signal from the sampling circuit, detect the ranking of the battery health state based on the sampled voltage signal, and control the indicator unit to display the battery health state according to the ranking of the battery health stat, and boost the vehicle battery by providing starting energy from a portable power supply to the vehicle battery in response to detecting the battery health state being one of two lowest rankings among a plurality of rankings.

A multifunctional battery health state detection device is disclosed, which includes a housing, two ignition clamps for connecting to a vehicle battery; a microcontroller; a sampling circuit connected to the two ignition clamps for sampling a voltage signal of the vehicle battery; and an indicator unit including a plurality of indicators configured to display a ranking of the battery health state of the vehicle battery. The microcontroller is configured to obtain the sampled voltage signal from the sampling circuit, detect the ranking of the battery health state based on the sampled voltage signal, and control the indicator unit to display the battery health state according to the ranking of the battery health stat, and boost the vehicle battery by providing starting energy from a portable power supply to the vehicle battery in response to detecting the battery health state being one of two lowest rankings among a plurality of rankings.

An apparatus for jump starting a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a first and a second ignition clamp, a sampling circuit configured to sample polarity output signal from the vehicle battery when each of the first and the second ignition clamps is connected to a respective one of the first and the second terminals of the vehicle battery, a polarity determining circuit configured to determine, based on the sampled polarity output signal, a polarity of the first and the second terminal of the vehicle battery, and a clamp polarity switching circuit configured to connect the first and the second ignition clamps to a portable power supply, and enable, in response to the determined respective polarities of the first and the second terminals of the vehicle battery, a polarity on the first and on the second ignition clamps to be the same as that of the corresponding terminal connected thereto.

An apparatus for jump starting a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a first and a second ignition clamp, a sampling circuit configured to sample polarity output signal from the vehicle battery when each of the first and the second ignition clamps is connected to a respective one of the first and the second terminals of the vehicle battery, a polarity determining circuit configured to determine, based on the sampled polarity output signal, a polarity of the first and the second terminal of the vehicle battery, and a clamp polarity switching circuit configured to connect the first and the second ignition clamps to a portable power supply, and enable, in response to the determined respective polarities of the first and the second terminals of the vehicle battery, a polarity on the first and on the second ignition clamps to be the same as that of the corresponding terminal connected thereto.

Disclosed is a method, apparatus and kit for starting a quick-start chainsaw. The quick-start chainsaw comprises a chainsaw having a crankshaft extending along an axis between first and second ends and a quick-start extension extending along the axis from the second end adapted to engage with and be rotated by a socket. The quick-start chainsaw further comprises a casing with a hole therethrough aligned with the axis providing access to the quick-start extension therethrough. The method comprises securing the socket to a portable drill, locating the socket within the hole and connecting the socket with the quick-start extension. The method further comprises rotating the socket and the quick-start extension around the axis with the portable drill thereby rotating the crankshaft and starting a combustion engine. The kit comprises a quick-start chainsaw and a socket rotatable by a portable drill.

Disclosed is a method, apparatus and kit for starting a quick-start chainsaw. The quick-start chainsaw comprises a chainsaw having a crankshaft extending along an axis between first and second ends and a quick-start extension extending along the axis from the second end adapted to engage with and be rotated by a socket. The quick-start chainsaw further comprises a casing with a hole therethrough aligned with the axis providing access to the quick-start extension therethrough. The method comprises securing the socket to a portable drill, locating the socket within the hole and connecting the socket with the quick-start extension. The method further comprises rotating the socket and the quick-start extension around the axis with the portable drill thereby rotating the crankshaft and starting a combustion engine. The kit comprises a quick-start chainsaw and a socket rotatable by a portable drill.

A battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery. The battery booster may include a processor, a set of terminal connectors, a power supply, and a power-management circuit. The set of terminal connectors may be configured to couple with the external battery or an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery. The power supply may include a lithium battery configured to supply a starting current to jump start an engine. The external battery may have a first nominal voltage, while the lithium battery may have a second nominal voltage that is greater than the first nominal voltage. The power-management circuit operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transfer power selectively between the external battery and the power supply. The processor is configured to perform a pre-charge function and/or a back-feed function via the power-management circuit, which may employ a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver.