Engineless electrical communication interface

Abstract

A control system (300) for a transport engineless refrigeration unit (301), the control system including: a controller (302) for communication between a vehicle (307) and a plurality of vehicle devices, the controller comprising: a vehicle data connection (306) for transmitting data to and from a vehicle; a vehicle engine on/off connection (308) for triggering start-up of the vehicle engine; a plurality of device data connections (314), each device data connection transmits data to and from at least one device external to the controller; and a device power connection (313), the device power connection supplies power from the controller to at least one device external to the controller.

Claims

1. A control system for a transport engineless refrigeration unit (TERU), the control system comprising: a controller for communication between a vehicle and a plurality of vehicle devices, the controller comprising: a vehicle data connection for transmitting data to and from a vehicle; a vehicle engine on/off connection for triggering start-up of a vehicle engine; a plurality of device data connections, wherein each device data connection transmits data to and from at least one vehicle device; and a device power connection, wherein the device power connection supplies power from the controller to at least one vehicle device; wherein the controller is configured to trigger the start-up of the vehicle engine based on a determination by safety logic external to the controller that it is safe to start the engine, wherein the controller hence does not include the safety logic; and wherein the control system is configured to be retrospectively connected to a pre-existing, conventional TERU and/or any of the vehicle devices.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle device to which the device power connection supplies power, and which a device data connection of the plurality of device data connections transmits data to and from includes the TERU, wherein the TERU comprises a temperature sensor.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a plurality of device data connections, and each device data connection is configured to be connected to at least one vehicle device, wherein each vehicle device comprises any one of: a TERU; a PTO; a HMI; a telematics output and/or input; a battery; an inverter; a generative axle; a solar panel; a fuel tank gauge; additional temperature sensors; and/or a fuel cell.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the device data connections, the vehicle data connection, and/or the vehicle engine on/off connection are two-way data connections, such that the device data connections, the vehicle data connection, and/or the vehicle engine on/off connection form a communication network between any vehicle devices.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the device data connections, the vehicle data connection and/or the vehicle engine on/off connection are wired connections.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein power is supplied to the controller from an internal battery, and/or wherein the controller comprises a controller power connection for receiving power from the vehicle or from at least one vehicle device.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle device to which a device data connection transmits data to and from is a human machine interface (HMI), and wherein the controller is configured such that inputs and controls for the system can be received from the HMI and telematics outputs can be sent to the HMI.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle device to which a device data connection transmits data to and from is a telematics input and/or output configured to transmit/receive data to a location outside of the system.

9. A vehicle for refrigerated or frozen transport of goods comprising a transport engineless refrigeration unit and the control system for a transport engineless refrigeration unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of vehicle devices comprises the transport engineless refrigeration unit and the transport engineless refrigeration unit is connected to the controller via at least one of the plurality of device data connections and the device power connection.

10. A vehicle as claimed in claim 9, comprising a power take module that supplies power to a refrigeration system of the transport engineless refrigeration unit, wherein the power module is coupled to a power take off unit of the vehicle for the generation of power.

11. A method for monitoring and controlling a temperature of a transport engineless refrigeration unit of a vehicle as claimed in claim 10, the method comprising: powering a temperature sensor of the transport refrigeration unit via the device power connection; monitoring the temperature of the transport engineless refrigeration unit using the temperature sensor; and activating the vehicle and/or power module in order to power the transport engineless refrigeration unit if the temperature of the transport engineless refrigeration unit is outside of a predetermined range.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising: stopping the powering of the transport engineless refrigeration unit when the temperature is within a second predetermined ranged and subsequently continuing to monitor the temperature of the transport engineless refrigeration unit using the temperature sensor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of activating the vehicle and/or power module comprises providing a start-up request to the vehicle engine from the controller; determining if it is safe to activate the vehicle and/or power module based on safety logic; and starting the vehicle engine and the method further comprises a step of wherein the vehicle preferably comprises the safety logic and the safety logic is separate to the control system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Certain example embodiments will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a conventional control system for a transport engineless refrigeration unit;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a conventional method for monitoring and controlling a temperature of a transport engineless refrigeration unit using the conventional control system shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a proposed control system for a transport engineless refrigeration unit with a data connection for the transport engineless refrigeration unit; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of a method for monitoring and controlling a temperature of a transport engineless refrigeration unit using a control system as in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) A conventional control system 100 for a TERU 101 is shown in FIG. 1. The control system 100 comprises a controller 102 integrated within a power module 103 that is connected to power take off unit (PTO). Power is supplied to the power module 103 via a PTO which is powered by the combustion engine (not shown) of a vehicle 107. The power module 103 comprises a hydraulic pump and system (not shown) and a generator (not shown) that is powered by the hydraulic system to deliver substantially constant 400V/3/50 Hz power via power connection 104 to the TERU 101 in order to power the refrigeration system (not shown) of the TERU and a temperature sensor 105 of the TERU. It will be appreciated that in this system, in order to monitor the temperature of the TERU and carry out refrigeration, the vehicle engine must be running to provide the necessary power.

(7) There is a two-way data link 106, a 24V wake signal line 108 and a 24V DC power connection 109 between the vehicle 107 and the controller 102.

(8) The controller 102 comprises safety logic 117 for determining whether or not it is safe to start the vehicle engine at any one time.

(9) The control system 100 also comprises a human machine interface 110. The human machine interface (HMI) 110 is connected to the controller via a 24V DC power line 111 and a two-way data connection 112. It will be appreciated that it in this system, in order to power the human machine interface, the vehicle engine must be running in order to power the power module 103 (which subsequently powers the TERU and HMI).

(10) With the two way data connection 111, user can enter inputs for the controller 102 and the power module 103 at the human machine interface, and view data sent to the HMI from the controller and/or power module.

(11) The control system 100 also comprises a second human machine interface 113 for the TERU 101. The second human machine interface 113 is connected to the TERU via a 24V DC power line 114 and a two way data connection 115. It should be noted that there is no direct data connection between the TERU (or the sensor of the TERU) and the controller 102 (or the power module) and so no direct communication between the TERU and controller is possible. Instead, data (such as temperature data from temperature sensor 105 of the TERU 101) is sent through the two way data connection 115 to the second human machine interface 113 and from the second human machine interface 113 to a telematics output 116. From the telematics output 116 data can be transmitted elsewhere (e.g. to an external telematics system) and eventually relayed back to the controller 102, user and/or vehicle 107. As such, there is no data connection between the controller and the TERU at the control system (hardware) level.

(12) Furthermore, the controller 102, TERU 101, human machine interfaces 110, 113 and telematics output 116 are all reliant on the power module 103 for power and so the vehicle engine must be running for the control system to operate.

(13) The above described control system can be utilised to carry out a method of monitoring and controlling a temperature of the TERU as shown in FIG. 2, in particular whilst the vehicle engine is turned off (and the vehicle is stationary, e.g. parked overnight). In doing so, the method described below in relation to FIG. 2 is carried out periodically at intervals as described below.

(14) With reference to the method of monitoring and controlling a temperature of the TERU shown in FIG. 2, at step 201 of the method, the timer of the controller measures the amount of time that has passed since it was last reset. Once this time exceeds a predetermined time limit (e.g. 30 minutes) the method proceeds to step 202, where a wake signal is sent to the vehicle 107 from the controller via the wake signal line 108. This establishes communication between the vehicle 107 and the controller 102 via the two-way data link 106.

(15) At step 203 the controller determines whether or not it is safe to start the vehicle engine based on safety logic 117 within the controller. This determination may be made based on any of the parameters previously discussed. If it is determined that it is safe to start the vehicle engine, the method proceeds to step 204 and the vehicle engine is started via a command signal that is sent from the controller to the vehicle via the data link 116. The engine then powers the PTO, which in turn powers the power module 103, subsequently generating transmitting power to the TERU 101, its temperature sensor 105, the telematics output 116, the controller 102 and the first and second human machine interfaces 110, 113 in the manner described above.

(16) The method then proceeds to step 205, where the temperature of the TERU is measured using the temperature sensor 105, and this measurement is sent via two way data connection 115 to the second human machine interface and then to telematics output 116 to be relayed back to the controller 102.

(17) At step 206, if the measured temperature of the TERU is outside of a predetermined range (e.g. if it is greater than 8° C. for refrigerated goods or greater than −18° C. for frozen goods) then the refrigeration system of the TERU is started, powered by the power module 103, in order to lower the temperature.

(18) Once the measured temperature is acceptable, the vehicle engine is switched off via another control signal sent from the controller 102 to vehicle 107 via the data link 106 and the timer of the controller is reset, thus restarting the method 200 at step 201.

(19) One problem with this system is that the engine must be switched on before various components of the control system can be powered and the method shown in FIG. 2 can be performed.

(20) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a proposed control system 30 for a transport engineless refrigeration unit 301 with additional functionality compared to that of FIG. 1. Similar to the system shown in FIG. 1, the control system of FIG. 3 comprises a controller 302. However, the controller 302 is separate to a power module 303.

(21) Similar to the system shown in FIG. 1, the power module 303 is powered by a PTO coupled to a combustion engine (not shown) of a vehicle 107 and comprises a hydraulic pump and hydraulic system (also not shown) and a generator (also not shown) that is powered by the hydraulic system to deliver substantially constant 400V/3/50 Hz power via power connection 304 to the TERU 301 in order to power the refrigeration system (not shown) of the TERU.

(22) Similar to the system shown in FIG. 2, the controller 302 is connected to the vehicle 307 via a two-way data connection 306, a 24V wake signal line 308 and a 24V DC power connection 309 between the vehicle 307 and the controller 302. However, there is also a 24V engine on/off signal line 310 between the vehicle and the controller 302. In this particular arrangement, the 24V engine on/off signal line 310 acts as an additional wake signal line. The method of monitoring and controlling a temperature of the TERU shown in FIG. 4 and described in more detail below will explain the function of these various connections.

(23) In contrast to the system shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle comprises safety logic 317 for determining whether or not it is safe to start the vehicle engine at any one time.

(24) The controller is also connected to the power module 303 via a two-way data link 311 and 24V DC power line 312. The power line serves to charge a battery of the controller (not shown) when the vehicle engine is on and the power module 303 is transmitting power.

(25) Fundamentally, the controller 302 is also connected to the TERU 301 via 24V Dc power line 313 and two-way data connection 314. This mean the controller can supply some power to the TERU directly, for example to power a temperature sensor 315 that monitors the temperature of a chilled compartment in the TERU 301. Furthermore, the measured temperature can be sent from the temperature sensor 3115 directly to the controller 302 via the two-way data link 314. In this way, as described in more detail below with reference to the method shown in FIG. 4, the temperature of the TERU can be monitored without having to start the vehicle engine, power module 303 and PTO unnecessarily.

(26) The controller 302 also has additional two-way data connections 316 for communicating with other vehicle devices and additional power lines 317 for powering, and/or receiving power from additional vehicle devices. These additional vehicle devices could include a battery pack, and inverter, a fuel cell, lights, or any manner of vehicle sensors such as temperature sensors, intruder alarms or maintenance alarms.

(27) The controller is also connected to an optional universal HMI 318 via a two-way data connection 319 and a 24V DC power line 320. Due to the data connections 319, 314, 306, 311 discussed above, the universal HMI may be used to input controls for the controller 302, power module 303, PTO, TERU 301 and vehicle 307 a two-way data links form connections between all of these components at the control system level to form a communication network.

(28) The controller is also connected to an optional telematics output 321 via a two-way data link 322. The telematics output 321 transmits telematics data to, and receive data from, elsewhere such as an external telematics system or another vehicle.

(29) There are also two other optional HMIs in the control system 300 shown in FIG. 3: a power module HMI 323 which is connected to the power module 303 via a two-way data link 325 and a power line 324, and a TERU HMI 326 which is connected to the TERU 301 via a two-way data link 327 and a power line 328. These two additional (optional) HMIs can be used for any of the outputs/inputs discussed above.

(30) The TERU HMI 326 is also connected to a second optional telematics output 329 via a two-way data link 330. The telematics output 330 can transmit/receive and of the telematics data described above.

(31) The above described control system can be utilised to carry out a method 400 of monitoring and controlling a temperature of the TERU as shown in FIG. 3, in particular whilst the vehicle engine is turned off (and the vehicle is stationary, e.g. parked overnight).

(32) The method 400 begins at step 401, where the temperature of the refrigerated compartment of the TERU is monitored by the temperature sensor 315. Because the temperature sensors 315 is connected to the controller via the power line 313 and two-way data connection 314, temperature measurements can be sent to the controllers without having to start the vehicle engine, power module 303, or the PTO. The power supplied to the temperature sensor from the controller may come from an internal battery of the controller, or another device, such as an external battery.

(33) In this way, the temperature of the refrigerated compartment of the TERU can be monitored continuously and there is no need for a timer.

(34) If the measured temperature is outside of a predetermined range (e.g. if it is greater than 8° C. for refrigerated goods or greater than −18° C. for frozen goods), the method proceeds to step 402 where a wake signal is sent to the vehicle 307 from the controller 302 via the wake signal line 308. This establishes communication between the vehicle 307 and the controller 302 via the two-way data link 306.

(35) At step 403, the vehicle 307 then determines whether or not it is safe to start the vehicle engine based on safety logic 317 within the vehicle. If it is determined that it is safe to start the vehicle engine, the method proceeds to step 404 and the vehicle engine is started. A signal is sent from the vehicle 307 to the controller via the on/off signal line 310 indicating whether or not the vehicle engine is on. The engine then powers the power module 303 via the PTO, which subsequently transmits power to the refrigeration system of the TERU in order to cool the refrigerated compartment of the TERU.

(36) The temperature of the refrigerated compartment of the TERU is continuously monitored by the temperature sensor 315 during this process and when the controller determines that the temperature is acceptable, for example when the temperature is within a second predetermined range (e.g. less than 6° C. for refrigerated goods or less than −20° C. for frozen goods) the vehicle engine is switched off and the system returns to a state in which the temperature of the refrigerated compartment of the TERU is monitored, but the engine, PTO and power module 303 are turned off (i.e. the sleep mode). In this way, the method then repeats again at step 401 with continuous monitoring of temperature.

(37) This method reduces energy consumption of the vehicle as it enables a sleep mode of the TERU in which the temperature can still be monitored.