DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RAISING A TEMPERATURE IN AT LEAST ONE PORTION OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

A device for raising a temperature in at least one portion of a vehicle from a low temperature value to a temperature value increased above this, has at least one electronic component producing waste heat. The at least one electronic component is formed as a processor. Furthermore, a controller is provided, being designed to command the processor to provide a computing capacity in a heating mode, and to supply the waste heat generated upon performing at least one computation of the processor to the at least one portion of the vehicle. The disclosure furthermore relates to a method for raising a temperature of at least one portion of a vehicle from a low temperature value to a temperature value increased above this.

Claims

1. A device for raising a temperature in at least one portion of a vehicle from a low temperature value to a higher temperature value above the low temperature value, the device comprising: at least one electronic component that produces waste heat, the at least one electronic component including a processor; and a controller designed to command the processor of the at least one electronic component to provide a computing capacity in a heating mode, and to supply the waste heat generated upon performing at least one computation of the processor to the at least one portion of the vehicle.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is associated with a sending and receiving unit for receiving data and/or computing tasks and for sending of results of the computing tasks.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the processor is in wireless or wired communication by the sending and receiving unit with at least one external processor, and the processor forms with the at least one external processor a distributed system for the joint computing of computing tasks.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one heating element is provided and the controller is designed to switch between the heating mode and a second heating mode, whereby heat generated by the heating element is supplied in the second heating mode to the at least one portion of the vehicle.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one heating element and/or the processor is operable by a battery or a fuel cell.

6. A method for raising a temperature of at least one portion of a vehicle from a low temperature value to a higher temperature value above the low temperature value, the vehicle having a processor, the method comprising: adjusting a heating mode, in which a controller commands the processor to provide a computing capacity and in which waste heat generated upon performing at least one computation by the processor is supplied to the vehicle, thereby raising the temperature to the higher temperature value.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein data for the computing or the computing tasks is received by a sending and receiving unit, and results from computations or data are sent by the sending and receiving unit.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the processor is wirelessly connected with at least one external processor to form a distributed system and provides its computing capacity within the distributed system to the joint computing of at least one computing task.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the controller switches between the heating mode and a second heating mode, wherein heat generated by operation of a heating element situated in the vehicle is supplied in the second heating mode to the at least one portion of the vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the controller switches to a third heating mode, in which both the waste heat generated by the processor when performing computations and the heat generated in the operation of a heating element are supplied to the at least one portion of the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Further benefits, features and details are presented in the claims, the following description, and the drawing.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a vehicle with a device as described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 7 with a device 1 for raising a temperature in at least one portion of the vehicle 7 from a low temperature value to a temperature value increased above this. The device 1 comprises at least one electronic component, formed as a processor 2, and a controller 3. The controller 3 is adapted to command the processor 2 to provide computing capacity in a first heating mode. The waste heat generated during the performing of at least one computation by the processor 2 is then supplied to the at least one portion of the vehicle 7. The temperature may be supplied to a vehicle interior 8 and/or to the engine compartment 9. The waste heat can be supplied to the at least one portion of the vehicle 7 by at least one conduit.

[0020] The processor 2 comprises a sending and receiving unit 4, or such a unit is associated with the processor 2. This serves for receiving of data and/or computing tasks, for example from an external server. Moreover, it serves for sending the results of computing tasks performed or worked off by the processor 2, for example to the external server.

[0021] In particular, the processor 2 can be used to be connected in wireless communication by means of the sending and receiving unit 4 with at least one external processor 5. In this way, the processor 2 with the at least one external processor 5 forms a distributed system for the joint computing of computing tasks.

[0022] Furthermore, the device 1 comprises at least one heating element 6. This heating element 6 may be formed as a heat pump or another electronic component, such as a resistor, or a motor, or a compressor. The controller 3 is adapted to switch between the above described heating mode and a second heating mode, wherein the heat generated by the heating element 6 is supplied in the second heating mode to the at least one portion of the vehicle 7. The at least one heating element 6 and/or the at least one processor 2 can be operated by means of a battery or by means of a fuel cell. In a fuel cell driven vehicle 7, the device 1 and therefore also the processor 2 may be arranged next to or in spatial proximity to a fuel cell stack.

[0023] A method may proceed as follows:

[0024] a control unit of the vehicle 7 receives the command to raise the temperature in at least one portion of the vehicle 7 from a low temperature value to a temperature value increased above this. Furthermore, the control unit receives the command as to whether the heating of the at least one portion of the vehicle 7 should occur by means of the heating mode, i.e., by means of the waste heat generated by means of the processor 2, or by means of the heat generated by the heating element 6 in the second heating mode, or by means of a third heating mode, in which both the processor 2 and the heating element 6 are active for generating heat. The controller 3 selects the corresponding heating mode (first, second, or third heating mode) in dependence on the command or control signal relayed by the control unit.

[0025] If it switches to the (first) heating mode or to the third heating mode, the controller 3 determines whether there are still computing tasks to be worked off in the processor 2. If so, the controller 3 commands the processor 2 to determine whether sufficient computing capacity is available for an upcoming (further) computing task. If sufficient computing capacity is not available, the processor 2 will be commanded by the controller 3 to provide computing power.

[0026] If no computing tasks are being worked off in the processor 2, the processor 2 (or the controller 3) connects to a data storage medium or a server by means of the sending and receiving unit 4. This may be done wirelessly, for example, with an external server/network, in order to accept or receive computing tasks. Alternatively or additionally, the processor 2 may connect wirelessly to the at least one external processor 5. The processor 2 and the external processor 5 then form a distributed system and can jointly perform a computing task.

[0027] When the increased temperature value is attained, the controller 3 commands an interruption of the computing or the computing task in the heating mode or in the third heating mode. This may be continued at a later time. If the computations or computing tasks are finished, the obtained result may be sent in turn by the sending and receiving unit to the external server or also to the external processor 5 for further processing.

[0028] If no computing tasks are available or if the second heating mode has been selected, the controller 3 switches to the second heating mode and commands the heating element 6 to generate the required heat, and the heat generated by the heating element 6 is supplied to the at least one portion of the vehicle 7.

[0029] In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.