Apparatus for time-controlled activation or deactivation of a vehicle function

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for time-controlled activation of a vehicle function in a vehicle with automatic adjustment of the time of a vehicle-internal clock from standard time to daylight saving time and/or from daylight saving time to standard time. An operator control element is provided for manually selecting an activation instant. An electronic control unit takes the activation instant and the time of the vehicle-internal clock as a basis for prompting activation of the vehicle function when the activation instant has been reached. Selection of an activation instant that occurs only after an automatic changeover of the vehicle-internal clock from standard time to daylight saving time or from daylight saving time to standard time is to be expected prompts output of appropriate indicator.

Claims

1. An apparatus for time-controlled activation of a vehicle function in a vehicle, comprising: a vehicle-internal clock configured for automatic adjustment due to a time standard change; an operator control element configured to enable manual user selection of an activation instant; an electronic control unit configured to: receive the selected activation instant and a time of the vehicle-internal clock, activate the vehicle function when the time of the vehicle-internal clock corresponds to the activation instant, determine that the received activation instant will first occur after an expected automatic adjustment of the vehicle-internal clock due to the time standard change, and output a user perceptible indicator based on the determination.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operator control element that is used to manually select the activation instant is a part of a vehicle-internal or vehicle-external operator control apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicator output is a visual, audible and/or haptic indicator.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is output immediately after the activation instant has been selected.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is output at, or in proximity to, the operator control element so as to be perceivable immediately after the activation instant is selected.

6. An apparatus for time-controlled deactivation of a vehicle function in a vehicle, comprising: a vehicle-internal clock configured for automatic adjustment of time due to a time standard change; an operator control element configured to enable manual user selection of an deactivation instant; an electronic control unit configured to: receive the selected deactivation instant and a time of the vehicle-internal clock, deactivate the vehicle function when the time of the vehicle-internal clock corresponds to the deactivation instant, determine that the received deactivation instant will first occur after an expected automatic adjustment of the vehicle-internal clock due to the time standard change, and output a user perceptible indicator based on the determination.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the operator control element that is used to manually select the deactivation instant is a part of a vehicle-internal or vehicle-external operator control apparatus.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the indicator output is a visual, audible and/or haptic indicator.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the indicator output is output immediately after the deactivation instant has been selected.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the indicator is output at, or in proximity to, the operator control element so as to be perceivable immediately after the deactivation instant is selected.

11. A method of operating a vehicle equipped with a vehicle-internal clock whose time is automatically adjusted due to a time standard change, and with an operator control element configured to enable manual user selection of an activation instant for a vehicle function, the method comprising the acts of: receiving, via an electronic control unit in the vehicle, the selected activation instant for a vehicle function; receiving, via the electronic control unit in the vehicle, a time signal from the vehicle-internal clock, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to utilize the manually selected activation instant and the time signal to activate the vehicle function when the activation instant occurs; and outputting, via the electronic control unit in the vehicle, a user perceptible indicator upon a determination by the control unit that the activation instant first occurs after an expected automatic adjustment of the vehicle-internal clock due to the time standard change.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the acts of: receiving, via the electronic control unit in the vehicle, a manually selected deactivation instant; and outputting a user perceptible indicator, via the electronic control unit of the vehicle, upon a determination by the control unit that the deactivation instant first occurs after the expected automatic adjustment of the vehicle-internal clock due to the time standard change.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the outputting of the indicator occurs immediately after the manually selected activation or deactivation instant has been received by the electronic control unit in the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the outputting of the indicator is carried out by providing the indicator at, or in proximity to, an operator control element perceptible at the instant the manually selected activation or deactivation instant is received.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The single FIG. 1 shows an exemplary design for an apparatus for time-controlled activation of a preliminary air-conditioning function (e.g. stationary heater) in a vehicle in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(2) In detail, FIG. 1 shows, as a central element of the apparatus, an electronic control unit SE that receives input signals T and t from an (vehicle-external) input operator control unit BE and a vehicle-internal clock U, respectively. These signals can be used by the control unit to produce output signals H and a to the input operator control unit BE and a heating air-conditioning system HKA in the vehicle.

(3) The input operator control unit BE may be part of a radio remote control for the vehicle and includes an operator control element B for selecting an activation instant T for activating the preliminary air-conditioning function and a display A for visually presenting relevant information for the driver. As soon as the driver has selected an activation instant T, the activation instant is sent wirelessly to the control unit SE integrated in the vehicle. The control unit SE then checks whether the activation instant T first arises after an automatic changeover of the relevant vehicle-internal clock U will presumably take place. The instants of future, relevant time changeover can be obtained by the control unit SE from a stored time table, for example, that indicates when changeover from standard time to daylight saving time or from daylight saving time to standard time can be expected.

(4) If the control unit SE establishes that the activation instant T will, under normal circumstances, arise only after automatic time changeover, the control unit SE sends an indication signal H for producing an indicator that is visually presented in the display of the input operator control unit BE. As a result, the driver is advised that time changeover will take place before the activation instant is reached or after expiration of the set timer and this is taken into account automatically.

(5) Regardless of whether indicator H is output on the display A, the control unit monitors the time t of the relevant vehicle-internal clock U for when the activation instant T is reached. As soon as the activation instant T has been reached, the control unit SE sends an activation signal a to the heating air-conditioning system HKA in order to activate the preliminary air-conditioning function.

(6) It is self-evident that an apparatus for time-controlled deactivation of a vehicle function can be of similar design to the apparatus shown here, with, instead of the activation instant, a deactivation instant being selected and said deactivation instant being monitored and evaluated for the triggering of an indicator or the deactivation of the corresponding vehicle function.

(7) If the inventive apparatus is used for automatically activating stationary heaters or stationary air conditioners, for which the driver sets a regular activation time at a particular instant each day, the indicator can be output either when the activation or deactivation instant is (first) set or (additionally) also at a defined instant before the automatic time changeover. By way of example, it is thus possible for the indicator to be output in a display unit in the vehicle one day before the automatic time changeover, as soon as the vehicle is identified as having been started up, that is to say when the driver is in the vehicle.

(8) The automatic indicator function therefore affords the advantage that the driver does not need to remember whether his vehicle has an automatic time changeover function or whether this function is active, since when setting the activation or deactivation instant he is advised thereof if this appears necessary on the basis of the selected activation or deactivation instant.

(9) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.