Cooling system of a vehicle and a method of controlling the cooling system

Abstract

Disclosed is a cooling system of a vehicle. The cooling system includes an integrated controller for controlling a cooling fan and an active air flap, wherein the cooling fan is connected to the integrated controller through a single data line, and the active air flap is connected to the integrated controller through a single data line. The integrated controller is configured to receive signals of temperatures of cooling water and ambient air via controller area network (CAN) communication using two data lines.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling system of a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:
 an integrated controller configured to control a cooling fan and an active air flap;   the cooling fan connected to the integrated controller through a first single data line; and   the active air flap connected to the integrated controller through a second single data line,   wherein the integrated controller is configured to receive signals of temperatures of cooling water and ambient air via controller area network (CAN) communication using two data lines.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fan comprises a cooling fan controller connected to the integrated controller through the first single data line, and
 wherein the cooling fan controller comprises a first temperature sensor for measuring ambient temperature.   
     
     
         3 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein the active air flap comprises an active air flap (AAF) controller connected to the integrated controller through the second single data line, and
 wherein the AAF controller comprises a second temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature.   
     
     
         4 . The cooling system of  claim 3 , further comprising an engine controller configured to receive a signal of a cooling water sensor and transmit information on the temperature of the cooling water to the integrated controller via the CAN communication; and
 a full automatic temperature controller (FATC) configured to receive signals of an ambient air sensor and an air conditioner coolant pressure sensor and transmit information of ambient air and air conditioner coolant pressure to the integrated controller via the CAN communication.   
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , further comprising an engine controller configured to receive a signal of a cooling water sensor and transmit information on the temperature of the cooling water to the integrated controller via the CAN communication; and
 a full automatic temperature controller (FATC) configured to receive signals of an ambient air sensor and an air conditioner coolant pressure sensor and transmit information of ambient air and air conditioner coolant pressure to the integrated controller via the CAN communication.   
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the active air flap comprises an active air flap (AAF) controller connected to the integrated controller through the second single data line, and
 wherein the AAF controller comprises a temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 6 , further comprising an engine controller configured to receive a signal of a cooling water sensor and transmit information on the temperature of the cooling water to the integrated controller via the CAN communication; and
 a full automatic temperature controller (FATC) configured to receive signals of an ambient air sensor and an air conditioner coolant pressure sensor and transmit information of ambient air and air conditioner coolant pressure to the integrated controller via the CAN communication.   
     
     
         8 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising an engine controller configured to receive a signal of a cooling water sensor and transmit information on the temperature of the cooling water to the integrated controller via the CAN communication; and
 a full automatic temperature controller (FATC) configured to receive signals of an ambient air sensor and an air conditioner coolant pressure sensor and transmit information of ambient air and air conditioner coolant pressure to the integrated controller via the CAN communication.   
     
     
         9 . A method of controlling a cooling system, the method comprising:
 controller area network (CAN) checking, by an integrated controller, whether CAN communication is abnormal after a vehicle is turned on and control of a cooling fan and an active air flap is initiated;   single-communication checking, by the integrated controller, whether communication with a cooling fan controller and an active air flap (AAF) controller is abnormal;   performing, by the integrated controller, a first fail-safe operation of communicating with the cooling fan controller and the AAF controller; and   controlling, by the integrated controller, the cooling fan and the active air flap based on signals of a first temperature sensor of the cooling fan controller and a second temperature sensor of the AAF controller.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 performing a second fail-safe operation, wherein, in the second fail-safe operation, based on a signal of the first temperature sensor, the cooling fan controller: (1) turns off the cooling fan at a temperature less than a predetermined lower limit temperature, (2) controls the cooling fan with maximum output at a temperature equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit temperature, or (3) maintains control output of the cooling fan as output set prior to determination that communication is abnormal in the single-communication checking at a temperature between the lower limit temperature and the upper limit temperature, and   wherein, based on a signal of the second temperature sensor, the AAF controller: (1) closes the active air flap at a temperature less than a predetermined lower limit temperature, (2) opens the active air flap to a maximum degree at a temperature equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit temperature, or (3) maintains an opening degree of the active air flap in a state set prior to determination that communication is abnormal in the single-communication checking at a temperature between the lower limit temperature and the upper limit temperature.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 performing a second fail-safe operation, wherein, based on a signal of the first temperature sensor, the cooling fan controller: (1) turns off the cooling fan at a temperature less than a predetermined lower limit temperature, (2) controls the cooling fan with maximum output at a temperature equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit temperature, or (3) maintains control output of the cooling fan as output set prior to determination that communication is abnormal in the single-communication checking at a temperature between the lower limit temperature and the upper limit temperature   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 performing a second fail-safe operation, wherein, based on a signal of the second temperature sensor, the AAF controller: (1) closes the active air flap at a temperature less than a predetermined lower limit temperature, (2) opens the active air flap to a maximum degree at a temperature equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit temperature, or (3) maintains an opening degree of the active air flap in a state set prior to determination that communication is abnormal in the single-communication checking at a temperature between the lower limit temperature and the upper limit temperature.   
     
     
         13 . A method of controlling a cooling system, the method comprising:
 sensor-output checking, by an integrated controller, whether outputs of an ambient air sensor or an air conditioner coolant pressure sensor are abnormal while a vehicle is turned on and an air conditioner is turned on;   determining whether both the outputs of the ambient air sensor and the air conditioner coolant pressure sensor are abnormal; and   performing a fail-safe operation, wherein: (1) when the determining identifies that both of the ambient air sensor and the air conditioner coolant pressure sensor are abnormal, the integrated controller controls the cooling fan with maximum output and controls the active air flap to be opened to a maximum degree, or (2) when the determining identifies that only one sensor of the ambient air sensor and the air conditioner coolant pressure sensor is abnormal, the integrated controller estimates an output value of the abnormal sensor based on an output value of the other normal sensor.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein only one of the two sensors is abnormal, the method further comprises:
 performing, by the integrated controller, an additional fail-safe operation using the estimated value to control the cooling fan or the active air flap.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein, when the output value of the normal sensor is within a predetermined compensated range set as an intermediate portion of a whole output range of a corresponding sensor, the integrated controller estimates the output value of the abnormal sensor and performs the additional fail-safe operation.