Vehicle control apparatus and method thereof

1 . A vehicle control apparatus, comprising:

an air conditioning device;

a sensor device;

a memory storing computer-executable code; and

a controller operatively connected with the air conditioning device, the sensor device, and the memory, the controller being configured to execute the code, wherein the code comprises instructions for the controller to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

identify one or more of a driving position of a host vehicle, a driving mode of the host vehicle, a driving speed of the host vehicle, and an outdoor air temperature of the host vehicle, using the sensor device,

identify whether the host vehicle enters a tunnel based on the driving position, and

perform sensor data correction logic for controlling the air conditioning device based on one or more of whether the host vehicle enters the tunnel, the driving speed, an amount of change in the outdoor air temperature, and the driving mode of the host vehicle,

wherein the controller is configured to:

identify whether the driving speed is greater than or equal to a specified speed in response to identifying that the host vehicle is in the tunnel; and

in response to the driving speed being greater than or equal to the specified speed:

(i) update sensing data for the outdoor air temperature at every first time interval in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing, and

(ii) update the sensing data for the outdoor air temperature at every second time interval in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing, wherein the second time interval is shorter than the first time interval.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code further comprises instructions for the controller to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

identify whether the identified driving speed is greater than or equal to a specified speed, in response to identifying that the host vehicle is driving out of the tunnel based on the driving position; and

in response to the driving speed being less than the specified speed,

identify an outdoor air temperature correction value for controlling the air conditioning device based on a first slope corresponding to an increasing speed of the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing, and

identify the outdoor air temperature correction value for controlling the air conditioning device based on a second slope corresponding to a decreasing speed of the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein an absolute value of the first slope is set to be smaller than an absolute value of the second slope.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code further comprises instructions for the controller to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

in response to identifying that the host vehicle enters the tunnel and the driving speed being greater than or equal to the specified speed, set sensitivity of the sensor device to a second degree that is greater than a first degree applied outside the tunnel, and update the sensing data according to the first or second time interval.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the code further comprises instructions for the controller to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

in response to the driving speed being greater than or equal to the specified speed continuously during a specified time, increase a sampling rate about the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing.

6 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the code further comprises instructions for the controller to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

identify whether the identified driving speed is greater than or equal to the specified speed, in response to identifying that the host vehicle enters the tunnel based on the driving position; and

in response to the driving speed being less than the specified speed,

identify the outdoor air temperature correction value for controlling the air conditioning device based on a third slope corresponding to an increasing speed of the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing, and

identify the outdoor air temperature correction value for controlling the air conditioning device based on a fourth slope corresponding to a decreasing speed of the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein an absolute value of the third slope is set to be greater than an absolute value of the first slope, and an absolute value of the fourth slope is set to be greater than an absolute value of the second slope.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code further comprises instructions for the controller to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

in response to identifying the driving mode of the host vehicle that corresponds to a first mode:

decrease a setting temperature for controlling the air conditioning device by a first value, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing, and

increase the setting temperature for controlling the air conditioning device by a second value smaller than the first value, in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code further comprises instructions for the controller to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

in response to identifying the driving mode of the host vehicle that corresponds to a second mode, decrease an amount of control for operating a heater included in the air conditioning device and increase an amount of control for operating a heat pump function for absorbing heat outside the host vehicle, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing or being in equilibrium.

10 . A vehicle control method, comprising:

identifying one or more of a driving position of a host vehicle, a driving mode of the host vehicle, a driving speed of the host vehicle, and an outdoor air temperature of the host vehicle;

identifying whether the host vehicle enters a tunnel based on the driving position; and

performing sensor data correction logic for controlling an air conditioning device wherein the performing of the sensor data correction logic comprises:

identifying whether the driving speed is greater than or equal to a specified speed in response to identifying that the host vehicle is in the tunnel; and

in response to the driving speed being greater than or equal to the specified speed:

(i) updating sensing data for the outdoor air temperature at every first time interval in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing; and

(ii) updating the sensing data for the outdoor air temperature at every second time interval in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing, wherein the second time interval is shorter than the first time interval.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the performing of the sensor data correction logic comprises:

identifying whether the identified driving speed is greater than or equal to a specified speed, in response to identifying that the host vehicle is driving out of the tunnel based on the driving position; and

in response to the driving speed being less than the specified speed,

identifying an outdoor air temperature correction value for controlling the air conditioning device based on a first slope corresponding to an increasing speed of the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing, and

identifying the outdoor air temperature correction value for controlling the air conditioning device based on a second slope corresponding to a decreasing speed of the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein an absolute value of the first slope is set to be smaller than an absolute value of the second slope.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the performing of the sensor data correction logic comprises:

in response to identifying that the host vehicle enters the tunnel and the driving speed being greater than or equal to the specified speed, setting sensitivity of the sensor device to a second degree that is greater than a first degree applied outside the tunnel, and updating the sensing data according to the first or second time interval.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

in response to the driving speed being greater than or equal to the specified speed continuously during a specified time, decreasing a sampling rate about the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the performing of the sensor data correction logic comprises:

identifying whether the identified driving speed is greater than or equal to the specified speed, in response to identifying that the host vehicle enters the tunnel based on the driving position; and

in response to the driving speed being less than the specified speed,

identifying the outdoor air temperature correction value for controlling the air conditioning device based on a third slope corresponding to an increasing speed of the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing, and

identifying the outdoor air temperature correction value for controlling the air conditioning device based on a fourth slope corresponding to a decreasing speed of the outdoor air temperature, in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein an absolute value of the third slope is set to be greater than an absolute value of the first slope, and an absolute value of the fourth slope is set to be greater than an absolute value of the second slope.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

in response to identifying the driving mode of the host vehicle corresponding to a first mode,

decreasing a setting temperature for controlling the air conditioning device by a first value, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing, and

increasing the setting temperature for controlling the air conditioning device by a second value smaller than the first value, in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing.

18 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

in response to identifying the driving mode of the host vehicle corresponding to a second mode, and

decreasing an amount of control for operating a heater included in the air conditioning device and increasing an amount of control for operating a heat pump function for absorbing heat outside the host vehicle, in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing or being in equilibrium.

19 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code further comprises instructions for the controller to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

determine whether the host vehicle enters the tunnel based on one of a distance at which the host vehicle is spaced apart from the tunnel, a length of the tunnel, and an estimated time to pass through the tunnel; and

adjust a sampling rate of the sensor device about the outdoor air temperature based on a magnitude between an actual temperature in the tunnel and a temperature outside the tunnel when the outdoor air temperature is increasing.

20 . A vehicle control method, comprising:

identifying one or more of a driving position of a host vehicle, a driving mode of the host vehicle, a driving speed of the host vehicle, and an outdoor air temperature of the host vehicle;

identifying whether the host vehicle enters a tunnel based on the driving position;

performing sensor data correction logic for controlling an air conditioning device based on one or more of whether the host vehicle enters the tunnel, the driving speed, an amount of change in the outdoor air temperature, and the driving mode of the host vehicle, wherein the performing of the sensor data correction logic comprises:

identifying whether the driving speed is greater than or equal to a specified speed in response to identifying that the host vehicle is in the tunnel; and

in response to the driving speed being greater than or equal to the specified speed:

(i) updating sensing data for the outdoor air temperature at every first time interval in response to the outdoor air temperature increasing; and

(ii) updating the sensing data for the outdoor air temperature at every second time interval in response to the outdoor air temperature decreasing, wherein the second time interval is shorter than the first time interval;

adjusting an operation parameter of the air conditioning device based on a difference between an actual temperature in the tunnel and a temperature outside the tunnel; and

maintaining a minimum value for the actual temperature in the tunnel when an error occurs between the outdoor air temperature identified by a sensor device and the actual temperature in the tunnel.