Vehicle engine warm-up apparatus

1. A vehicle engine warm-up apparatus comprising:

a coolant temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of coolant in a cooling system of a vehicle engine;

an intake temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of combustion air entering the vehicle engine;

an air intake heater configured to heat the combustion air entering the vehicle engine;

a heating system configured to provide heat to a passenger compartment of a vehicle using heat transferred from the vehicle engine to the coolant; and

a controller operably coupled to the coolant temperature sensor, the intake temperature sensor and the air intake heater, the controller being configured to operate the air intake heater with the vehicle engine running to increase a rate of heating of the coolant by the vehicle engine to more rapidly make heat available to the heating system in response to determining that the air intake temperature is below a first temperature threshold and the coolant temperature is below a second temperature threshold.

2. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to cease operation of the air intake heater in response to determining the coolant temperature is above the first temperature threshold.

3. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to cease operation of the air intake heater in response to determining the air intake temperature is above the second temperature threshold.

4. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a passenger compartment temperature sensor, with the controller being further configured to operate the air intake heater in response to determining that the temperature within the passenger compartment measured by the passenger compartment temperature sensor is below a third threshold temperature.

5. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the controller is further configured to prevent operation of the air intake heater in response to determining that the passenger compartment is above the third threshold temperature.

6. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a heating system sensor configured to sense an operational state of the vehicle heating system, where the heating system operates in a heat requested operating state and a no-heat requested operating state, and

the controller being further configured to operate the intake heater in response to determining that the vehicle heating system is in the heat requested operating state.

7. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the controller is further configured to cease operation of the air intake heater in response to determining that the vehicle heating system is in the no-heat requested operating state.

8. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the heat system sensor is coupled to a heater core door, the door being movable by passenger operated controls to move between a first position corresponding to the heat requested operating state such that the heater core door allows heating of air flowing to the passenger compartment and a second position corresponding to the no-heat requested operating state such that the heater core door prevents heating of air flowing to the passenger compartment.

9. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a passenger compartment temperature sensor, and

heating system controls including a thermostatic device operable by a vehicle passenger, with the controller being further configured operated the air intake heater in response to determining that the temperature within the passenger compartment measured by the passenger compartment temperature sensor is below a temperature setting of the thermostatic device.

10. The vehicle engine warm-up apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the controller is further configured to cease operation of the air intake heater in response to determining that the temperature within the passenger compartment measured by the passenger compartment temperature sensor is at or above the temperature setting of the thermostatic device.

11. A method for warming-up a vehicle engine, comprising

measuring a temperature of coolant within a cooling system of a vehicle engine;

measuring a temperature of combustion air entering the vehicle engine; and

operating an air intake heater with the vehicle engine running to heat the combustion air entering the vehicle engine to increase a rate of heating of the coolant within the vehicle engine in order to more rapidly make heat available to a passenger compartment heating system of a vehicle in response to determining that the coolant temperature is below a first temperature threshold and the combustion air temperature is below a second temperature threshold.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein

the operating of the air intake heater further includes ceasing operation of the air intake heater in response to determining the coolant temperature is above the first temperature threshold.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein

the operating of the air intake heater further includes ceasing operation of the air intake heater in response to determining the air intake temperature is above the second temperature threshold.

14. The method according to claim 11 , further includes

measuring temperature within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and

the operating of the air intake heater further includes determining that the temperature within the passenger compartment measured by the passenger compartment temperature sensor is below a third threshold temperature.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein

the operating of the air intake heater further includes preventing operation of the air intake heater in response to determining that the passenger compartment is above the third threshold temperature.

16. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising

detecting an operational state of the vehicle heating system, where the heating system operates in a heat requested operating state and a no-heat requested operating state, and

the operating of the air intake heater further includes operating the intake heater in response to determining that the vehicle heating system is in the heat requested operating state.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein

the operating of the air intake heater further includes ceasing operation of the air intake heater in response to determining that the vehicle heating system is in the no-heat requested operating state.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein

detecting positions of a heater core door, the door being movable by passenger operated controls to move between a first position corresponding to the heat requested operating state such that the heater core door allows heating of air flowing to the passenger compartment and a second position corresponding to the no-heat requested operating state such that the heater core door prevents heating of air flowing to the passenger compartment.

19. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising

measuring temperature of the passenger compartment,

detecting a temperature setting on a thermostatic device operable by a vehicle passenger, the operating of the air intake heater further including operating the air intake heater in response to determining that the temperature within the passenger compartment measured by the passenger compartment temperature sensor is below a temperature setting of the thermostatic device.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein

the operating of the air intake heater includes ceasing operation of the air intake heater in response to determining that the temperature within the passenger compartment measured by the passenger compartment temperature sensor is at or above the temperature setting of the thermostatic device.