System and method for heater power prioritization and distribution

1. A heater management system for a mobile unit (MU), the MU including a plurality of heated zones, the heater management system comprising:

for each of the heated zones:

a heater driver controlled by a unique control channel that is configured to heat the heated zone; and

a sensor sensing environmental data external and internal to the heated zone;

a memory storing a heater driver prioritization database; and

a heater management processor programmed to:

receive periodic reports from each of the sensors;

prioritize the heated zones by utilizing the heater driver database as a function of the periodic reports; and

determine power to be provided to each of the heater drivers based on the prioritizing operation and a predetermined global power limitation;

wherein the heater driver prioritization database includes a plurality of heater driver prioritization orders, each heater driver prioritization order being associated with a predetermined condition based upon the environmental data, the heated zones being prioritized based upon the heater driver prioritization order.

2. The heater management system of claim 1 , wherein the environmental data includes a temperature value and a humidity value.

3. The heater management system of claim 1 , wherein the heater management processor provides the power to a first one of the heated zones, the first heated zone having a highest priority, the heater management processor being further programmed to:

determine when the first heated zone has reached a first desired temperature; and

determine a first maintenance power to the first heated zone such that the first desired temperature is maintained.

4. The heater management system of claim 3 , wherein the first desired temperature is determined based upon the environmental data.

5. The heater management system of claim 3 , wherein the power to the first heated zone is a portion of a total dedicated power as indicated by the global power limitation.

6. The heater management system of claim 5 , wherein the heater management processor provides the power to a second one of the heated zones, the second heated zone having a lower priority than the first heated zone, the heater management processor being further programmed to:

determine when the second heated zone has reached a second desired temperature; and

determine a second maintenance power to the second heated zone such that the second desired temperature is maintained.

7. The heater management system of claim 6 , wherein the global power limitation indicates that the power provided to the second heated zone is limited to a difference between the total dedicated power and the first maintenance power.

8. The heater management system of claim 7 , wherein the first heated zone includes a display device and the second heated zone includes an input device.

9. The heater management system of claim 1 , wherein the power is provided based on at least one predetermined safety limitation.

10. A method, comprising:

generating a heater driver prioritization database for a heater management system of a mobile unit (MU), the MU including a plurality of heated zones, each of the heated zones including a heater driver controlled by a unique control channel that is configured to heat the heated zone and a sensor sensing environmental data external and internal to the heated zone;

receiving periodic reports from each of the sensors;

prioritizing the heated zones by utilizing the heater driver database as a function of the periodic reports; and

providing power to each of the heater drivers based on the prioritizing operation and a predetermined global power limitation;

wherein the heater driver prioritization database includes a plurality of heater driver prioritization orders, each heater driver prioritization order being associated with a predetermined condition based u s on the environmental data the heated zones being prioritized based upon the heater driver prioritization order.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the environmental data includes a temperature value and a humidity value.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the prioritized power is provided to a first one of the heated zones, the first heated zone having a highest priority, the method further comprising:

determining when the first heated zone has reached a first desired temperature; and

determining a first maintenance power to the first heated zone such that the first desired temperature is maintained.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first desired temperature is determined based upon the environmental data.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the prioritized power to the first heated zone is a portion of a total dedicated power as indicated by the global power limitation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the prioritized power is provided to a second one of the heated zones, the second heated zone having a lower priority than the first heated zone, the method further comprising:

determining when the second heated zone has reached a second desired temperature; and

determining a second maintenance power to the second heated zone such that the second desired temperature is maintained.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the global power limitation indicates that the prioritized power provided to the second heated zone is limited to a difference between the total dedicated power and the first maintenance power.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the prioritized power is provided based on at least one predetermined safety limitation.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a heater driver prioritization database for a heater management system of a mobile unit (MU), the mobile MU including a plurality of heated zones, each of the heated zones including a heater driver controlled by a unique control channel that is configured to heat the heated zone and a sensor sensing environmental data external and internal to the heated zone;

receiving periodic reports from each of the sensors;

prioritizing the heated zones by utilizing the heater driver database as a function of the periodic reports; and

providing power to each of the heater drivers based on the prioritizing operation and a predetermined global power limitation;

wherein the heater driver prioritization database includes a plurality of heater driver prioritization orders each heater driver prioritization order being associated with a predetermined condition based upon the environmental data, the heated zones being prioritized based upon the heater driver prioritization order.