Vehicle information recording device, program therefor, vehicle information recording method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

• US 10,055,910 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kayano, Masayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Charles J
• Application Number:
  US15/117,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20170011565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/065 at hot start or restart F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2250/06 Engine stall and related control features, e.g. for automatic restart
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A vehicle information recording device includes: a first control device that continuously stores, into a data storage device, vehicle information indicative of a state of a vehicle having an engine; a first determination device that determines whether the engine is stalled; a second control device that stores engine stall information into the storage unit when the first determination device determines that the engine is stalled while the first control device is storing the vehicle information into the data storage device; and a second determination device that determines whether the engine starts. When the second determination device determines that the engine starts, and the engine stall information is stored in the storage unit, the first control device starts storing the vehicle information into the data storage device.

Claims

1. A vehicle information recording device comprising:

a first control device that stores, into a non-transitory data storage device, vehicle information indicative of a state of a vehicle having an engine as a traveling drive source;

a first determination device that determines whether the engine is stalled;

a traveling information sensor that determines whether the vehicle is stopped;

a second control device that stores engine stall information into a non-transitory storage unit when the first determination device determines that the engine is stalled and the traveling information sensor determines that the vehicle is stopped while the first control device is storing the vehicle information into the non-transitory data storage device; and

a second determination device that determines whether the engine starts, wherein;

when the second determination device determines that the engine starts, and the engine stall information is stored in the non-transitory storage unit, the first control device starts storing the vehicle information into the non-transitory data storage device when (i) the second determination device determines that the engine starts, (ii) the engine stall information is recorded in the non-transitory storage unit, and (iii) a time from an engine stall to an engine start is equal to or shorter than a predetermined threshold;

the vehicle information indicates a travelling state of the vehicle and a part of the vehicle information is used for at least an operation of an engine of the vehicle; and

the engine stall information includes time information and a flag indicating an occurrence of an engine stall.

2. The vehicle information recording device according to claim 1, wherein:

the engine stall information includes time information; and

the first control device measures the time from the engine stall to the engine start based on the time information and the current time.

3. A vehicle information recording method comprising:

storing, via a first control device, into a non-transitory data storage device, vehicle information that indicates a state of a vehicle having an engine as a traveling drive source;

determining, via a first determination device, whether the engine is stalled;

a traveling information sensor that determines whether the vehicle is stopped;

storing, via a second control device, engine stall information into a non-transitory storage unit when the engine is determined to be stalled and the traveling information sensor determines that the vehicle is stopped while storing the vehicle information into the non-transitory data storage device;

determining, via a second determination device, whether the engine starts; and

starting storing, via the first control device, the vehicle information into the non-transitory data storage device and deleting the engine stall information when tithe engine is determined to start and the engine stall information is stored in the non-transitory storage unit (ii) the second determination device determines that the engine starts, (iii) the engine stall information is recorded in the non-transitory storage unit, and (iv) a time from an engine stall to an engine start is equal to or shorter than a predetermined threshold;

wherein;

the vehicle information indicates a travelling state of the vehicle and a part of the vehicle information is used for at least an operation of an engine of the vehicle; and

the engine stall information includes time information and a flag indicating an occurrence of an engine stall.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:

an instruction that is executed by a computer, comprising;

storing, via a first control device, into a non-transitory data storage device, vehicle information that indicates a state of a vehicle having an engine as a traveling drive source;

determining, via a first determination device, whether the engine is stalled;

a traveling information sensor that determines whether the vehicle is stopped;

storing, via a second control device, engine stall information into a non-transitory storage unit when the engine is determined to be stalled and the traveling information sensor determines that the vehicle is stopped while storing the vehicle information into the non-transitory data storage device;

determining, via a second determination device, whether the engine starts; and

starting storing, via the first control device, the vehicle information into the non-transitory data storage device and deleting the engine stall information when (i) the engine is determined to start and the engine stall information is stored in the non-transitory storage unit (ii) the second determination device determines that the engine starts, (iii) the engine stall information is recorded in the non-transitory storage unit, and (iv) a time from an engine stall to an engine start is equal to or shorter than a predetermined threshold;

wherein;

the vehicle information indicates a travelling state of the vehicle and a part of the vehicle information is used for at least an operation of an engine of the vehicle; and

the engine stall information includes time information and a flag indicating an occurrence of an engine stall.