Vehicle-mounted device control system

• US 10,059,284 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishii, Eiichi, Obayashi, Kazuyoshi, Takahara, Masatoshi, Hayashi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong, Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US12/448,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,711 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 701 48, 701 324, 701 328, 701 344, 701 291, 701 292, 701472, 701473, 701476, 701483, 701490
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted device control system includes a first vehicle-mounted device, a second vehicle-mounted device, and a control unit connected to the first vehicle-mounted device and the second vehicle-mounted device. The control unit includes signal transmission means that transmits a predetermined signal to the first vehicle-mounted device, cooperative control means that performs cooperative control in which the second vehicle-mounted device is controlled using information used by the first vehicle-mounted device when the first vehicle-mounted device responds to the predetermined signal, and alternative control means that performs alternative control in which the second vehicle-mounted device is controlled without using information, used by the first vehicle-mounted device, when the first vehicle-mounted device does not respond to the predetermined signal.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted device control system comprising:

a navigation system;

a vehicle-mounted device,

wherein the vehicle mounted device is a device that controls an operation of at least a battery; and

a control unit connected to said navigation system and said vehicle-mounted device wherein

said control unit comprises;

a signal transmission unit,

wherein said signal transmission unit transmits a predetermined signal to said navigation system;

a cooperative control unit,

wherein said cooperative control unit performs cooperative control in which, when said navigation system responds to the predetermined signal, said vehicle-mounted device is then controlled by said control unit using information used by said navigation system; and

an alternative control unit,

wherein said alternative control unit performs alternative control in which, when said navigation system does not respond to the predetermined signal, said vehicle-mounted device is then controlled by said control unit without using information used by said navigation system,

wherein the information used by the navigation system is information relating to a downward slope of the vehicle, and when cooperative control is performed, the vehicle mounted device is controlled to reduce a state of charge of the battery based upon the information used by the navigation system.

2. The vehicle-mounted device control system according to claim 1 wherein

said control unit further comprises an inquiry unit,

wherein said inquiry unit communicates an inquiry to an operator via an output unit connected to said control unit when said navigation system does not respond to the predetermined signal, said inquiry querying whether or not said navigation system is a specification conforming device satisfying specifications predetermined for the cooperative control.

3. The vehicle-mounted device control system according to claim 2 wherein

said control unit further comprises a notification unit,

wherein said notification unit accepts a response to the inquiry from the operator via an input unit connected to said control unit and, if the response indicates that said navigation system is an alternative device at least a part of which does not satisfy the specifications, outputs a notification, which indicates that the cooperative control will not be carried out, via said output unit.

4. The vehicle-mounted device control system according to claim 3 wherein

said control unit further comprises:

type recording unit,

wherein said type recording unit records a type record in a storage unit connected to said control unit when said navigation system is an alternative device, said type record indicating that said navigation system is an alternative device; and

type record deletion unit,

wherein said type record deletion unit deletes the type record.

5. The vehicle-mounted device control system according to claim 4 wherein

said control unit further comprises an inquiry omission unit,

wherein said inquiry omission unit omits the inquiry if the type record is detected in the storage unit before the inquiry is issued, said type record indicating that said navigation system is an alternative device.

6. The vehicle-mounted device control system according to claim 3 wherein

said control unit further comprises a notification stop unit,

wherein said notification stop unit accepts a command that stops the notification from the operator via the input unit and said notification stop unit stops the notification.

7. The vehicle-mounted device control system according to claim 6 wherein

said control unit further comprises notification stop release unit

wherein said notification stop release unit accepts a command directing release of the notification stop from the operator from the input unit and said notification stop release unit releases the notification stop.

8. The vehicle-mounted device control system according to claim 2 wherein

an input unit and an output unit of a terminal device connected to said control unit are used as said input unit and said output unit.