Power supply management system for vehicle mounted apparatus

• US 20040249534A1
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Satoshi, Suzuki, Nobuo, Yamada, Kunihiro, Nakajima, Akihiro
• Application Number:
  US10/491,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249534A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means

Abstract

A power supply management system and method for an on-board device that, when required by a user of the on-board device and/or when a power supply is capable of supplying electric power, allows remote operation of the on-board device by supplying electric power to a communication device so as to place it in a communication-capable state. Further, when not required by the user of the on-board device and/or when the power supply is not capable of supplying electric power, it is possible to inhibit discharge of a power supply by interrupting supply of electric power to the communication device.

Claims

1-19. -19. (Canceled)

20. A power supply management system for an on-board device, comprising at least one controller that:

controls start-up of an on-board device;

causes, upon receipt of a start-up request from outside of the on-board device, start-up of at least a portion of the on-board device;

determines whether a user has a remote control operation intention; and

permits, upon determination that the user has the remote control operation intention, supply of electric power to start-up the at least a portion of the on-board device.

24. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 20, wherein the at least one controller determines whether the remote control operation intention exists based upon a condition set by the user.

25. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 24, wherein the condition relates to a position.

26. The power supply management system for an the-board device of claim 25, wherein the at least one controller determines that the user has the remote control operation intention when a present position of a vehicle is within a registered position area.

27. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 24, wherein the condition relates to a time.

28. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 27, wherein the at least one controller determines that the user has the remote control operation intention when it is a predetermined time.

29. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 24, wherein the condition relates to a date.

30. The power supply management system for an the-board device according to claim 29, wherein the at least one controller determines that the user has the remote control operation intention when it is a predetermined date.

21. A power supply management system for an on-board device, comprising at least one controller that:

controls start-up of an on-board device;

determines whether a user has a remote control operation intention; and

permits, upon determination that the user has the remote control operation intention, supply of electric power to receive a data signal; and

causes, upon receipt of the data signal from outside of the on-board device, start-up of at least a portion of the on-board device.

22. The power supply management system for an on-board device of claim 21, further comprising a wireless LAN device, wherein:

the on-board device is a vehicular navigation device, and

the data signal is received by a portion of the wireless LAN device.

23. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 21, further comprising a central server, wherein:

the power supply management system comprises at least two controllers;

the central server includes at least one of the at least two controllers that determines whether a user has a remote control operation intention; and

the on-board device includes another at least one of the at least two controllers that;

controls the start-up of an on-board device;

permits, when the at least one controller of the central server determines that the user has the remote control operation intention, supply of electric power to receive a data signal; and

causes, upon receipt of the data signal from outside of the on-board device, the start-up of at least a portion of the on-board device.

31. A power supply management system for an on-board device, comprising at least one controller that:

controls start-up of an on-board device;

determines whether a power supply has electric power supply capability;

permits, upon determination that the power supply has electric power supply capability, supply of electric power to receive a start-up request from outside the on-board device; and

causes, upon receipt of the start-up request from outside of the on-board device, start up of at least a portion of the on-board device;

32. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 31, wherein the at least one controller determines whether there is electric power supply capability based upon an environmental condition.

33. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 32, wherein the environmental condition is an outside temperature.

34. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 31, wherein the at least one controller determines whether there is electric power supply capability based upon information indicating capability of the power supply.

35. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 34, wherein:

the information is an inter-terminal voltage of the power supply; and

when the inter-terminal voltage is equal to or-more than a predetermined value, the at least one controller determines that there is electric power supply capability.

36. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 34, wherein:

the information is an electrolyte volume of the power supply; and

when the electrolyte volume is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the at least one controller determines that there is electric power supply capability.

37. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 34, wherein:

the information is a usage period of the power supply; and

when the usage period is equal to or shorter than a predetermined value, the at least one controller determines that there is electric power supply capability.

38. A power supply management system for an on-board device, comprising at least one controller that:

controls start-up of an on-board device;

determines whether a power supply has electric power supply capability;

permits, upon determination that the power supply has electric power supply capability, supply of electric power to receive a data signal from outside the on-board device; and

causes, upon receipt of the data signal from outside of the on-board device, start-up of at least a portion of the on-board device.

39. The power supply management system for the on-board device of claim 38, further comprising a wireless LAN device, wherein:

the on-board device is a vehicular navigation device, and

the data signal is received by a portion of the wireless LAN device.

40. The power supply management system for an on-board device according to claim 38, further comprising a central server, wherein:

the power supply management system comprises at least two controllers;

the central server includes at least one of the at least two controllers that determines whether the power supply has electric power supply capability; and

the on-board device includes another at least one of the at least two controllers that;

controls start-up of an on-board device;

permits, upon determination that the power supply has electric power supply capability, supply of electric power to the data signal receiving portion; and

causes, upon receipt of a data signal from outside of the on-board device, start-up of at least a portion of the on-board device.

41. A method for managing the power supply of an on-board device, comprising:

receiving a start-up request;

determining whether a user has an intention to remotely control the on-board device; and

starting-up, if the user has an intention to remotely control the on-board device, at least a portion of the on-board device.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein determining whether a user has an intention to remotely control the on-board device comprises determining whether a vehicle'"'"'s present position is within a predefined area.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein determining whether a user has an intention to remotely control the on-board device comprises determining whether a current time is within a predetermined time.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein determining whether a user has an intention to remotely control the on-board device comprises determining whether a current date is within a predetermined date.

45. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

determining whether the power supply is capable of supplying power to the on-board device; and

starting-up, only if the power supply is capable of supplying power to the on-board device, at least a portion of the on-board device.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein determining whether the power supply is capable of supplying power to the on-board device comprises determining whether an outside temperature is within a predetermined range.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein determining whether the power supply is capable of supplying power to the on-board device comprises determining whether an inter-terminal voltage of the power supply is within a predetermined range.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein determining whether the power supply is capable of supplying power to the on-board device comprises whether an electrolyte volume of the power supply is within a predetermined range.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein determining whether the power supply is capable of supplying power to the on-board device comprises whether a usage period of the power supply is within a predetermined range.