Engine start control apparatus and engine start control method

• US 20060095197A1
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Takeshi, Ono, Yasuo, Hamaue, Itsuki, Tsuruta, Norio, Nishi, Masahumi, Kimura, Yasuomi
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/113
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/10 Safety devices F02N11/08 takes precedence

Abstract

An engine start control apparatus enables a user to start an engine of a vehicle irrespective of a user'"'"'s operation of ignition key. The engine start control apparatus includes a controller that performs engine start control and a storage unit. When the engine abnormally stops during a period in which the controller performs the engine start control, the storage unit stores at least one of a cause of the abnormal stop and a timing of the abnormal stop.

Claims

1. An engine start control apparatus for enabling a user to start an engine of a vehicle irrespective of a user'"'"'s operation of ignition key, the apparatus comprising:

a controller that performs engine start control; and

a storage unit, wherein;

when the engine abnormally stops during a period in which the controller performs the engine start control, the storage unit stores at least one of a cause of the abnormal stop and a timing of the abnormal stop.

2. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notifying unit that notifies the at least one of the cause of the abnormal stop and the timing of the abnormal stop stored in the storage unit when a predetermined operation is performed.

3. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notifying unit includes at least one of a hazard lamp and a horn.

4. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the notifying unit notifies the stored causes of the abnormal stop, the notifying unit gives priority to a cause of the abnormal stop with regard to which an abnormal detection is made at a higher frequency than other causes of the abnormal stop.

5. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

priorities are set to causes of the abnormal stop in advance, and

the notifying unit notifies a cause of the abnormal stop having the highest priority among the stored causes of the abnormal stop.

6. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notifying unit notifies the timing of the abnormal stop by number of times the notifying unit outputs.

7. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a timing of the abnormal stop, which requires larger number of times the notifying unit outputs, is later from a beginning of the engine start control.

8. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

an abnormal diagnosis unit, wherein when the controller detects that the predetermined operation is performed, the controller causes the notifying unit to outputs a diagnosis code detected by the abnormal diagnosis unit.

9. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs the engine start control in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation of a transmitter to allow the user to remotely start the engine.

10. An engine start control method for enabling a user to start an engine of a vehicle irrespective of a user'"'"'s operation of ignition key, the method comprising:

determining at least one of a cause of an abnormal stop of the engine and the abnormal stop of the engine; and

storing at least one of the cause of the abnormal stop and a timing of the abnormal stop.