Method and apparatus for start control of a vehicle

• US 20060175902A1
• Filed: 11/25/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsubara, Manabu
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.300
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/045 by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine

Abstract

An accessory switch SWa and an ignition switch SWi are connected to a sub-relay RL1. A starter switch SWs is connected to a sub-relay RL2. The sub-relay RL2 is turned OFF when welding occurs in the starter switch SWs. When welding occurs in the accessory switch SWa, the starter switch SWs is turned OFF, or the starter switch SWs is not turned ON.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A start control apparatus for providing start control of a vehicle in response to a remote signal received from a remote terminal, or in the directive mode, comprising:

a starter switch configured to control starting of an engine of the vehicle;

a relay configured to control power supply to the starter switch;

a power circuit configured to provide power supply to at least one of an ignition switch that controls ignition of the engine and an accessory switch that controls power supply to in-vehicle electric equipment, wherein the power circuit provides the power supply independent of the relay;

a starter switch welding detecting unit configured to detect whether welding has occurred in the starter switch; and

a switch control unit configured to disconnect the relay disconnect power supply to the starter switch when the starter switch welding detecting unit detects that welding has occurred in the starter switch.

24. A start control apparatus for providing start control of a vehicle in response to a remote signal received from a remote terminal, or in the directive mode, comprising:

a starter switch configured to control starting of an engine of the vehicle;

an accessory switch configured to control power supply to in-vehicle electric equipment;

a starter switch welding detecting unit configured to detect whether welding has occurred in the starter switch; and

a switch control unit configured to turn ON the accessory switch in succession to start of the engine after detection by the starter switch welding detecting unit is over.

25. The start control unit according to claim 24, further comprising a relay configured to control power supply to the starter switch, wherein

the switch control unit disconnects power to the starter switch by controlling the relay, when the starter switch welding detecting unit detects that welding has occurred in the starter switch, and then turns ON the accessory switch.

26. A start control apparatus for providing start control of a vehicle in response to a remote signal received from a remote terminal, or in the directive mode, comprising:

a starter switch configured to control starting of an engine of the vehicle;

an accessory switch configured to control power supply to in-vehicle electric equipment;

a accessory switch welding detecting unit configured to detect whether welding has occurred in the accessory switch; and

a switch control unit configured to turn OFF the starter switch when the accessory switch welding detecting unit detects that welding has occurred in the accessory switch after the starter switch is turned ON.

27. A start control apparatus for providing start control of a vehicle in response to a remote signal received from a remote terminal, or in the directive mode, comprising:

a starter switch configured to control starting of an engine of the vehicle;

an accessory switch configured to control power supply to in-vehicle electric equipment;

a accessory switch welding detecting unit configured to detect whether welding has occurred in the accessory switch; and

a switch control unit configured to turn ON the starter switch after detection by the starter switch welding detecting unit is over.

28. The start control apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the switch control unit suppresses control for turning ON the starter switch when the accessory switch welding detecting unit detects that welding has occurred in the accessory switch.

29. The start control apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the switch control unit provides control for turning ON the starter switch when the accessory switch welding detecting unit detects that welding had occurred in the accessory switch but the welding has been melted away.

30. A start control apparatus for providing start control of a vehicle in response to a remote signal received from a remote terminal, or in the directive mode, comprising:

a starter switch configured to control starting of an engine of the vehicle;

an accessory switch configured to control power supply to in-vehicle electric equipment;

a accessory switch welding detecting unit configured to detect whether welding has occurred in the accessory switch; and

a switch control unit capable of switching a sequence of the control for turning ON the starter switch and detection of welding in the accessory switch.

31. The start control apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the switch control unit is configured to change a standby period that is time between when the accessory switch is turned OFF and the detection of welding in the switch is started.

32. The start control apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the sequence of the control for turning ON the starter switch and the detection of welding in the accessory switch can be switched based on the standby period.

33. A start control apparatus for providing start control of a vehicle in response to a remote signal received from a remote terminal, or in the directive mode, comprising:

a first switch control unit configured to output a first control signal to a first switch, wherein the first switch is any one of a first starter switch and a first ignition switch;

a second switch control unit configured to output a second control signal to a second switch, wherein the second switch is any one of a second starter switch and a second ignition switch;

a first monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the first switch;

a second monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the second switch; and

an auxiliary circuit configured to input a signal that indicates a state of a switch other than the second switch to the second monitoring unit.

34. The start control apparatus according to claim 33, wherein

the first switch control unit outputs a control signal to the first starter switch,

the second switch control unit outputs a control signal to the second starter switch, and

the auxiliary control circuits inputs a signal indicative of a state of the first starter switch to the second monitoring unit.

35. The start control apparatus according to claim 33 further comprising:

a determining unit configured to determine a connection state of a switch based on a result of monitoring by at one of the first monitoring unit and the second monitoring unit, wherein the determining unit can change timing for execution of the determination.

36. The start control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the determining unit determines the connection state of the switch based on a result of monitoring by the second monitoring unit according either later one of the control timing for the switch input from the auxiliary circuit and the control timing by the second switch control unit.

37. The start control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the determining unit determines the state of a connection state of a switch based on a result of monitoring by the second monitoring unit according to the control timing for the switch input from the auxiliary switch.

38. The start control apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the start control apparatus incorporates therein at least one of the first starter switch and the first ignition switch, and

the start control apparatus further comprising an external connection terminal for connecting the switch controlled by the second switch control unit to outside.

39. A start control apparatus comprising:

a first monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of a first ignition line switch when providing start control; and

a second monitoring unit configured to monitor a second ignition line switch when providing start control, wherein the second monitoring unit monitors, when the second ignition line switch is not provided therein, a state of the first ignition line switch.

40. A start control apparatus comprising:

a first switch control unit configured to control a first ignition line switch when providing start control;

a second switch control unit configured to control a second ignition line switch at a timing different from that for the first ignition line switch when providing start control;

a first monitoring unit configured to monitor the first ignition line switch;

a second monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the second ignition line switch;

a first determining unit configured to determine abnormality of the first ignition line switch based on a result of monitoring by the first monitoring unit after a state of the first ignition line switch is changed; and

a second determining unit configured to determine abnormality of the second ignition line switch based on a result of monitoring by the second monitoring unit after a state of the second ignition line switch is changed;

wherein starting determination of abnormality by the first determining unit after the state change of the first ignition line switch and starting determination of abnormality by the second determining unit after the state change of the second ignition line switch are performed at same timing.

41. The start control apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the second monitoring unit monitors a state of the first ignition line switch when the second ignition line switch is not provided therein.

42. A start control apparatus comprising:

a first switch control unit configured to output a control signal to the first ignition line switch when providing start control;

a second switch control unit configured to output a control signal to the second ignition line switch at a timing different from that for the first ignition line switch when providing start control;

a first monitoring unit configured to receive a signal output from the first ignition line switch and monitor a state of the first ignition line switch based on received signal;

a second monitoring unit configured to receive a signal output from the second ignition line switch and monitor a state of the second ignition line switch based on received signal;

a first determining unit configured to output a control signal to the first ignition line switch and then starting determination of abnormality of the first ignition line switch at a first timing; and

a second determining unit configured to output a control signal to the second ignition line switch and then starting determination of abnormality of the second ignition line switch at a second prespecified timing,

wherein the first timing for starting determination of abnormality by the first determining unit and the second timing for starting determination of abnormality by the second monitoring unit determining unit are set identically.

43. A start control apparatus comprising:

a first switch control unit configured to output a control signal to the first ignition line switch when providing start control;

a second switch control unit configured to output a control signal to the second ignition line switch at a timing different from that for the first ignition line switch when proving start control;

a first monitoring unit configured to receive a signal output from the first ignition line switch and monitor a state of the input signal based on received signal;

a second monitoring unit configured to receive any one of a signal output from the first ignition line switch and a signal output from the second ignition line switch and monitor a state of input signal;

a first determining unit configured to output a control signal to the first ignition line switch and then starting determination of abnormality of the first ignition line switch at a first timing;

a second determining unit configured to output a control signal to the second ignition line switch and then starting determination of abnormality inputted to the second monitoring unit switch at a second timing;

an input identifying unit configured to identify a type of the ignition line switch inputted to the second monitoring unit based on a result of monitoring by the first monitoring unit and the second monitoring unit; and

a determination timing changing unit configured to change the second timing for starting determination of abnormality by the second determining unit to the first timing for starting determination of abnormality by the first determining unit when it is determined by the input identifying unit that the ignition line switch inputted to the second monitoring unit is the first ignition line switch.

44. A start control method of providing start control of a vehicle in response to a remote signal received from a remote terminal, or in the directive mode, comprising:

detecting whether welding has occurred in a starter switch; and

disconnecting power to the starter switch when it is detected at the detecting that welding has occurred in the starter switch.