Vehicle control apparatus having function for preventing erroneous operation due to delay in activation of other vehicle control apparatus

• US 20060226702A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ando, Katsuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,164,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.100
• 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

Abstract

In a control system in which a first vehicle control apparatus becomes activated prior to activation of a second vehicle control apparatus, and is coupled for communication with the second vehicle control apparatus and has a storage medium for storing data received from the second vehicle control apparatus, the first vehicle control apparatus inhibits processing using data stored in the storage medium, during a delay interval that precedes activation of the second vehicle control apparatus.

Claims

1. In a control system of a vehicle, a first vehicle control apparatus comprising a communication circuit that is coupled for data communication with a second vehicle control apparatus, and a storage medium for storing data received from said second vehicle control apparatus via said communication circuit, said second vehicle control apparatus having an activation time point that is delayed with respect to an activation time point of said first vehicle control apparatus;

wherein said first vehicle control apparatus comprises control circuit means for inhibiting execution of processing that utilizes data stored in said storage medium, during a delay interval extending from said activation time point of said first vehicle control apparatus up to a specific time point that occurs no later than said activation time point of said second vehicle control apparatus.

2. A vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein said first control circuit means inhibits said execution of processing that utilizes data stored in said storage medium, during a delay interval extending from said activation time point of said first vehicle control apparatus up to a time point of switch-on of a main power supply of said vehicle.

3. A vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit means inhibits said execution of processing that utilizes data stored in said storage medium, during a delay interval extending from said activation time point of said first vehicle control apparatus up to a time point that succeeds, by a predetermined reference duration, a time point of switch-on of a main power supply of said vehicle.

4. A vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit means inhibits said execution of processing that utilizes data stored in said storage medium, during a delay interval extending from said activation time point of said first vehicle control apparatus up to a time point at which data begin to be received from said second vehicle control apparatus via said communication circuit means.

5. A vehicle control system according to claim 4, wherein said second vehicle control apparatus is adapted to respond to a data transmission request by transmitting data to a source of said data transmission request, and wherein said first vehicle control apparatus repetitively transmits data transmission requests to said second vehicle control apparatus during said delay interval.

6. A vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit means inhibits execution of failure detection processing that utilizes data stored in said storage medium, during said delay interval.

7. A vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein said second vehicle control apparatus is adapted to respond to receiving a data transmission request by transmitting data to a source of said data transmission request, and wherein said control circuit means inhibits transmitting of a data transmission request by said first vehicle control apparatus to said second vehicle control apparatus during said delay interval.

8. In a vehicle control system, a first vehicle control apparatus comprising a communication circuit that is coupled for data communication with a second vehicle control apparatus, a storage medium for storing data received from said second vehicle control apparatus via said communication circuit, and control circuit means, said second vehicle control apparatus having an activation time point that is delayed with respect to an activation time point of said first vehicle control apparatus,

wherein said control circuit means comprises:

interval judgement means for judging whether a current time point is within a delay interval that extends from a time point of activation of said first vehicle control apparatus up to a point prior to activation of said second vehicle control apparatus, and inhibit means operating based on judgement results produced by said interval judgement means for inhibiting processing that utilizes data stored in said storage medium, during said delay interval;

and wherein said first vehicle control apparatus implements respective functions of said interval judgement means and inhibit means by executing a program.