Automatic control system

• US 20070124029A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Inventors: Hattori, Toshihiro, Matsuura, Mitsuyasu, Morita, Hideyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling

Abstract

An automatic control system provides control of an automotive system in a vehicle based on at least one piece of control provision determination information. The automatic control system includes an information acquisition unit for acquiring the control provision determination information, and determines provision of the control for the automotive system based on predetermined criteria. The criteria defines when and how the query of control provision is conducted by the automatic control system.

Claims

1. An automatic control system for providing control of an automotive system in a vehicle based on at least one piece of control provision determination information, the automatic control system comprising:

an information acquisition means for acquiring the control provision determination information;

a determination means for determining whether the control provision determination information meets a query provision criterion for a user of the automotive device;

a query provision means for providing a query of control provision for the user when the control provision determination information agrees with the query provision criterion; and

a control provision means for providing control of the automotive system based on one of a first condition and a second condition,

wherein the first condition for providing the control of the automotive system is a combined condition of an agreement of the control provision determination information with the query provision criterion and an affirmation of a query of control provision upon having the agreement of the control provision determination information with the query provision criterion, and

the second condition for providing the control of the automotive system is an agreement of the control provision determination information with a control provision without query criterion.

2. The automatic control system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a query condition modification means for modifying the query provision criterion,

wherein the query condition modification means modifies the query provision criterion and the control provision without query criterion after the query provision means provides the query of control provision for the user based on a response to the query,

the query provision criterion is made stricter by the query condition modification means, and

the control provision without query criterion is made more flexible.

3. The automatic control system as in claim 2,

wherein, when the query of control provision is affirmed, the query provision criterion is made stricter and the control provision without query criterion is made more flexible on condition that summation of control values of control categories respectively having the control provision determination information in a predetermined set of categories is greater than a predetermined criterion change value after increasing each of the control values by a predetermined additive value to each of the control values, and

when the query of control provision has a negative response, a predetermined value that is greater than the predetermined additive value is subtracted from the summation of the control values.

4. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein the automotive system is operable by the user in the vehicle, and

the query provision criterion and the control provision without query criterion are modified when the user changes the control of the automotive system after the control of the automotive system is provided by the control provision means based on the control changed by the user.

5. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein the automotive system is operable by the user in the vehicle, and

the query provision criterion is modified when the user operated the automotive system on a condition that neither of the agreement of the control provision determination information with the query provision criterion and the agreement of the control provision determination information with the control without query criterion is achieved.

6. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein the query of control provision is formed as a YES/NO type question for the user, and

the user is encouraged to respond to the YES/NO type question by using one of a YES button and a NO button respectively disposed on the automatic control system.

7. The automatic control system as in claim 6,

wherein absence of response to the YES/NO type question by using one of the YES button and the NO button for a predetermined period after the query of control provision leads to provision of the control of the automotive system based on a predetermined response from the user by an operation of one of the YES button and the NO button.

8. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein the query of control provision is formed as a YES/NO type question for the user,

a response to the question by using a single button disposed on the automatic control system is inputted as one of an affirmative response and a negative response to the question,

the user is encouraged to respond to the YES/NO type question by using the single button, and

absence of response to the YES/NO type question by using the single button for a predetermined period after the query of control provision leads to provision of the control of the automotive system based on a reversed response from the user by an operation of the single button.

9. The automatic control system as in claim 8,

wherein the single button is disposed as an affirmative response button, and

absence of response to the YES/NO type question by using the affirmative response button for the predetermined period after the query of control provision leads to provision of the control of the automotive system based on a negative response from the user.

10. The automatic control system as in claim 6,

wherein the query of control provision is provided for controlling a plurality of the automotive systems, and

a response for the query of control provision for controlling the plural automotive system is inputted by one of the single button and a combination of an affirmative response button and a negative response button.

11. The automatic control system as in claim 6,

wherein the query of control provision is provided for controlling a plurality of the automotive systems, and

a response for the query of control provision for controlling all of the plural automotive system is inputted by one of a single button and a combination of an affirmative response button and a negative response button.

12. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein the control provision for a predetermined automotive system that is operable by the user and outputs one of no response and a subtle response to an operation by the user is accompanied by an output of a control provision notification for the automotive system when the control is provided without the query of control provision.

13. The automatic control system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a driver recognition means for recognizing a driver of the vehicle,

wherein the query provision criterion and the control provision without query criterion are prepared for an individual driver recognized by the driver recognition means.

14. The automatic control system as in claim 1 further comprising:

an output means for outputting a query output for determining whether the query of control provision is provided based on boarding of the driver on the vehicle,

wherein the query of control provision is provided based on an affirmative response by a predetermined input to the query output from the output means.

15. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein a button disposed on the automatic control system is used to give an affirmative response to a query output for determining whether the query of control provision is provided based on boarding of the driver on the vehicle.

16. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein a button disposed on the automatic control system is used to give a negative response to a query output for determining whether the query of control provision is provided based on boarding of the driver on the vehicle.

17. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein the agreement of a query prohibition criterion for preventing distraction caused by querying for the driver is determined when the query provision criterion is satisfied, and

the query of control provision is prohibited when the query prohibition criterion is satisfied.

18. The automatic control system as in claim 17,

wherein the query prohibition criterion is defined as a steering angle being equal to or greater than a predetermined angle that requires a series of successive operations.

19. The automatic control system as in claim 17,

wherein the query prohibition criterion is defined as a throttle opening angle being equal to or greater than a predetermined angle.

20. The automatic control system as in claim 17,

wherein the query prohibition criterion is defined as a brake operation.

21. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein the query provision criterion and the control provision without query criterion are susceptible of outputting toward an external device.

22. The automatic control system as in claim 1,

wherein the query provision criterion and the control provision without query criterion are susceptible of inputting from an external device.

23. An automotive vehicle having the automatic control system as in claim 11,

wherein a single piece of the automatic control system is disposed on board.