Vehicle control device

• US 20090043457A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Shinji, Murakami, Hiroko, Onishi, Noriyasu, Shibagaki, Toshimasa, Kakegawa, Tomoo
• Granted Patent: US 8,527,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/10 Safety devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A vehicle control device has first and second transmission circuits that communicate by radio with a portable unit and also has a control section that, when the portable unit is confirmed to be correct, engages in a permission mode that permits the start of an engine. The first and second transmission circuits transmit first and second request signals from first and second transmission antennas to first and second communicatable areas respectively. When a back door is detected to be open, the control section does not permit the start of the engine even if an ID code signal is returned from the portable unit in response to the second request signal.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device comprising:

a communication means for performing wireless communication with a portable device; and

a control means for controlling the communication performed by the communication means, communicating with the portable device to authenticate the portable device, and entering an enable mode for enabling starting of an engine or normal driving of the vehicle when the portable device is authenticated, wherein

the control means is configured to detect whether or not a door of the vehicle is open and refrain from entering the enable mode when that the door is open.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

the communication means includes a plurality of communication antennas respectively forming a plurality of different communicable regions in a passenger compartment;

and

the control means, when detecting that the door is open, skips entering the enable mode even when communication is performed between the portable device and the one of the communication antennas of which the communicable region includes the vicinity of the open door and disables the starting of the engine or restricts normal driving of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of communication antennas includes a communication antenna of which the communicable region is located at a rear part of the passenger compartment.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication means is one of the plurality of communication means respectively forming a plurality of different communicable regions in a passenger compartment; and

the control means, when detecting that the door is open, stops communication between the portable device and the communication means of which the communicable region corresponds to the open door.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication means includes a plurality of communication antennas respectively forming a plurality of different communicable regions in a passenger compartment; and

the control means, when detecting that the door is open, lowers an output level of the communication antenna of which the communicable region corresponds to the open door.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication means includes a main antenna forming a first communicable region including a driver'"'"'s seat in the passenger compartment and a sub-antenna forming a second communicable region excluding the driver'"'"'s seat in the passenger compartment; and

the control means, when communication is established between the main antenna and the portable device, enters the enable mode even when detecting that the door is open.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle includes a plurality of doors;

the communication means includes a plurality of communication antennas respectively associated with the plurality of doors; and

the control means, when detecting that the door is open, skips entering the enable mode and disables the starting of the engine or restricts normal driving of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle has a plurality of doors including a driver'"'"'s seat door; and

the control means enters the enable mode when detecting that only the driver'"'"'s seat door is open.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the control means narrows the communicable region when detecting that the door is open.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the door is distant from a driver'"'"'s seat, and the control means detects whether or not the distant door is opened.

11. A vehicle control device for installation in a vehicle including an engine, a driver'"'"'s seat, and a door distant from the driver'"'"'s seat, for wirelessly communicating with a portable device, the vehicle control device comprising:

a communication means for communicating with the portable device, the communication means outputting a first request signal within a first communicable region that is near the driver'"'"'s seat and outputting a second request signal within a second communicable region that is distant from the driver'"'"'s seat; and

a control means, connected to the communication means, for providing an output command to the communication means to selectively output one of the first request signal and the second request signal, wherein the control means;

checks, when an ID code is returned from the portable device in response to the first request signal, whether the ID code is authentic;

enters an enable mode when the ID code is authentic and enables starting of the engine or normal driving of the vehicle;

detects whether or not the door is closed when the ID code is returned from the portable device in response to the second request signal; and

skips entering the enable mode when the door is not closed.

12. The vehicle control device according to claim 11, wherein the control means skips entering the enable mode when detecting that the door is open and disables starting of the engine or restricts normal driving of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle control device according to claim 11, wherein the control means:

checks whether or not the ID code returned from the portable device in response to the second request signal is authentic when detecting that the door is closed; and

enters the enable mode enabling starting of the engine or normal driving of the vehicle when the ID code is authentic.