VEHICLE BEHAVIOR DATA STORING APPARATUS

• US 20120209450A1
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: NAKAGAKI, Yoshio, SHIMIZU, Kokichi, NAGAI, Takayuki, NAGANO, Yuuji, BAN, Yoshinori
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

An engine ECU compares an acceleration value with a reference value, which corresponds to an accelerator operation value inputted in response to a user operation on an accelerator pedal, and stores vehicle behavior data when the acceleration value exceeds the reference value. After determining that the acceleration value is larger than the reference value and storing the vehicle behavior data, the reference value is changed to a larger value. After determining that the acceleration value is smaller than the reference value and, for example, a period in which the acceleration value remains lower than the reference value, reaches a set period, the reference value is changed to a smaller value. Thus, the number of times of storing the vehicle behavior data is equalized among vehicle users.

Claims

1. A vehicle behavior data storing apparatus comprising:

a reference value memory part for storing a reference value;

a vehicle behavior value inputting part for inputting a vehicle behavior value indicating a degree of vehicle behavior;

a vehicle behavior data inputting part for inputting a vehicle behavior data indicative of the vehicle behavior;

a vehicle behavior data memory part for storing the vehicle behavior data inputted by the vehicle behavior data inputting part;

a memory control part for comparing the vehicle behavior value inputted by the vehicle behavior value inputting part with the reference value stored in the reference value memory part, and storing in the vehicle behavior data memory part the vehicle behavior data inputted by the vehicle behavior data inputting part when a comparison result indicates that the vehicle behavior value satisfies a predetermined condition relative to the reference value; and

a reference value changing part for changing the reference value stored in the reference value memory part when the vehicle behavior data is stored in the vehicle behavior data memory part.

2. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the reference value changing part is configured to change the reference value stored in the reference value memory part immediately after the memory control part stored the vehicle behavior data in the vehicle behavior data memory part such that the vehicle behavior data is stored less frequently in the vehicle behavior data memory part.

3. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the reference value changing part is configured to change the reference value stored in the reference value memory part such that the vehicle behavior data is stored more frequently in the vehicle behavior data memory part, at a time other than immediately after the memory control part stored the vehicle behavior data in the vehicle behavior data memory part.

4. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the reference value changing part is configured to change the reference value stored in the reference value memory part such that the vehicle behavior data is stored more frequently in the vehicle behavior data memory part based on a number of times that the vehicle behavior value fails to satisfy the predetermined condition.

5. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a user identification part for identifying a user of a vehicle,

wherein the reference value memory part is configured to store the reference value for each user identified by the user identification part, and

wherein the reference value changing part is configured to change the reference value stored in the reference value memory part for the each user.

6. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the user identification part identifies the each user based on a personal effect of the each user.

7. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle behavior data inputting part is configured to operate also as the vehicle behavior value inputting part thereby to input the vehicle behavior value as one of the vehicle behavior data.

8. A vehicle behavior data storing apparatus, which is connected electrically to a sensor provided in a vehicle, the vehicle behavior data storing apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to compare at least one of vehicle behavior data indicating vehicle behavior with a reference value stored in the memory, store in the memory the vehicle behavior data when the at least one of vehicle behavior data satisfies a predetermined condition relative to the reference value, and change the reference value to a new value after storing of the vehicle behavior data in the memory such that, in case of having stored the vehicle behavior data in the memory, the predetermined condition is satisfied less frequently even when the vehicle behavior data of a same value are generated in succession after the storing of the vehicle behavior data in the memory.

9. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the processor is configured to change the reference value to a value, which is larger than that of before changing, when the predetermined condition requires that the at least one of vehicle behavior data is larger than the reference value.

10. The vehicle The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the processor is configured to change the reference value to a value, which is smaller than that of before changing, when the predetermined condition requires that the at least one of vehicle behavior data is smaller than the reference value.

11. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a user identification part configured to identify a user of the vehicle,

wherein the memory is configured to store reference values in correspondence to users,

wherein the processor is configured to specify, based on user information acquired from the user identification part, the reference value corresponding to the user information among the reference values stored in the memory, and use the reference value specified based on the user information for comparison with the at least one vehicle behavior data.

12. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the at least one of vehicle behavior data indicates an acceleration value of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the processor is configured to change the reference value to a new value such that the predetermined condition is satisfied more frequently, when the acceleration value continues to fail to satisfy the predetermined condition for an interval, which is set based on at least one of a travel distance, a time period and a number of times that the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

14. The vehicle behavior data storing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the processor is configured to change the reference value to a new value as a function of a maximum acceleration value.