VEHICLE CONTROLLER AND VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD

• US 20150025746A1
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshizawa, Daisuke
• Application Number:
  US14/334,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20150025746A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/102 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/104 Driver's intention to turn, e.g. by evaluating direction indicators
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/106 Driver presence, e.g. detected by door lock, seat sensor or belt sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A vehicle controller has a brake operation detector that detects operation of a brake of a vehicle, a contact detector that detects contact of hands with a steering part of the vehicle, an authentication unit that makes wireless communication with a portable device having authentication information and authenticates the portable device, and a controller that controls power supply of the vehicle and driving of a prime mover of the vehicle. If the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the operation of the brake has been detected, and contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been detected for a specified period or more, the controller performs control to start power supply to a predetermined load of the vehicle and start the prime mover.

Claims

1. A vehicle controller comprising:

a brake operation detector that detects operation of a brake of a vehicle;

a contact detector that detects contact of hands with a steering part of the vehicle;

an authentication unit that makes wireless communication with a portable device having authentication information and authenticates the portable device; and

a controller that controls power supply of the vehicle and driving of a prime mover of the vehicle,

wherein, if the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the operation of the brake has been detected, and contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been detected for a specified period or more, the controller performs control to start power supply to a predetermined load of the vehicle and start the prime mover.

2. The vehicle controller according to claim 1,

wherein, if the contact of the hands with the steering part has been detected under a condition that the power supply to the load and the prime mover are stopped, the authentication unit authenticates the portable device,

wherein, if the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been detected for a specified period or more and the operation of the brake has been detected under a condition that the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the controller performs control to start power supply to the load and start the prime mover, and

wherein, if the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been detected for a specified period or more and the operation of the brake has not been detected under the condition that the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the controller performs control to start power supply to at least apart of the load and not to start the prime mover, and then, if the operation of the brake is detected under a condition that the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been continuously detected, the controller performs control to start the prime mover.

3. The vehicle controller according to claim 2,

wherein, if the operation of the brake is detected under a condition that the control to start power supply to at least a part of the load is performed, and then, the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been continuously detected, the authentication unit authenticates the portable device, and

wherein, if the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the controller performs control to start the prime mover.

4. The vehicle controller according to claim 1,

wherein, if the operation of the brake is detected under a condition that the power supply to the load and the prime mover are stopped, the authentication unit authenticates the portable device, and

wherein, if the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been detected for a specified period or more under a condition that the portable device has been successfully authenticated and the operation of the brake has been detected, the controller performs control to start power supply to the load and start the prime mover.

5. The vehicle controller according to claim 1,

wherein, if the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been detected under a condition that the power supply to the load and the prime mover are stopped, the authentication unit authenticates the portable device,

wherein, if the operation of the brake is detected under a condition that the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the controller performs control to start power supply to the load and start the prime mover, and

wherein, if the operation of the brake is not detected under the condition that the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the controller performs control to start power supply to at least a part of the load and not to start the prime mover, and then, if the operation of the brake is detected under a condition that the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been continuously detected, the controller performs control to start the prime mover.

6. The vehicle controller according to claim 5,

wherein, if the operation of the brake is detected under a condition that the control to start power supply to at least a part of the load is performed, and then, the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been continuously detected, the authentication unit authenticates the portable device, and

wherein, if the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the controller performs control to start the prime mover.

7. The vehicle controller according to claim 1,

wherein, if the operation of the brake is detected and the contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been detected for a specified period or more under a condition that the power supply to the load and the prime mover are stopped, the authentication unit authenticates the portable device, and

wherein, if the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the controller performs control to start power supply to the load and start the prime mover.

8. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, further comprising:

a push-button operation part that operates starting and stopping of the prime mover,

wherein, if the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the operation of the brake has been detected, and the contact of the hands with one location of the steering part has been detected for a specified period or more, the controller determines abnormality of the contact detector and prompts a user to operate the operation part.

9. A vehicle control method comprising:

a brake operation detection step of detecting operation of a brake of a vehicle;

a contact detection step of detecting contact of hands with a steering part of the vehicle;

an authentication step of making wireless communication with a portable device having authentication information and authenticating the portable device; and

a starting control step of performing control to start power supply to a predetermined load of the vehicle and start a prime mover of the vehicle if the portable device has been successfully authenticated, the operation of the brake has been detected, and contact of the hands with at least two locations of the steering part has been detected for a specified period or more.