IDLING STOP CONTROL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

• US 20150275840A1
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: SAWADA, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 9,574,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0837 Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/061 Battery state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0801 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0802 Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/101 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/102 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/125 Information about other vehicles, traffic lights or traffic congestion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An idling stop control system stops an idling of an engine so as to automatically stop the engine in the case where a predetermined condition on automatic stop of the engine is established and releases the automatic stop of the engine so as to restart the engine in the case where a predetermined condition on restart of the engine is established in accordance with a driving condition of the vehicle. The idling stop control system recognizes a type of an object in front of the vehicle and restarts the engine depending on the type of the object in front of the vehicle even if the engine is in the automatic stop and the restart condition of the engine is not established with respect to the driving condition.

Claims

1. An idling stop control system for a vehicle, which stops an idling of an engine of the vehicle so as to automatically stop the engine in the case where a predetermined condition on automatic stop of the engine is established, and releases the automatic stop of the engine so as to restart the engine in the case where a predetermined condition on restart of the engine is established in accordance with a driving condition of the vehicle, the idling stop control system comprising:

a front information recognition unit that recognizes a type of an object in front of the vehicle; and

a second restart determination unit that determines the restart of the engine depending on the type of the object in front of the vehicle recognized by the front information recognition unit, even if the restart condition of the engine is not established during the automatic stop of the engine,

wherein the idling stop control system performs and prohibits the restart of the engine in accordance with the determination made by the second restart determination unit.

2. The idling stop control system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where a three-dimensional object immediately in front of the vehicle, which is recognized by the front information recognition unit, is a pedestrian, the second restart determination unit prohibits the restart of the engine.

3. The idling stop control system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where the three-dimensional object immediately in front of the vehicle, which is recognized by the front information recognition unit, is a motorcycle and another vehicle in front of the motorcycle is at a stop, the second restart determination unit prohibits the restart of the engine even if the motorcycle moves.

4. The idling stop control system for a vehicle, according to claim 2, wherein, in the case where the three-dimensional object immediately in front of the vehicle, which is recognized by the front information recognition unit, is a motorcycle and another vehicle in front of the motorcycle is at a stop, the second restart determination unit prohibits the restart of the engine even if the motorcycle moves.

5. The idling stop control system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where the three-dimensional object in front of the vehicle, which is recognized by the front information recognition unit, is a four-wheel vehicle, the second restart determination unit causes the engine to restart when the four-wheel vehicle moves.

6. The idling stop control system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, in the case where the three-dimensional object in front of the vehicle, which is recognized by the front information recognition unit, is a four-wheel vehicle, the second restart determination unit causes the engine to restart when the four-wheel vehicle moves.

7. The idling stop control system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, in the case where the three-dimensional object in front of the vehicle, which is recognized by the front information recognition unit, is a four-wheel vehicle, the second restart determination unit causes the engine to restart when the four-wheel vehicle moves.

8. The idling stop control system for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein, in the case where the three-dimensional object in front of the vehicle, which is recognized by the front information recognition unit, is a four-wheel vehicle, the second restart determination unit causes the engine to restart when the four-wheel vehicle moves.