Apparatus and procedure for starting vehicle engine

• US 6,609,488 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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: Hayashi, Masaki, Shamoto, Hirokazu, Nagae, Toshihiro, Kishida, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Moulis, Thomas N.
• Application Number:
  US09/977,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.3, 123/179.4, 701/113, 307/10.6
• US Class Current: 123/179.3
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle engine starting apparatus that allows a driver to start an engine easily. The apparatus has a plurality of operation modes. The apparatus includes a starter motor, an ignition switch, and a control circuit. The ignition switch is pressed to generate an operation signal. The control circuit is connected to the starter motor and the ignition switch. The control circuit changes the current operation mode or activates the starter motor to start the engine depending on the nature of the operation signal. The control circuit judges whether to switch the operation modes of the electric system or to activate the starter motor depending on the duration of the operation signal,

Claims

1. An engine starting apparatus of a vehicle wherein the vehicle has a plurality of electrical systems modes, the apparatus comprising:

a starter motor for starting an engine;

an ignition switch, wherein the ignition switch is pressed to generate an operation signal; and

a control circuit, which is connected to the starter motor and the ignition switch, wherein the control circuit changes the current electrical system mode or activates the starter motor to start the engine depending on the nature of the operation signal.

2. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit judges whether to change the current electrical system mode or to activate the starter motor depending on the duration of the operation signal.

3. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit activates the starter motor if the duration of the operation signal is less than a predetermined reference time.

4. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control circuit changes the current electrical system mode if the duration of the operation signal is equal to or greater than the reference time.

5. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the electrical system modes of the apparatus include an OFF mode, an accessory mode and an ON mode, and the control circuit changes the current mode among the OFF mode, the accessory mode, and the ON mode in this order at certain time intervals.

6. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control circuit maintains the apparatus in the ON mode if the engine fails to start

7. The vehicle engine starring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit activates the starter motor if the duration of the operation signal is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference time.

8. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control circuit changes the current electrical system mode if the duration of the operation signal is less than the reference time.

9. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the electrical system modes of the apparatus include an OFF mode, an accessory mode and an ON mode, and the control circuit changes the current mode among the OFF mode, the accessory mode, and the ON mode in this order at certain time intervals.

10. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit maintains the apparatus in the ON mode if the engine fails to start

11. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit judges whether to change the current electrical system mode or to activate the starter motor depending on the number of times that the ignition switch generates the operation signal.

12. The vehicle engine starting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit maintains the apparatus in a predetermined mode if the engine fails to start.

13. An engine starting apparatus of a vehicle wherein the vehicle has a plurality of electrical system modes, the apparatus comprising:

a starter motor for starting an engine;

an ignition switch, wherein the ignition switch is pressed to generate an operation signal;

a plurality of switches, wherein the switches change the current electrical system mode; and

a control circuit, which is connected to the starter motor and the switches, wherein the control circuit controls the switches to change the current electrical system mode or activates the starter motor to start the engine depending on the nature of the operation signal.

14. A method of starting an engine of a vehicle wherein the vehicle has a plurality of electrical system modes, the method comprising:

pressing an ignition switch;

changing the current electrical system mode by activating the ignition switch in a first manner; and

activating the starter motor to start the engine by activating the ignition switch in a second manner, wherein the first manner includes activating the ignition switch for a period of time that is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference time, and the second manner includes activating the ignition switch for a period of time that is less tan to reference time.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein activating the ignition switch is closing the ignition switch.

16. A method of starting an engine of a vehicle wherein the vehicle has a plurality of electrical system modes, the method comprising:

pressing an ignition switch;

changing the current electrical system mode by activating the ignition switch in a first manner; and

activating the starter motor to start the engine by activating the ignition switch in a second manner, wherein the first manner includes activating the ignition switch for a period of time that is less than a predetermined reference time, and the second manner includes activating the ignition switch for a period of tune that is equal to or greater than the reference time.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein activating the ignition switch is closing the ignition switch.