Control system and method for onboard equipment

• US 6,930,595 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Nitta, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/412,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 340/460, 340/461, 340/425.5, 340/525, 340/692, 340/691.1, 340/691.2, 340/463, 340/438, 340/439, 340/958, 340/996, 701/1, 701/29, 701/30, 701/23, 701/24, 701/35, 701/33, 701/99, 180/271, 434/10, 434/29, 434/62
• US Class Current: 340/460
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/082 using alarm actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/083 using active brake actuation

Abstract

A system and method for controlling onboard equipments, which can make a driver certainly understand operations of alarms corresponding to various functions of a vehicle, and which can make the functions of the vehicle give full effects. When drive guide data corresponding to a set vehicle condition and simulated vehicle condition data concerning the set vehicle condition are stored in a memory (700), and a navigation device (400) plays the drive guide data stored in the memory (700), a system control unit (100) makes a vehicle condition advise unit (200) warn a driver of the set vehicle condition by a simulation on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data. Accordingly, the driver can know an alarm operation of the vehicle condition advise unit corresponding to the set vehicle condition by the simulation.

Claims

1. A control system for an onboard equipment, comprising:

a vehicle condition advice unit for advising a driver of a vehicle condition; and

a simulated advise control unit for simulating an operation of the vehicle condition advice unit based on a simulated set vehicle condition which is set beforehand.

2. A control system for an onboard equipment, comprising:

a vehicle condition advise unit for informing a driver of a vehicle condition;

a play back unit for playing back data stored in a memory to inform the driver, the memory for storing drive guide data corresponding to a set vehicle condition which is set beforehand, and simulated vehicle condition data concerning the set vehicle condition; and

a simulated advise control unit for simulating an operation of the vehicle condition advise unit based on the simulated vehicle condition data when the play back unit executes the drive guide data stored in the memory.

3. The control system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a drive operation unit operated by the driver; and

an operation detecting unit for detecting an operation condition of the drive operation unit,

wherein the simulated advise control unit makes the vehicle condition advise unit inform the driver of the set vehicle condition by the simulation on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data and the operation condition detected by the operation detecting unit.

4. The control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a lane deviation warning unit for informing the driver that the vehicle deviates from a lane.

5. The control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a distance informing unit for warning the driver that the vehicle approaches an object near the vehicle.

6. The control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a condition control advice unit for warning the driver that a condition control device of the vehicle operates.

7. The control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a brake control alarm unit for warning the driver that a brake control device operates.

8. The control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a meter display unit for being visually confirmed by the driver.

9. The control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the play back unit comprises an image display back unit,

the drive guide data include image data, and

the play back unit outputs the image based on the image data to the image display back unit.

10. The control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the play back unit comprises a speaker,

the drive guide data include sound data, and

the play back unit outputs a sound based on the sound data from the speaker.

11. The control system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a drive device for making the vehicle a set driving condition on the basis of the operation condition of the drive operation unit; and

a simulated operation control unit for controlling the drive device on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data and for controlling the operation condition of the drive operation unit so as to correspond to the set vehicle condition.

12. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the drive operation unit comprises a brake pedal,

the drive device comprises a brake device for stopping the vehicle on the basis of a pedal operating condition of the brake pedal, and

the simulated operation control unit comprises a simulated pedal control unit for controlling the brake device on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data, and controlling the pedal operating condition so as to correspond to the set vehicle condition.

13. A control method for an onboard equipment of a vehicle with a vehicle condition advise unit for advising a driver of a vehicle condition, the control method comprising:

simulating an operation of the vehicle condition advise unit based on a simulated set vehicle condition which is set beforehand; and

displaying the simulated set vehicle condition on a display unit.

14. A control method for an onboard equipment of a vehicle comprising a vehicle condition advise unit for informing a driver of a vehicle condition by a play back unit for playing back data stored in a memory to inform the driver, wherein the memory stores drive guide data corresponding to a set vehicle condition which is set beforehand and simulated vehicle condition data concerning the set vehicle condition, the control method comprising:

making the play back unit display the drive guide data stored in the memory; and

simulating an operation of the vehicle condition advise unit based on the simulated vehicle condition data when performing the making the play back unit display the drive guide data.

15. The control method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether to make the play back unit display the drive guide data on the basis of a set determination condition.

16. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the vehicle further comprises a drive operation unit operated by the driver, and an operation detecting unit for detecting an operation condition of the drive operation unit, and

the control method further comprises making the vehicle condition advise unit inform the driver of the set vehicle condition by the simulation on the basis of the operation condition detected by the operation detecting unit, when performing the making the play back unit play the drive guide data and playing the drive guide data.

17. The control method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

selecting any one of a first control step comprising the making the play back unit play the drive guide data, a second control step comprising the making the play back unit play the drive guide data and the making the vehicle condition advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by a simulation on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data, and a third control step comprising the making the play back unit play the drive guide data, the making the vehicle condition advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by a simulation on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data and the making the vehicle condition advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by the simulation on the basis of the operation condition, on the basis of a set selecting condition.

18. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a lane deviation warning unit for informing the driver that the vehicle deviates from a lane, and

the making the vehicle condition advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by a simulation on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data includes making the lane deviation warning unit inform the driver of the set vehicle condition by the simulation on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data.

19. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a distance informing unit for warning the driver that the vehicle approaches an object near the vehicle, and

the making the vehicle condition advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by a simulation, on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data includes making the distance informing unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by the simulation, on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data.

20. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a condition control advise unit for warning the driver that a condition control device of the vehicle operates, and

the making the vehicle condition advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by a simulation, on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data includes making the condition control advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by the simulation, on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data.

21. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a brake control alarm unit for warning the driver that a brake control device of the vehicle operates, and

the making the vehicle condition advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by a simulation, on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data includes making the brake control alarm unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by the simulation, on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data.

22. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the vehicle condition advise unit comprises a meter display unit for being visually confirmed by the driver, and

the making the vehicle condition advise unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by a simulation, on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data includes making the meter display unit warn the driver of the set vehicle condition by the simulation, on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data.

23. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the play back unit comprises an image display unit,

the drive guide data include image data, and

the making the play back unit play the drive guide data includes outputting the image data stored in the memory to the image display back unit.

24. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the play back unit comprises a speaker,

the drive guide data include sound data, and

the making the play back unit play the drive guide data includes outputting the sound data stored in the memory from the speaker.

25. The control method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the vehicle further comprises a drive device for making the vehicle a set driving condition on the basis of the operation condition of the drive operation unit, and

the control method comprises controlling the drive device on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data and for controlling the operation condition of the drive operation unit so as to correspond to the set vehicle condition, when performing the making the play back unit play the drive guide data and playing the drive guide data.

26. The control method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the drive operation unit comprises a brake pedal,

the drive device comprises a brake device for stopping the vehicle on the basis of a pedal operating condition of the brake pedal, and

the controlling the drive device comprises controlling the brake device on the basis of the simulated vehicle condition data, and controlling the pedal operating condition so as to correspond to the set vehicle condition, when performing the making the play back unit play the drive guide data and playing the drive guide data.

27. A control method for an onboard equipment of a vehicle, comprising:

warning a driver of a vehicle condition; and

simulating the warning of the vehicle condition based on a simulated set vehicle condition which is set beforehand.

28. A control method for an onboard equipment of a vehicle, comprising:

warning a driver of a vehicle condition;

playing data stored in a memory to warn the driver, the memory for storing drive guide data corresponding to a set vehicle condition which is set beforehand and simulated vehicle condition data concerning the set vehicle condition; and

simulating the warning of the vehicle condition based on the simulated vehicle condition data, when playing the drive guide data stored in the memory.