Apparatus for controlling an electronic equipment for vehicles

• US 6,956,499 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shinada, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V.
• Application Number:
  US09/836,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/5.72, 340/5.7, 340/5.71, 340/5.74, 340/825.37, 341/176, 307/10.1, 455/343
• US Class Current: 340/4.37
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling electronic equipment for vehicles. The apparatus detects a condition of use of a vehicle and causes the electronic equipment to be put in standby condition from which the electronic equipment can be immediately shifted into a normally operating condition.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an electronic equipment for vehicles comprising:

detection means for detecting a commencement of a condition of use of a vehicle employing the electronic equipment for vehicles;

control means for controlling operations of the electronic equipment for vehicles, wherein when the commencement of the condition of use of the vehicle is detected by the detection means, said control means outputs a signal to cause the electronic equipment to shift from a nonoperative condition to a standby-condition from which the electronic equipment can be shifted into a normally operating condition; and

pause control means included in said electronic equipment receiving the signal output from the control means and for placing the electronic equipment in a pause mode for a predetermined period of time before shifting the electronic equipment from the standby-condition to the normally operating condition.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection means is provided in a control unit which is shifted into the normally operating condition from the standby condition for controlling operations of a motor-operated apparatus employed in the vehicle when the condition of use of the vehicle is commenced, and is operative to detect the commencement of the condition of use of the vehicle by detecting a shift of the control unit into the normally operating condition from the standby condition.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said detection means is operative to detect the shift of the control unit into the normally operating condition from the standby condition by detecting starting voltage variations occurring in the control unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control unit is shifted into the normally operating condition from the standby condition when the reception of a lock control signal for unlocking door lock means provided in the vehicle is detected by lock control signal receiving means provided in the vehicle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control unit is shifted into the normally operating condition from the standby condition when the reception of a lock control signal for unlocking door lock means provided in the vehicle is detected by lock control signal receiving means provided in the vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control unit is shifted into the normally operating condition from the standby condition when a manual handling to a door knob of the vehicle for unlocking door lock means provided in the vehicle is detected by door knob handling detecting means provided in the vehicle.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control unit is shifted into the normally operating condition from the standby condition when a manual handling to a door knob of the vehicle for unlocking door lock means provided in the vehicle is detected by door knob handling detecting means provided in the vehicle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is operative to detect the commencement of the condition of use of the vehicle with the reception of a lock control signal for unlocking door lock means provided in the vehicle and detected by lock control signal receiving means provided in the vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection means is operative to detect the commencement of the condition of use of the vehicle with a manual handling to a door knob of the vehicle for unlocking a door lock mechanism provided in the vehicle detected by door knob handling detecting means provided in the vehicle.