Electronic control apparatus for motor vehicle

• US 7,411,481 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III; Edwin C
• Application Number:
  US10/913,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/5.31, 340/426.11, 307/10.2, 307/10.5, 701/114, 123/179.3
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0032 Controlling the purging of the canister as a function of the engine operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/062 for starting F02D41/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/08 Circuits or control means specially adapted for starting of engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/304 with other systems inside the vehicle

Abstract

An ECU of a vehicle is activated to communicate with a user validation apparatus while a specific signal such as an ignition signal is being produced, and to perform a first control operation when positive validation occurs, and can be activated by a request signal for a second control operation while the specific signal is off, without performing the communication. Erroneous detection of a communication error is avoided in a case when communication is interrupted due to switch-off of the specific signal and the request signal for the second control operation is received during that communication.

Claims

1. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open, and said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus comprising respective separately installed apparatus units in said vehicle;

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises;

activation purpose judgement means responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging whether or not said activation results from said specific key switch becoming closed for the purpose of starting of an internal combustion engine of said vehicle, with said judgment being based upon detecting whether or not said user validation apparatus is currently activated, and

control means responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement means that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has a purpose other than starting said engine for beginning a second predetermined control operation, without communicating with said user validation apparatus.

2. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, said acquired activation request being produced from a corresponding one of a plurality of sources of activation requests, wherein:

said activation purpose judgement means determines said corresponding source of said acquired activation request, and

said control means performs, as said second control operation, a control operation predetermined as corresponding to said corresponding source of said acquired activation request.

3. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a flag that is set when said activation request is acquired by said electronic control apparatus, wherein said activation purpose judgement means detects a condition of said flag, and when said flag is found to be set, judges that that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has not resulted from said specific key switch being closed.

5. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user validation apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

6. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic control apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

7. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when said specific key switch becomes closed after said electronic control apparatus has received said activation request while said predetermined key switch is open, said control means initiates communication between said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus to obtain said validation result, and begins said first predetermined control operation when said validation result is found to be positive.

8. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, said vehicle being powered by an internal combustion engine and said first predetermined control operation comprising control of operating functions of at least one of an ignition apparatus and a fuel delivery apparatus of said internal combustion engine;

wherein when said electronic control apparatus is activated while said predetermined key switch is open, said electronic control apparatus inhibits the functioning of at least one of said ignition apparatus and said fuel delivery apparatus, and begins a diagnosis operation relating to said internal combustion engine as said second predetermined control operation.

9. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said inhibiting of operation is performed by interrupting a supply of electric power to at least one of said ignition apparatus and said fuel delivery apparatus.

10. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, said vehicle comprising a communication apparatus adapted for wireless communication with a supervisory center that is external to said vehicle and for communication with said electronic control apparatus, and said electronic control apparatus performing diagnosis of a condition of predetermined equipment of said vehicle and recording diagnostics data obtained thereby;

wherein a request signal transmitted from said supervisory center is acquired by said electronic control apparatus from said communication apparatus as said activation request, with said activation request being recognized as originating from said supervisory center, and wherein said electronic control apparatus is thereby activated to transfer said diagnostics data to said communication apparatus, to be transmitted to said supervisory center.

11. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, said vehicle comprising a fuel tank provided with a fuel intake aperture, and means operable for producing an opening command signal to designate that said fuel intake aperture is to be opened;

wherein said opening command signal is supplied to said electronic control apparatus as said activation request, and said electronic control apparatus performs, as said second predetermined control operation, an operation for lowering pressure within said fuel tank to a predetermined value and for thereafter opening said fuel intake aperture.

12. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, said vehicle comprising at least one of a group of sensors including a door sensor for detecting opening of a door of said vehicle and a seat sensor for detecting that a person is occupying a driver seat of said vehicle;

wherein a sensor signal produced from at least one of said sensors is supplied to said electronic control apparatus as said activation request, whereby said electronic control apparatus performs, as said second predetermined control operation, at least one of a group of control operations including initialization processing preparatory to starting an internal combustion engine of said vehicle, activation processing of a catalyst of an exhaust emission control system of said vehicle, and initial position setting of exhaust valves and intake valves of an internal combustion engine of said vehicle.

13. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 3 wherein a plurality of said flags have respective predetermined correspondences with a plurality of control operations and have respective predetermined correspondences with a plurality of sources of activation requests, and wherein when said electronic control apparatus acquires said activation request, a one of said flags that corresponds to said source of said acquired activation request is set, and wherein upon said electronic control apparatus becoming activated, said activation purpose judgement means successively judges respective states of said flags and when at least one of said flags is found to have been set, said control means begins a control operation predetermined as corresponding to said flag that has been set, as said second predetermined control operation.

14. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, said vehicle comprising general-purpose in-vehicle communication means that enable communication between said electronic control apparatus and the exterior thereof;

wherein an externally generated request signal that is transferred to said electronic control apparatus via said general-purpose in-vehicle communication means is acquired by said electronic control apparatus as an activation request.

15. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein closing of said specific key switch corresponds to a predetermined one of a group of operations which includes insertion of an ignition key into a key cylinder that is provided with an insertion switch, thereby producing a key insertion signal, closing of an accessory switch, thereby producing an accessory signal, and closing of an ignition switch, thereby producing an ignition signal.

4. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open,

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises:

activation purpose judgement means responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging whether or not said activation results from said specific key switch becoming closed for the purpose of starting of an internal combustion engine of said vehicle,

control means responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement means that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has a purpose other than starting said engine for beginning a second predetermined control operation, without communicating with said user validation apparatus, and

memory means for storing, as diagnostics history data, information indicative of a failure to obtain a positive validation result through communication with said user validation apparatus;

wherein when said failure has occurred, said electronic control apparatus has become activated as a result of having received said activation request, and said user validation apparatus has become deactivated, said activation purpose judgement means judges a cause of said deactivated condition of said user validation apparatus, and inhibits storing of said information indicative of said failure when it is judged that said user validation apparatus has become deactivated as a result of said predetermined key switch becoming open while said communication between said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus is in progress.

16. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle, for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle incorporating an internal combustion engine and comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open,

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises:

activation purpose judgement circuitry responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging whether or not said activation results from said specific key switch becoming closed for the purpose of starting said engine, with said judgment being based upon detecting whether or not said user validation apparatus is currently activated;

control circuitry responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement circuitry that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has a purpose other than starting said engine for beginning a second predetermined control operation, without communicating with said user validation apparatus, and for deactivating the engine control apparatus upon completion of the second predetermined control operation;

said first predetermined control operation comprising control of equipment that is essential for running said engine; and

when said electronic control apparatus is activated while said predetermined key switch is open, said electronic control apparatus inhibits the functioning of at least a part of said equipment that is essential for running said engine;

wherein said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus comprise respective separately installed apparatus units in said vehicle.

17. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said equipment that is essential for running said engine includes least one of an ignition apparatus and a fuel delivery apparatus.

18. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 16, wherein when said electronic control apparatus is activated while said predetermined key switch is open, said electronic control apparatus begins a diagnosis operation relating to said engine as said second predetermined control operation.

19. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open,

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises:

activation purpose judgement circuitry responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging whether or not said activation results from said specific key switch becoming closed for the purpose of starting of an internal combustion engine of said vehicle, with said judgment being based upon detecting whether or not said user validation apparatus is currently activated; and

control circuitry responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement circuitry that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has a purpose other than starting said engine for beginning a second predetermined control operation, without communicating with said user validation apparatus, and for deactivating the engine control apparatus upon completion of the second predetermined control operation;

wherein said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus comprise respective separately installed apparatus units in said vehicle.

20. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open,

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises:

activation purpose judgement circuitry responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging whether or not said activation results from said specific key switch becoming closed for the purpose of starting of an internal combustion engine of said vehicle,

control circuitry responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement circuitry that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has a purpose other than starting said engine for beginning a second predetermined control operation, without communicating with said user validation apparatus, and

a memory for storing, as diagnostics history data, information indicative of a failure to obtain a positive validation result through communication with said user validation apparatus;

wherein when said failure has occurred, said electronic control apparatus has become activated as a result of having received said activation request, and said user validation apparatus has become deactivated, said activation purpose judgement circuitry judges a cause of said deactivated condition of said user validation apparatus, and inhibits storing of said information indicative of said failure when it is judged that said user validation apparatus has become deactivated as a result of said predetermined key switch becoming open while said communication between said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus is in progress.

21. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the activation purpose judgement circuitry determines that the electronic control apparatus has become activated as a result of having received the activation request by detecting a condition of a flag that is set when the activation request is received by the electronic control apparatus.

22. A method of controlling equipment of a vehicle, the method comprising:

activating a user validation apparatus to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and deactivating the user validation apparatus when said specific key switch becomes open;

selectively activating and deactivating an electronic control unit in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and opened;

performing communication between the electronic control unit and the user validation apparatus when the electronic control unit is activated in accordance with the specific key switch for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and beginning a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive;

activating the electronic control unit upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open;

judging whether or not said activation results from said specific key switch becoming closed for the purpose of starting of an internal combustion engine of said vehicle, with said judgment being based upon detecting whether or not said user validation apparatus is currently activated; and

responsive to a judgement that the activation of said electronic control apparatus has a purpose other than starting said engine, beginning a second predetermined control operation, without the electronic control unit communicating with said user validation apparatus, and deactivating the engine control apparatus upon completion of the second predetermined control operation;

wherein said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus comprise respective separately installed apparatus units in said vehicle.

23. A method of controlling equipment of a vehicle, the method comprising:

activating a user validation apparatus to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and deactivating the user validation apparatus when said specific key switch becomes open;

selectively activating and deactivating an electronic control unit in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and opened;

performing communication between the electronic control unit and the user validation apparatus when the electronic control unit is activated in accordance with the specific key switch for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and beginning a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive;

activating the electronic control unit upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open;

judging whether or not said activation results from said specific key switch becoming closed for the purpose of starting of an internal combustion engine of said vehicle;

responsive to a judgement that the activation of said electronic control apparatus has a purpose other than starting said engine, beginning a second predetermined control operation, without the electronic control unit communicating with said user validation apparatus; and

storing diagnostics information indicative of a failure to obtain a positive validation result through communication between the electronic control apparatus and the user validation apparatus; and

inhibiting storing of said diagnostics information indicative of said failure when it is judged that said user validation apparatus has become deactivated as a result of said predetermined key switch becoming open while said communication between said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus is in progress and as a result of electronic control apparatus having been activated as a result of having received the activation request.

24. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open,

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises:

activation purpose judgement means responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging a purpose of said activation, with said judgment being based upon detecting whether or not said user validation apparatus is currently activated; and

control means responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement means that said purpose of the activation of said electronic control apparatus is to perform an equipment diagnosis operation for performing said equipment diagnosis operation and for deactivating said engine control apparatus upon completion of said equipment diagnosis operation; and

wherein said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus comprise respective separately installed apparatus units in said vehicle.

25. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 24, said acquired activation request being produced from a corresponding one of a plurality of sources of activation requests, wherein:

said activation purpose judgement means determines said corresponding source of said acquired activation request, and

said control means performs said equipment diagnosis operation as a control operation predetermined as corresponding to said corresponding source of said acquired activation request.

26. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 24, comprising a flag that is set when said activation request is acquired by said electronic control apparatus, wherein said activation purpose judgement means detects a condition of said flag, and when said flag is found to be set, judges that that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has not resulted from said specific key switch being closed.

27. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said user validation apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

28. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said electronic control apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

29. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 24, wherein when said specific key switch becomes closed after said electronic control apparatus has received said activation request while said predetermined key switch is open, said control means initiates communication between said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus to obtain said validation result, and begins said first predetermined control operation when said validation result is found to be positive.

30. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open,

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises:

activation purpose judgement means responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging a purpose of said activation, with said judgment being based upon detecting whether or not said user validation apparatus is currently activated, and

control means responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement means that said purpose of the activation of said electronic control apparatus is to perform a specific operation after a specific timed duration has elapsed following halting of said engine for performing said specific operation and for deactivating said engine control apparatus upon completion of said specific operation; and

wherein said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus comprise respective separately installed apparatus units in said vehicle.

31. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 30, said acquired activation request being produced from a corresponding one of a plurality of sources of activation requests, wherein:

said activation purpose judgement means determines said corresponding source of said acquired activation request, and

said control means performs said specific operation as a control operation predetermined as corresponding to said corresponding source of said acquired activation request.

32. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 30, comprising a flag that is set when said activation request is acquired by said electronic control apparatus, wherein said activation purpose judgement means detects a condition of said flag, and when said flag is found to be set, judges that that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has not resulted from said specific key switch being closed.

33. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said user validation apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

34. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said electronic control apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

35. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 30, wherein when said specific key switch becomes closed after said electronic control apparatus has received said activation request while said predetermined key switch is open, said control means initiates communication between said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus to obtain said validation result, and begins said first predetermined control operation when said validation result is found to be positive.

36. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open,

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises:

activation purpose judgement means responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging a purpose of said activation, with said judgment beining based upon detecting whether or not said user validation apparatus is currently activated, and

control means responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement means that said purpose of the activation of said electronic control apparatus is to perform a data transmission operation, in response to a request received from a supervisory center, for performing said data transmission operation and for deactivating said engine control apparatus upon completion of performing said data transmission operation; and

wherein said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus comprise respective separately installed apparatus units in said vehicle.

37. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 36, said acquired activation request being produced from a corresponding one of a plurality of sources of activation requests, wherein:

said activation purpose judgement means determines said corresponding source of said acquired activation request, and

said control means performs said data transmission operation as a control operation predetermined as corresponding to said corresponding source of said acquired activation request.

38. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 36, comprising a flag that is set when said activation request is acquired by said electronic control apparatus, wherein said activation purpose judgement means detects a condition of said flag, and when said flag is found to be set, judges that that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has not resulted from said specific key switch being closed.

39. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said user validation apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

40. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said electronic control apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

41. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 36, wherein when said specific key switch becomes closed after said electronic control apparatus has received said activation request while said predetermined key switch is open, said control means initiates communication between said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus to obtain said validation result, and begins said first predetermined control operation when said validation result is found to be positive.

42. An electronic control apparatus mounted in a vehicle for controlling equipment of said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a user validation apparatus adapted to become activated to perform a user validation operation when a specific key switch of said vehicle becomes closed and to become deactivated when said specific key switch becomes open, said electronic control apparatus adapted to become selectively activated and deactivated in accordance with said specific key switch becoming respectively closed and open, and upon becoming activated, to perform communication with said user validation apparatus for obtaining a validation result derived from said validation operation and to begin a first predetermined control operation when said validation result is positive, said electronic control apparatus being further adapted to become activated upon acquiring an activation request from a source that is internal or external thereto, while said specific key switch is open,

wherein said electronic control apparatus comprises:

activation purpose judgement means responsive to activation of said electronic control apparatus for judging a purpose of said activation, with said judgment being based upon detecting whether or not said user validation apparatus is currently activated, and

control means responsive to a decision of said activation purpose judgement means that said purpose of the activation of said electronic control apparatus is to perform a control sequence, to lower pressure within said fuel tank to a predetermined value and thereafter open said fuel intake aperture, for performing said control sequence and for deactivating said engine control apparatus upon completion of said control sequence; and

wherein said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus comprise respective separately installed apparatus units in said vehicle.

43. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 42, said acquired activation request being produced from a corresponding one of a plurality of sources of activation requests, wherein:

said activation purpose judgement means determines said corresponding source of said acquired activation request, and

said control means performs said control sequence as a control operation predetermined as corresponding to said corresponding source of said acquired activation request.

44. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 42, comprising a flag that is set when said activation request is acquired by said electronic control apparatus, wherein said activation purpose judgement means detects a condition of said flag, and when said flag is found to be set, judges that that said activation of said electronic control apparatus has not resulted from said specific key switch being closed.

45. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said user validation apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

46. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said electronic control apparatus is rendered activated by supplying electric power thereto and is rendered deactivated by interrupting said supply of electric power thereto.

47. An electronic control apparatus according to claim 42, wherein when said specific key switch becomes closed after said electronic control apparatus has received said activation request while said predetermined key switch is open, said control means initiates communication between said electronic control apparatus and said user validation apparatus to obtain said validation result, and begins said first predetermined control operation when said validation result is found to be positive.