Engine start control apparatus and engine start control method

• US 7,970,527 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Takeshi, Ono, Yasuo, Hamaue, Itsuki, Tsuruta, Norio, Nishi, Masahumi, Kimura, Yasuomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US11/260,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 701112-113, 701/22, 701/29, 701/35, 701/36, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/113
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/10 Safety devices F02N11/08 takes precedence

Abstract

An engine start control apparatus enables a user to start an engine of a vehicle irrespective of a user'"'"'s operation of ignition key. The engine start control apparatus includes a controller that performs engine start control and a storage unit. When the engine abnormally stops during a period in which the controller performs the engine start control, the storage unit stores at least one of a cause of the abnormal stop and a timing of the abnormal stop.

Claims

1. An engine start control apparatus for enabling a user to start an engine of a vehicle irrespective of a user'"'"'s operation of an ignition key, the apparatus comprising:

a controller that performs an engine start control;

a storage unit that stores a timing of an occurrence of a cause of an abnormal stop during the engine start control when the engine abnormally stops during a period in which the controller performs the engine start control; and

a notifying unit that notifies a content of the cause of the abnormal stop during the engine start control.

2. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit notifies the timing of the occurrence of the cause of the abnormal stop during the engine start control when a predetermined operation is performed.

3. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the notifying unit is comprised of one of a lamp and a horn,

wherein the notifying unit notifies the timing of the occurrence of the cause of the abnormal stop during the engine start control by the number of times the lamp lights up or the number of times the horn sounds, and

wherein the number of times the lamp lights up or the number of times the horn sounds increases as the cause of the abnormal stop occurs later.

4. The engine start control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs the engine start control in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation of a transmitter to allow the user to remotely start the engine.