Starting control apparatus

• US 8,033,350 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Koike, Masaki, Sakamoto, Takeshi, Ono, Yasuo, Tsuruta, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/585,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.21, 180/65.22, 180/65.265, 123/179.1, 123/179.2, 123/179.3, 903/930
• US Class Current: 180/65.265
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0811 using a timer
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/12 Starting of engines by means of mobile, e.g. portable, starting sets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A starting control apparatus that automatically discriminates configuration of a vehicle on which the starting control apparatus is mounted, executes an appropriate starting control, and be widely used is provided. The starting control apparatus prestores therein computer program codes for performing a starting control for normal vehicle and a starting control for hybrid vehicle, discriminates between normal vehicle and hybrid vehicle about the vehicle on which the starting control apparatus is mounted on, and executes one of the starting controls corresponding to a result of discrimination between normal vehicle and hybrid vehicle.

Claims

1. A starting control apparatus mounted on a vehicle that has a vehicle configuration among plural vehicle configurations that include a first vehicle configuration for a normal vehicle having an engine as a driving force generator and a second vehicle configuration for a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor as a driving force generator, wherein the normal vehicle and the hybrid vehicle are different vehicles, the starting control apparatus comprising:

a first storage unit that stores therein vehicle information indicative of the plural vehicle configurations including the first vehicle configuration and the second vehicle configuration;

a second storage unit that stores therein computer program codes for executing plural starting controls in accordance with respective vehicle configurations including the first vehicle configuration and the second vehicle configuration;

a discriminating unit that discriminates between the normal vehicle and the hybrid vehicle; and

a control unit that selects the vehicle information corresponding to the vehicle based on a result of discrimination and executes a starting control of the vehicle based on the computer program codes corresponding to the selected vehicle information, wherein the discriminating unit is configured to receive a starting permission signal that indicates whether the vehicle can start, and to discriminate between the normal vehicle and the hybrid vehicle based on whether the starting permission signal is received from the vehicle.

2. The starting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discriminating unit receives a configuration signal from the vehicle indicative of the vehicle configuration of the vehicle, and discriminates the vehicle configuration of the vehicle based on a received configuration signal, and

the discriminating unit stores a result of discrimination of the vehicle configuration of the vehicle into the first storage unit.

3. The starting control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second storage unit prestores therein computer program codes for executing a starting control for the normal vehicle and a starting control for the hybrid vehicle, and

the control unit selects and executes the starting control based on the computer program codes corresponding to the result of discrimination between the normal vehicle and the hybrid vehicle.

4. The starting control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit alters durations of pulse signals that form a start-request signal to be transmitted to the vehicle in accordance with either when performing the starting control for the normal vehicle or when performing the starting control for the hybrid vehicle.

5. The starting control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, the starting control includes setting a starting activating condition and a starting terminating condition for the starting control for the normal vehicle based on engine revolutions, and

the starting control includes setting a starting activating condition and a starting terminating condition for the starting control for the hybrid vehicle based on the starting permission signal that indicates whether the vehicle can start, and a hybrid defect signal that indicates the hybrid vehicle has a defect.

6. The starting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit alters durations of pulse signals that form a start-request signal to be transmitted to the vehicle in accordance with either when performing the starting control for the normal vehicle or when performing the starting control for the hybrid vehicle.

7. The starting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the starting control includes setting a starting activating condition and a starting terminating condition for the starting control for the normal vehicle based on engine revolutions, and

the starting control includes setting a starting activating condition and a starting terminating condition for the starting control for the hybrid vehicle based on the starting permission signal that indicates whether the vehicle can start, and a hybrid defect signal that indicates the hybrid vehicle has a defect.