Vehicle diagnostic system, vehicle diagnostic method, and vehicle

• US 9,224,255 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2012
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yagi, Kensuke, Yoneguchi, Hiroshi, Sato, Ryuji, Asakura, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US14/368,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20140379200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.4, 701/111
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0825 related to prevention of engine restart failure, e.g. disabling automatic stop at low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/108 for diagnosis of the starter or its components
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Provided are a vehicle configured such that if idling does not automatically stop, an in-vehicle display will occur immediately if a malfunction is the cause, thereby enabling a driver to have peace of mind and concentrate on driving, without giving the driver an unnecessary sense of unease; a vehicle diagnostic system therefor; and a vehicle diagnostic method. The vehicle comprises an idle stop error display unit provided corresponding to a specific ECU among a plurality of ECUs, and that indicates that an idle stop malfunction has occurred, being a malfunction corresponding to a second IS malfunction code, when a malfunction has occurred within a control target range for any among the plurality of ECUs, said malfunction recording the second IS malfunction code which does not cause the operation of a warning light requesting inspection or repair of an error that has occurred inside the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle diagnosing system for performing a fault diagnosis of a vehicle including an idling stop control system, the idling stop control system executing an idling stop for stopping a drive source of the vehicle from idling by cooperatively controlling a plurality of electronic control units, wherein the vehicle comprises:

a plurality of warning lamps associated with specific ones of the electronic control units, and configured to demand an inspection or repair of a failure which has occurred in the vehicle; and

an idling stop controller configured to automatically execute the idling stop when a predetermined condition is satisfied;

wherein when the electronic control units detect a fault in target ranges controlled thereby, the electronic control units record fault codes;

the fault codes include idling stop fault codes defined as inhibiting the idling stop of the drive source, and non-idling stop fault codes not defined as inhibiting the idling stop;

the idling stop fault codes include first idling stop fault codes defined as energizing the warning lamps and second idling stop fault codes defined as not being serious enough to energize the warning lamps; and

the vehicle further comprises an idling stop failure indicator configured to indicate an idling stop fault corresponding to one of the second idling stop fault codes instead of the plurality of warning lamps, when the idling stop fault which records the one of the second idling stop fault codes in any of the electronic control units has occurred in a target range controlled thereby.

2. The vehicle diagnosing system according to claim 1, wherein the idling stop failure indicator includes a single indicator lamp, and

the idling stop failure indicator indicates the idling stop fault by the single indicator lamp when the idling stop fault which records the one of the second idling stop fault codes in any of the electronic control units has occurred in the target range controlled thereby.

3. The vehicle diagnosing system according to claim 1, wherein whether or not the idling stop fault which records the one of the second idling stop fault codes in any of the electronic control units has occurred in the target range controlled thereby, the idling stop is inhibited and the idling stop fault is indicated when an activation count of a starter motor is larger than a predetermined value or when a starting performance of the starter battery for the starter motor is lower than a predetermined value.

4. A vehicle diagnosing method of performing a fault diagnosis of a vehicle including an idling stop control system, the idling stop control system executing an idling stop for stopping a drive source of the vehicle from idling by cooperatively controlling a plurality of electronic control units, wherein the vehicle comprises:

a plurality of warning lamps associated with the electronic control units, and configured to demand an inspection or repair of a failure which has occurred in the vehicle; and

an idling stop controller configured to automatically execute the idling stop when a predetermined condition is satisfied;

wherein when the electronic control units detect a fault in target ranges controlled thereby, the electronic control units record fault codes;

the fault codes include idling stop fault codes defined as inhibiting the idling stop of the drive source, and non-idling stop fault codes not defined as inhibiting the idling stop;

the idling stop fault codes include first idling stop fault codes defined as energizing the warning lamps and second idling stop fault codes defined as not being serious enough to energize the warning lamps; and

an idling stop failure indicator in the vehicle indicates an idling stop fault corresponding to one of the second idling stop fault codes instead of the plurality of warning lamps, when the idling stop fault which records the one of the second idling stop fault codes in any of the electronic control units has occurred in a target range controlled thereby.

5. A vehicle including an idling stop control system, the idling stop control system executing an idling stop for stopping a drive source of the vehicle from idling by cooperatively controlling a plurality of electronic control units, wherein the vehicle comprises:

a plurality of warning lamps associated with the electronic control units, and configured to demand an inspection or repair of a failure which has occurred in the vehicle; and

an idling stop controller configured to automatically execute the idling stop when a predetermined condition is satisfied;

wherein when the electronic control units detect a fault in target ranges controlled thereby, the electronic control units record fault codes;

the fault codes include idling stop fault codes defined as inhibiting the idling stop of the drive source, and non-idling stop fault codes not defined as inhibiting the idling stop;

the idling stop fault codes include first idling stop fault codes defined as energizing the warning lamps and second idling stop fault codes defined as not being serious enough to energize the warning lamps; and

the vehicle further comprises an idling stop failure indicator configured to indicate an idling stop fault corresponding to one of the second idling stop fault codes instead of the plurality of warning lamps, when the idling stop fault which records the one of the second idling stop fault codes in any of the electronic control units has occurred in a target range controlled thereby.