Warming-up system

Abstract

To provide a system which can enhance warming-up of a warming-up object.SOLUTION: A system warms up a warming-up object using heat generation of a control part which controls an operation support function for supporting an operation of a vehicle. The control part includes an acquisition part which acquires the temperature of the warming-up object, and an operation support function control part which controls the operation support function. If the temperature of the warming-up object is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature, the operation support function control part changes a condition of starting the control of the operation support function with respect to that in a case in which the temperature of the warming-up object is equal to or more than the predetermined temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a warm-up system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a control for utilizing waste heat from heat generating devices. For example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose a configuration in which waste heat from heat generating devices such as an ECU, a PCU, a motor, and a battery is radiated to a low-temperature heat medium (liquid) and utilized for heating the vehicle interior. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-160634 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-142789 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Prior art discloses utilizing waste heat from heat-generating equipment, but does not take into consideration controlling the heat-generating equipment to actively generate waste heat and warm up an object to be warmed up.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a system capable of promoting the warming-up of an object to be warmed up. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, a system is provided that warms up an object to be warmed up using heat generated by a control unit that controls a driving assistance function that assists in driving a vehicle, the control unit including an acquisition unit that acquires the temperature of the object to be warmed up and a driving assistance function control unit that controls the driving assistance function, and the driving assistance function control unit changes the conditions for starting control of the driving assistance function when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is below a predetermined temperature and when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature.

[0007] That is, in the warm-up system, when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is below a predetermined temperature, the condition for starting the control of the driving support function is changed (relaxed) compared to when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, and the driving support function is executed. As a result, when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is below the predetermined temperature, the heat generation of the control unit is promoted more than when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, and the warm-up of the object to be warmed up is promoted. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a warm-up system. [Diagram 2] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a warm-up process. [Diagram 3] 3A to 3D show a subroutine in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Here, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order. (1) Warm-up system configuration: (2) Warm-up process: (3) Other embodiments:

[0010] (1) Warm-up system configuration: FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a warm-up system 10 mounted on a vehicle. The warm-up system 10 is a system that warms up an object to be warmed up by utilizing waste heat from a control unit 20 including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like. The object to be warmed up is, for example, a battery 40 for driving, a drive system having a motor, an inverter, a reduction gear, and the like (not shown), and an air conditioning system for the interior of the vehicle. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, a battery 40 for driving (hereinafter simply referred to as a battery) will be representatively described as an object to be warmed up. Note that the vehicle to be warmed up in this embodiment is, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle) that is driven by supplying electric power stored in the battery 40 to a motor.

[0011] The warm-up system 10 includes a control unit 20 including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, etc., and a recording medium 30. The control unit 20 can execute a warm-up program 21 stored in the ROM or the like.

[0012] Temperature information 30a and map information 30b are recorded in the recording medium 30. The temperature information includes information on the temperature of an object to be warmed up, i.e., information on the temperature of the battery 40. Specifically, a temperature sensor 41 that outputs the temperature of the battery 40 is attached to the battery 40, and the control unit 20 periodically acquires the temperature of the battery 40 based on the output of the temperature sensor 41. The acquired temperature information of the battery 40 is then recorded in the recording medium 30 as temperature information 30a. The battery 40 will be described later.

[0013] The map information 30b is information on roads and the like that is referred to for example to perform route guidance and the like. In this embodiment, the map information 30b includes node data, link data, shape interpolation point data, and facility data. The node data is data indicating the position of an intersection. The link data indicates a road section and is associated with a node corresponding to an end point of the road section. That is, the link data indicates a link connecting nodes. In this embodiment, the link data includes information indicating the attributes of the road of the road section indicated by the link data. The road attributes include information indicating, for example, a highway, a general road such as a national road or a prefectural road, a narrow street, and the like. In addition, the link data is associated with shape interpolation point data indicating the positions of shape interpolation points for identifying the shape of the road between the nodes. The facility data indicates the name, position, and attributes of facilities that exist around the road.

[0014] The vehicle in this embodiment includes an external sensor 50, a positioning sensor 51, a user I / F unit 52, a battery 40, and a heat exchange unit 60. The external sensor 50 is a sensor for mainly executing a driving assistance function that assists driving of the vehicle, and includes an on-board camera, a radar, a biosensor, and the like.

[0015] The vehicle-mounted camera is a device that captures images within a field of view directed forward from the vehicle, and is installed, for example, on the inside of the vehicle's windshield. The control unit 20 acquires images output by the vehicle-mounted camera and detects other vehicles present around the vehicle by analyzing the images through extraction of feature amounts, etc. The vehicle-mounted camera may be a monocular camera or a stereo camera.

[0016] A radar is a device that detects other vehicles, obstacles, etc., outside the vehicle using radio waves such as millimeter waves and microwaves. For example, a radar detects other vehicles, obstacles, etc. by emitting radio waves around the vehicle and receiving, measuring, and analyzing the radio waves reflected by other vehicles, obstacles, etc. The control unit 20 acquires the detection data and acquires, for example, the distance to the other vehicle. Note that the distance to the other vehicle may be acquired based on detection data from a lidar (LIDRA) that detects other vehicles, obstacles, etc., outside the vehicle using laser light, in addition to detection data from the radar.

[0017] The biosensor is a device that detects bioinformation of a person outside the vehicle, and may be, for example, an infrared sensor, a Doppler sensor, etc. The control unit 20 acquires the bioinformation detected by the biosensor and acquires the presence of a person outside the vehicle.

[0018] The positioning sensor 51 is a sensor for acquiring the current position of the vehicle, and includes a GNSS receiver, a vehicle speed sensor, a gyro sensor, and the like. The GNSS receiver receives radio waves from navigation satellites and outputs a signal for calculating the current position of the vehicle via an interface (not shown). The control unit 20 acquires this signal to acquire the position of the vehicle. The vehicle speed sensor outputs a signal corresponding to the rotation speed of the wheels of the vehicle. The control unit 20 acquires this signal via an interface (not shown) to acquire the vehicle speed. The gyro sensor detects the angular acceleration of the vehicle turning in a horizontal plane and outputs a signal corresponding to the orientation of the vehicle. The control unit 20 acquires this signal to acquire the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0019] The user I / F unit 52 is an interface unit for inputting instructions from vehicle passengers (including the driver) and for providing various information to the passengers, and includes a display unit consisting of a touch panel display (not shown), an input unit such as a switch, and an output unit such as a speaker. In this embodiment, when a driving support function is executed by the control unit 20 based on a predetermined condition described later, information on the execution of the driving support function is notified via the display unit or the output unit.

[0020] The battery 40 is a high-voltage power storage device constituted by, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery, or a capacitor. The battery 40 is electrically connected to a motor (not shown) that is a driving power source, and the vehicle is driven by supplying power from the battery 40 to the motor. As described above, the temperature sensor 41 is attached to the battery 40. The motor is constituted by, for example, a permanent magnet type synchronous motor or an induction motor, and has both a function as an electric motor and a function as a generator (i.e., it is a motor-generator).

[0021] The heat exchange unit 60 is a device capable of adjusting the temperature of the battery 40. That is, the heat exchange unit 60 cools or warms the battery 40 in order to control the temperature of the battery 40 to a predetermined temperature range (for example, 20°C to 30°C) taking into consideration the performance of the battery, such as the output density and charging speed of the battery 40. In this embodiment, the battery 40 is mainly warmed up. Specifically, the temperature of the battery is increased by warming up the battery 40 using heat generated by the CPU and the like constituting the control unit 20. The heat exchange unit 60 may be a device capable of adjusting the temperature of the battery 40, and various configurations can be adopted. For example, a flow path formed to be able to exchange heat with the battery 40 is formed around the battery 40, and a configuration is assumed in which the refrigerant flowing through the flow path exchanges heat with the heat of the control unit 20. That is, the heat generated by the control unit 20 is collected by the refrigerant, and the heat is dissipated to the battery 40, which is the object to be warmed up. The refrigerant flow path and the heat exchanger may be modularized by sharing a part with a cooling system, an air conditioning system, and the like, such as a motor for driving a vehicle and the battery 40. Also, a switching valve for switching the refrigerant flow path (i.e., the flow path for recovering heat) may be provided. For example, the control unit 20 can switch the switching valve so that the refrigerant flows either to the flow path that flows to the battery side or to the flow path that flows to the drive system such as the motor, inverter, and reducer, or to both the battery side and the drive system side. The refrigerant flowing through the flow path is, for example, an antifreeze mainly composed of ethylene glycol, cooling water such as long-life coolant (LLC), insulating oil, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), hydrofluoroolefin (HFO), etc.

[0022] The control unit 20 can execute a program stored in the recording medium 30 or the ROM. In this embodiment, the warm-up program 21 can be executed as this program. Conventionally, a method of warming up a predetermined object to be warmed up by utilizing waste heat from a heat-generating device (heat-generating device) is known, but the waste heat cannot always be utilized when warm-up is required. Therefore, in this embodiment, when warm-up of the battery 40 is required, the control unit 20 executes a driving assistance function to make the control unit 20 (i.e., the CPU constituting the control unit 20) generate heat compared to when warm-up is not required, and warms up the battery 40 by utilizing the generated heat. In other words, when the warm-up is required, the load of the control unit 20 is increased to promote the heat generation of the control unit 20. The warm-up program 21 is a program for performing the warm-up.

[0023] When the above-described warm-up program 21 is executed, the control unit 20 functions as an acquisition unit 21a, a driving support function control unit 21b, and a notification unit 21c. In the following, the processes described as being performed by the acquisition unit 21a, the driving support function control unit 21b, and the notification unit 21c are processes realized by the control unit 20.

[0024] The acquisition unit 21a has a function of acquiring the temperature of an object to be warmed up (i.e., the temperature of the battery 40). Specifically, the control unit 20 acquires the temperature information of the battery 40 by referring to the temperature information 30a through the function of the acquisition unit 21a.

[0025] The driving support function control unit 21b is a function that controls a driving support function (ADAS: Advanced Driving Assistant System) that supports driving of a vehicle. Specifically, when the temperature of the battery 40 acquired by the acquisition unit 21a is below a predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 changes the condition for starting control of the driving support function to be more lenient compared to the normal case where the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. That is, when the temperature of the battery 40 is below the predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 executes the driving support function under a condition that makes it easier to execute the driving support function, which is different from the case where the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. Note that the predetermined temperature is set to, for example, a temperature (for example, less than 0°C) at which it is determined that warming up of the battery 40 is necessary.

[0026] Here, the driving assistance function includes various functions for assisting driving. For example, it includes a "vehicle departure warning function" that detects deviation or possibility of deviation from the lane of the vehicle, an "adaptive cruise control function" that drives the vehicle at a speed set by the driver while maintaining a constant distance from the other vehicle in front, a "night vision function" that detects the heat source of the surrounding people with a biosensor and displays it on the display unit etc. when it is difficult to see the surroundings such as at night or in bad weather such as rain, and a "traffic sign recognition function" that supports preventing the driver from overlooking the traffic sign by having the on-board camera recognize the traffic sign while driving and display it on the display unit. Note that the adaptive cruise control function may be a "cruise control function (also called a speed control function)" that simply drives at a constant speed without maintaining the distance from the other vehicle in front. When the temperature of the battery 40 is below a predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 changes the conditions for starting these driving assistance functions to be looser than the normal time (hereinafter also simply referred to as the normal time) when the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, and executes the driving assistance function. More specific aspects will be described later with reference to a flowchart.

[0027] The notification unit 21c is a function of notifying information for performing assistance by the driving assistance function. That is, the control unit 20 notifies the display unit and the like in the user I / F unit 52 of information for performing assistance by the driving assistance function (for example, information that a person has been detected) and information that the driving assistance function is being executed during normal times when the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, by the function of the notification unit 21c. On the other hand, when the temperature of the battery 40 is below a predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 does not notify information for performing assistance by the driving assistance function when the driving assistance function control unit changes (i.e., relaxes) the condition for starting control of the driving assistance function by the function of 21b and executes the driving assistance function. That is, when the temperature of the battery 40 is below a predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 does not notify the display unit and the like of information for performing assistance by the driving assistance function and information that the driving assistance function is being executed. In this case, the control unit 20 executes the driving assistance function in the background without notifying the driver of information for driving assistance. This is because it is preferable not to notify the driver because it would result in executing control that is not intended by the driver. A more specific embodiment will be described later with reference to a flowchart.

[0028] According to the above configuration, when the temperature of the battery 40, which is the object to be warmed up, is below a predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 changes and executes the condition for starting control of the driving support function to be more lenient than when the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. As a result, when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is below the predetermined temperature, heat generation by the control unit 20 that executes the driving support function is promoted, and the heat generated by the heat is recovered by the refrigerant in the heat exchange unit 60. The recovered heat is then exchanged with the refrigerant and dissipated to the battery 40, which is the object to be warmed up. As a result, warming up of the battery 40 is promoted.

[0029] (2) Warm-up process: Next, the warm-up process executed by the control unit 20 will be described. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the warm-up process of the battery 40, which is an object to be warmed up. The control unit 20 executes the warm-up process when, for example, the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned on. The flowchart shown in Fig. 2 is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals. In this embodiment, as described above, the warm-up of the battery 40 is performed by utilizing the heat generated by the control unit 20 when executing the driving support function.

[0030] When the warm-up process is started, first, the control unit 20 acquires the current temperature of the battery 40 by using the function of the acquisition unit 21a (step S1). Specifically, the control unit 20 acquires the temperature of the battery 40 by referring to the temperature information 30a by using the function of the acquisition unit 21a. The temperature of the battery 40 is detected by the temperature sensor 41, and the detected temperature information of the battery 40 is transmitted to the warm-up system 10 and recorded in the recording medium 30 as the temperature information 30a.

[0031] Next, the control unit 20 determines whether the temperature of the battery 40 is below a predetermined temperature (step S2). That is, the control unit 20 determines whether the temperature of the battery 40 acquired in step S1 is below a predetermined temperature by using the function of the acquisition unit 21a. Here, the predetermined temperature is, for example, a predetermined temperature at which it is determined that the battery 40 needs to be warmed up, and is set to, for example, "0°C." In step S2, if it is determined that the temperature of the battery 40 is below the predetermined temperature (Y in step S2), the control unit 20 advances the process to step S3.

[0032] In step S3, the control unit 20 turns a flag ON. This flag is a flag that changes a predetermined condition for starting the execution of a driving support function. When the flag is ON, the condition for starting the execution of the driving support function is changed, and when the flag is OFF, the condition for starting the execution of the driving support function is not changed. Note that, during normal operation when the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the flag is OFF, and the control unit 20 controls the ON / OFF of the flag according to the temperature of the battery 40. That is, when the temperature of the battery 40 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 turns the flag ON by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. Note that, in the warm-up process, the initial value of the flag is OFF.

[0033] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature (N in step S2), the control unit 20 advances the process to step S4. In step S4, the control unit 20 turns the flag OFF. That is, when the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 turns the flag OFF by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. That is, the control unit 20 turns the flag OFF (or keeps the flag OFF) during normal times when the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. After controlling the flag in step S3 or step S4, the control unit 20 advances the process to step S5.

[0034] In step S5, the control unit 20 executes the driving support function by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. By executing the driving support function, the control unit 20 causes the CPU and other components of the control unit 20 to generate heat, and uses the heat to warm up the battery 40. That is, the control unit 20 recovers the generated heat with the refrigerant in the heat exchange unit 60, and dissipates the recovered heat to the battery 40 to warm up the battery 40.

[0035] As described above, the driving assistance functions include the vehicle departure warning function, the adaptive cruise control function, the night vision function, and the traffic sign recognition function. The control unit 20 executes each of these driving assistance functions under a predetermined start condition depending on whether the flags in step S3 and step S4 are ON or OFF. As a premise, the switches and settings for executing each driving assistance function except for the traffic sign recognition function are turned ON in advance by the driver, etc. Note that the traffic sign recognition function is not considered to be turned ON in advance here because the control content differs depending on whether it is turned ON by the driver, etc., as described later.

[0036] 3A to 3D are subroutines in the process of executing the driving support function in step S5. FIG. 3A shows the process of executing the vehicle departure warning function. When the process of executing the vehicle departure warning function is started, the control unit 20 judges whether or not a flag is ON (step S10). That is, the control unit 20 judges whether or not a flag for changing the disclosure conditions for executing the driving support function described in the above step S2 is ON, by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. If it is judged that the flag is OFF, the control unit 20 advances the process to step S11. Note that, when the flag is OFF, the temperature of the battery 40 is in a normal state where it is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, as described above.

[0037] In step S11, the control unit 20 executes the vehicle departure warning function on the expressway. That is, the control unit 20 acquires information on the current position of the vehicle based on the output of the positioning sensor 51 and the map information 30b by the function of the driving assistance function control unit 21b, and executes the vehicle departure warning function when the current position of the vehicle is on the expressway (in other words, the control unit 20 does not execute the vehicle departure warning function when the vehicle is not on the expressway under normal circumstances). Specifically, the control unit 20 recognizes and detects the lane by the on-board camera, and issues a warning when it detects that the vehicle may deviate from the lane or has deviated from the lane. That is, when the control unit 20 executes the vehicle departure warning function in this step S11, it notifies the information for performing driving assistance by the vehicle departure warning function by the function of the notification unit 21c. For example, the control unit 20 notifies the display unit and output unit of the user I / F unit 52 of a warning that the vehicle may deviate from the lane or has deviated from the lane. In addition to issuing the warning, the control unit 20 may control the steering (not shown) to correct the trajectory of the vehicle.

[0038] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S10 that the flag is ON (i.e., when the temperature of the battery 40 is lower than the predetermined temperature), the control unit 20 advances the process to step S12. In step S12, the control unit 20 executes the vehicle departure warning function on all roads. That is, the control unit 20 executes the vehicle departure warning function even when the current position of the vehicle is not limited to being on an expressway but is on a general road or the like, by the function of the driving assistance function control unit 21b. That is, the control unit 20 executes the vehicle departure warning function on all roads by relaxing the start conditions for execution of the vehicle departure warning function compared to normal times (on a normal expressway). Note that the specific execution means of the vehicle departure warning function are the same as those in step S11, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0039] In step S12, when the control unit 20 executes the vehicle departure warning function, the control unit 20 does not notify the driver of information for performing driving assistance using the vehicle departure warning function by using the function of the notification unit 21c. This is because the vehicle departure warning function is an unintended control, unlike the normal control in step S11. In other words, the control unit 20 executes the notification of the driving assistance information when the vehicle departure warning function is executed in the background, without displaying it on the display unit or the like.

[0040] As described above, the conditions for starting the execution of the vehicle departure warning function may be set according to the attributes of the road, such as an expressway, as well as the vehicle speed. For example, in normal control when the flag is OFF, the function is executed when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed (e.g., 60 km / h). On the other hand, when the flag is ON, the temperature of the battery 40 is lower than the predetermined temperature and the battery 40 needs to be warmed up, so the vehicle speed condition is relaxed and the vehicle departure warning function is executed. Relaxing the vehicle speed condition means, for example, lowering the vehicle speed condition compared to normal control (e.g., setting the vehicle speed condition to less than 60 km / h or removing the vehicle speed condition). Since the vehicle speed on an expressway is usually higher than that on a general road, it can be said that the conditions for starting the vehicle departure warning function are substantially the same whether they are set according to the vehicle speed or the attributes of the road. That is, it can be said that the vehicle speed condition for starting the control of the vehicle departure warning function when the temperature of the battery 40, which is the object to be warmed up, is lower on a general road than on an expressway.

[0041] 3B shows a process for executing the adaptive cruise control function. When the process for executing the adaptive cruise control function is started, the control unit 20 determines whether or not a flag is ON (step S20). That is, the control unit 20 determines whether or not a flag for changing the disclosure conditions for executing the driving support function is ON by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. When it is determined that the flag is OFF, the control unit 20 advances the process to step S21.

[0042] In step S21, the control unit 20 sets the threshold value of the distance between the vehicle and the other preceding vehicle to "α" and executes the adaptive cruise control function. This threshold value α is a value in normal times when the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and is set to, for example, "100 m". That is, when the distance between the vehicle and the other preceding vehicle is 100 m or less, the control unit 20 detects the other preceding vehicle and follows the other preceding vehicle at a vehicle speed set by the driver. More specifically, the control unit 20 detects the other preceding vehicle by an on-board camera and detects the distance between the other preceding vehicle by a radar, and when the detected distance is 100 m or less, controls the driving force so that the vehicle follows the other preceding vehicle at a speed set by the driver while maintaining a constant distance between the other preceding vehicle. Then, when the adaptive cruise control function is executed in this step S21, the control unit 20 notifies the driver of information for performing driving assistance by the adaptive cruise control function by the function of the notification unit 21c. For example, the control unit 20 displays on the display unit that the adaptive cruise control function is being executed.

[0043] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S20 that the flag is ON, the control unit 20 advances the process to step S22. In step S22, the control unit 20 sets the threshold value of the distance from the other preceding vehicle to "β" and executes the adaptive cruise control function. This threshold value β is a value larger than the above-mentioned threshold value "α" and is set to, for example, "300 m". That is, the control unit 20 detects the other preceding vehicle when the distance from the other preceding vehicle is 300 m or less, and follows the other preceding vehicle at a vehicle speed set by the driver. That is, the control unit 20 relaxes the start condition for execution of the adaptive cruise control function from the normal condition of "distance from the other preceding vehicle of 100 m". In short, the control unit 20 makes the distance from the other preceding vehicle at which execution of the adaptive cruise control function is started longer than the normal control. Note that the specific execution means of the adaptive cruise control function is the same as that in step S21, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0044] When the adaptive cruise control function is executed in step S22, the control unit 20 does not notify the driver of information for performing driving assistance using the adaptive cruise control function by using the function of the notification unit 21c. This is because, unlike the normal control in step S21, this control is not intended by the driver. In other words, the control unit 20 executes the notification of the driving assistance information when the adaptive cruise control function is executed in the background without displaying it on the display unit or the like.

[0045] 3C shows the process of executing the night vision function. When the process of executing the night vision function is started, the control unit 20 judges whether or not a flag is ON (step S30). That is, the control unit 20 judges whether or not a flag for changing the disclosure conditions for executing the driving support function is ON by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. If it is judged that the flag is OFF, the control unit 20 advances the process to step S31.

[0046] In step S31, the control unit 20 executes the night vision function in bad weather such as rain or at night. To determine whether it is bad weather or night, the control unit 20 detects the illuminance (amount of received light) outside the vehicle using, for example, an illuminance sensor (not shown), and determines that it is bad weather or night when the detected amount of received light is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold. Alternatively, the control unit 20 may obtain information on the current weather and information on the current time to determine whether it is bad weather or night. Then, the control unit 20 detects people using the on-board camera and biosensor in bad weather or at night (i.e., normal time), and notifies the display unit and output unit of the detected information using the function of the notification unit 21c.

[0047] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S30 that the flag is ON, the control unit 20 advances the process to step S32. In step S32, the control unit 20 executes the night vision function in all weather conditions. That is, the control unit 20 executes the night vision function in all weather conditions, regardless of whether the weather is sunny or bad weather such as rain, by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. That is, the control unit 20 eases the start condition for executing the night vision function from the normal condition of "bad weather or nighttime". Note that the specific execution means of the night vision function is the same as that in step S31, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0048] In step S32, when the night vision function is executed, the control unit 20 does not notify the driver of information for driving assistance using the night vision function by the function of the notification unit 21c. This is because, unlike the normal control in step S31, this control is not intended by the driver. In other words, the control unit 20 executes the notification of the driving assistance information when the night vision function is executed in the background without displaying it on the display unit or the like.

[0049] 3D shows a process for executing the traffic sign recognition function. When the process for executing the traffic sign recognition function is started, the control unit 20 judges whether or not a flag is ON (step S40). That is, the control unit 20 judges whether or not a flag for changing the disclosure conditions for executing the driving support function is ON by the function of the driving support function control unit 21b. When it is judged that the flag is OFF, the control unit 20 advances the process to step S41.

[0050] In step S41, the control unit 20 executes the traffic sign recognition function when the driver or the like has turned on the traffic sign recognition display setting. That is, the control unit 20 recognizes traffic signs located in front of the vehicle using the on-board camera, and displays the recognized traffic signs on the display unit or the like using the function of the notification unit 21c. Note that, if the driver or the like has not turned on the traffic sign recognition display setting (i.e., when it is OFF), the control unit 20 does not execute the traffic sign recognition function. That is, this step S41 is a normal control according to the driver's intention.

[0051] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S40 that the flag is ON, the control unit 20 advances the process to step S42. In step S42, the control unit 20 executes the traffic sign recognition function not only when the display of traffic sign recognition is set to ON by the driver or the like (that is, even when the display of traffic sign recognition is set to OFF). That is, the control unit 20 relaxes the condition for starting the execution of the traffic sign recognition function from the normal condition "when the display of traffic sign recognition is ON" and recognizes a traffic sign located in front of the vehicle even when the display of traffic sign recognition is not set. Then, when the display of traffic sign recognition is not set, control different from the driver's intention is executed, so the recognized traffic sign is not displayed by the function of the notification unit 21c. That is, when the control unit 20 executes the traffic sign recognition function when the display of traffic sign recognition is not set in step S42, the control unit 20 executes the traffic sign recognition function in the background without displaying the notification of the driving assistance information on the display unit or the like.

[0052] As described above, in this embodiment, when the temperature of the battery 40, which is the object to be warmed up, is below a predetermined temperature, the control unit 20 changes (i.e., relaxes) the condition for starting control of the driving support function compared to when the temperature of the battery 40 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. As a result, when the temperature of the battery 40 is below the predetermined temperature, the driving support function is actively executed, and the control unit 20 executing the driving support function generates heat. Then, the generated heat (waste heat) can be used to warm up the battery 40. In other words, the battery 40 can be warmed up early when it is necessary, and the warming up of the battery 40 is promoted.

[0053] In addition, in this embodiment, in the case of normal control, when the driving support function is executed, the control unit 20 notifies the display unit, etc. of information for performing support by the driving support function, but when the driving support function is executed by changing the conditions for starting the control of the driving support function, the control unit 20 does not notify the information for performing support by the driving support function. In other words, when the driving support function is executed by changing the conditions for starting the control of the driving support function, the control of the driving support function is performed in the background, and the display unit is not notified of information for the driving support device. This makes it possible to control the driving support function without the driver, etc. noticing. In other words, it is possible to avoid notifications not intended by the driver.

[0054] In addition, in this embodiment, a vehicle departure warning function is executed as an example of a driving assistance function. The vehicle departure warning function is likely to be installed in many vehicle models and is a highly versatile driving assistance function. Therefore, by executing such a highly versatile driving assistance function, the control unit 20 can be expected to have a warm-up effect using heat generated by the control unit 20 compared to, for example, a less versatile driving assistance function.

[0055] In this embodiment, the battery 40 is warmed up by the heat exchanger 60, but the refrigerant flow path and the heat exchanger configuration in the heat exchanger 60 may be modularized by being shared with an existing cooling system (e.g., a cooling system for a motor, a battery, etc., and an air conditioning system) installed in the vehicle. In that case, there is no need to build a new system for warming up the battery 40, and an increase in the vehicle space, costs, etc. can be suppressed.

[0056] (3) Other embodiments: The above embodiment is an example for carrying out the present invention, and various other embodiments can be adopted. In the above embodiment, the battery 40 has been described as an example of an object to be warmed up, but the object to be warmed up may be a drive system such as a motor, an inverter, a reducer, or an air conditioning system such as an interior of a vehicle. For example, when the drive system is the object to be warmed up, the control unit 20 detects the oil temperature by a temperature sensor, and when the oil temperature is below a predetermined temperature, determines that warming up is necessary and executes the driving support function. By warming up the drive system when the oil temperature is below a predetermined temperature, the warming up is promoted and friction between each member in the drive system can be reduced.

[0057] Furthermore, when the object to be warmed up is the air conditioning system, the control unit 20 detects the vehicle interior temperature or the outside air temperature using a temperature sensor, and executes the driving support function when the detected vehicle interior temperature or the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature. By warming up the air conditioning system, the temperature difference between the set temperature and the room temperature becomes smaller, and the energy consumption until the room temperature is raised to the set temperature can be reduced, for example, compared to when the system is not warmed up.

[0058] Also, as described above, when the temperature of the object to be warmed up (e.g., the battery 40) is below a predetermined temperature, the condition for starting the control of the driving support function is changed from the case where the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. Changing the condition for starting the control means that the condition for starting the control is different between the case where the temperature of the object to be warmed up is below the predetermined temperature and the case where the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, and there are more opportunities for the control to be started when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is below the predetermined temperature (i.e., the condition for starting the control is looser) than when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. More specifically, under normal circumstances, the control of the driving support function is started when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, but when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is below the predetermined temperature, the condition for starting the control is loosened, so that there are more opportunities for the control of the driving support function to be started than under normal circumstances. In other words, when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is below the predetermined temperature, the control is started even under conditions where the control is not started when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. For example, in the case of the vehicle departure warning function described above, when the temperature of the battery 40 is normally equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, control of the vehicle departure warning function is not initiated on roads other than expressways such as general roads, but when the temperature of the battery 40 is below the predetermined temperature, control of the vehicle departure warning function is initiated even on roads other than expressways such as general roads (i.e., on all roads).

[0059] In the above embodiment, the driving assistance function is described by taking the vehicle departure warning function, adaptive cruise control function, night vision function, and traffic sign recognition function as examples, but the driving assistance function is not limited to these functions. In other words, the driving assistance function may be a function that assists the driving of the vehicle executed by the control unit 20. Other driving assistance functions include, for example, a "collision damage mitigation brake function" that detects an obstacle ahead using an in-vehicle camera or the like, and when it is determined that there is a high risk of collision, warns the driver or performs brake control, a "blind spot monitor function" that detects other vehicles that are not visible in the door mirror using a radar or the like, warns the driver when changing lanes, and prevents contact accidents, a function that displays the entire periphery of the vehicle on a display unit or the like when parking, and a "parking assistance system" that has a function of controlling the steering, brakes, etc. according to a certain procedure to automatically park the vehicle, and the like. Other driving assistance functions not listed here may be included.

[0060] In the above-described embodiments, the target vehicle may be any vehicle equipped with a battery and a motor for driving, and therefore may be an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle using an engine and a motor as a driving force source, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, or a so-called range extender EV equipped with an engine exclusively for generating electricity.

[0061] Furthermore, each system or device constituting the above-mentioned embodiment may be composed of more devices sharing functions. An example of such a case is a case in which the system shown in FIG. 1 is composed of one or more other systems. For example, one system may be composed of the warm-up system 10 and a server. Also, a part of the functions of the warm-up system 10 (at least a part of the acquisition unit 21a, the driving support function control unit 21b, and the notification unit 21c) may be realized by the warm-up system 10, and the remaining functions may be realized by another device (for example, a server). Note that configurations in which some of the configurations of the above-mentioned embodiment are omitted, or configurations in which processing is changed or omitted, may also be envisioned.

[0062] Furthermore, the technique of the present invention can also be applied as a program or method. The above-mentioned system, program, and method may be realized as a single device or may be realized by using parts shared with each part provided in the vehicle, and include various aspects. In addition, they can be modified as appropriate, such as being partly software and partly hardware. Furthermore, the invention can also be realized as a recording medium of a program that controls the system. Of course, the recording medium of the program may be a magnetic recording medium or a semiconductor memory, and any recording medium developed in the future can be considered in the same way. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10...warm-up system, 20...control unit, 21...warm-up program, 21a...acquisition unit, 21b...driving assistance function control unit, 21c...notification unit, 30...recording medium, 30a...temperature information, 30b...map information, 40...battery, 41...temperature sensor, 50...external sensor, 51...positioning sensor, 52...user I / F unit, 60...heat exchange unit.

Claims

1. A system for warming up an object to be warmed up using heat generated by a control unit that controls a driving assistance function that assists driving of a vehicle, The control unit is An acquisition unit that acquires a temperature of the object to be warmed up; A driving assistance function control unit that controls the driving assistance function, The driving assistance function control unit is When the temperature of the object to be warmed up is lower than a predetermined temperature, a condition for starting control of the driving assistance function is changed in a case where the temperature of the object to be warmed up is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. Warm-up system.

2. The object to be warmed up is a battery for driving the vehicle. The warm-up system of claim 1 .

3. The vehicle includes a notification unit that notifies the driver of information for providing assistance using the driving assistance function, The notification unit is When the temperature of the object to be warmed up is lower than the predetermined temperature, the information for performing the assistance by the driving assistance function is not notified. The warm-up system of claim 1 .

4. The driving assistance function is a vehicle departure warning function that warns when the vehicle detects a departure from a lane, the driving assistance function control unit lowers a vehicle speed condition for starting control of the vehicle departure warning function when the temperature of the object to be warmed up is lower than the predetermined temperature, compared to when the temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. The warm-up system of claim 1 .

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