Vehicle notification control device

Abstract

To prevent, in advance, slip-down of a vehicle due to a shift position being in an N range when the vehicle is stopped at an uphill.SOLUTION: Provided is a notification control device (100) equipped in a vehicle (1) that enables a driver to select a shift position. The notification control device (100) includes: first determination means (102) that determines whether the vehicle (1) is stopped at an uphill; second determination means (102) that determines whether the shift position is in an N range; and notification control means (103) that performs notification by using a notification unit (300) when the vehicle (1) is stopped at an uphill and when the shift position is in the N range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a notification control device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In vehicles such as automobiles, for example, automatic transmission (AT) vehicles have shift positions of P (parking) range, R (reverse) range, N (neutral) range, and D (drive) range, and the driver can select the shift position as desired. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-47987 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] If the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road and the driver puts the shift into N range and then releases the brake to start moving, the vehicle will slide down because engine power is not transmitted to the tires in N range.

[0005] Some vehicles are also equipped with a hill start assist function called hill hold assist or hill start assist (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This function maintains braking force for a predetermined time to prevent the vehicle from rolling down when the driver switches from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road. This hill start assist function is not effective when the shift position is selected outside the drive range such as N range or P range. Therefore, even if a vehicle is equipped with a hill start assist function, if the driver releases the brake in N range and tries to start the vehicle while it is stopped on an uphill road, the hill start assist function will not function and the vehicle will roll down.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to prevent a vehicle from rolling down a slope when the shift position is in the N range while the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle notification control device of the present invention is a notification control device mounted on a vehicle in which the driver can select a shift position, and is characterized in that it comprises a first judgment means for judging whether the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road, a second judgment means for judging whether the shift position is in N range, and a notification control means for executing a notification using a notification unit when the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from rolling down a slope when the shift position is in the N range while the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a notification system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of an automobile. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by a control device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The vehicle notification control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a notification control device (100) mounted on a vehicle (1) in which a driver can select a shift position, and includes a first determination means (102) for determining whether the vehicle (1) is stopped on an uphill road, a second determination means (102) for determining whether the shift position is in N range, and a notification control means (103) for executing a notification using a notification unit (300) when the vehicle (1) is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range. This makes it possible to prevent the vehicle (1) from rolling down a slope when the vehicle (1) is stopped on an uphill road due to the shift position being in the N range. EXAMPLES

[0011] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, an automobile in which the driver can select the shift position will be described as a vehicle to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a notification system according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of an automobile 1, where (a) is a diagram showing a state in which the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road, and (b) is a perspective view showing a schematic view of the vicinity of the driver's seat of the automobile 1. The automobile 1 is an AT (automatic transmission) vehicle, and has shift positions of P (parking) range, R (reverse) range, N (neutral) range, and D (drive) range, and the driver can select any shift position.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, the automobile 1 is equipped with a control device 100. The control device 100 includes a hill start assist control unit 101, a determination unit 102, and a notification control unit 103. The control device 100 functions as a notification control device to which the present invention is applied, and, as will be described in detail later, executes a notification using a notification unit 300 when the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in the N range.

[0013] The automobile 1 is also equipped with an accelerator pedal sensor 200, a brake pedal sensor 201, a vehicle speed sensor 202, an inclination sensor 203, and a shift operation unit 204. The accelerator pedal sensor 200 detects the amount of operation of an accelerator pedal 2 (see FIG. 2(b)) operated by the driver. The brake pedal sensor 201 detects the amount of operation of a brake pedal 3 (see FIG. 2(b)) operated by the driver. Note that, instead of the brake pedal sensor 201, a brake switch that is turned on when the brake pedal 3 is depressed and turned off when the brake pedal 3 is not depressed may be used to detect the operation of the brake pedal 3. The vehicle speed sensor 202 detects the vehicle speed. The inclination sensor 203 detects the inclination angle of the road surface. The shift operation unit 204 is, for example, a shift lever 5 (see FIG. 2(b)) with which the driver selects a shift position.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 2(b), an accelerator pedal 2 and a brake pedal 3 are provided at the feet of the driver's seat. In addition, a transfer lever 4 configured to be capable of instructing a change in gear mode, and a shift lever 5 configured to be capable of instructing a change in gear range are provided near the driver's seat. In addition, a steering wheel 6 and an instrument panel 7 located in front of the driver's seat and in front of the steering wheel 6 are provided. On the instrument panel 7, instruments 8a, 8b such as a tachometer and a speedometer, and a meter panel 10 including an information display 9 are arranged.

[0015] Returning to FIG. 1, the automobile 1 is equipped with a notification unit 300. Although the specific configuration of the notification unit 300 is not limited, a shift indicator displayed on the information display 9 of the instrument panel 7 is used as an example of visual notification. For example, when the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in the N range, the shift indicator flashes, the background color is changed, etc., to notify the driver that the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in the N range, that is, that there is a risk of rolling down. Also, a message such as "N range is selected" may be displayed on a display unit such as the information display 9. Also, as an example of auditory notification, a warning sound such as a buzzer sound or a voice guide such as "N range is selected" may be used.

[0016] In the control device 100, the hill start assist control unit 101 controls a braking device (brake) not shown in the figure to maintain the braking force for a predetermined time so that the automobile 1 does not roll back when the driver switches from the brake pedal 3 to the accelerator pedal 2 while the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road as shown in Figure 2(a).

[0017] The determination unit 102 functions as a first determination means for determining whether or not the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road based on the outputs of the vehicle speed sensor 202 and the inclination sensor 203. The determination unit 102 also functions as a second determination means for determining whether or not the shift position selected by the shift operation unit 204 is in the N range. The determination unit 102 also functions as a third determination means for determining whether or not the state in which the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in the N range has continued for a predetermined time or more.

[0018] The notification control unit 103 executes a notification using the notification unit 300 when the determination unit 102 determines that the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in the N range for a predetermined period of time or more.

[0019] The control device 100 thus configured is configured by, for example, a computer device equipped with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The functions of the control device 100 may be realized as part of the functions of an existing electronic control device.

[0020] Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control device 100. The flowchart in Fig. 3 is repeatedly executed at regular intervals from the start to the stop of the automobile 1. The processing of the flowchart is realized by the CPU of the computer device constituting the control device 100 executing a predetermined program. In step S1, the determination unit 102 determines whether the automobile 1 is stopped or not based on the output of the vehicle speed sensor 202. If the automobile 1 is stopped, the process proceeds to step S2, and if the automobile 1 is not stopped, the process exits from this flowchart. Note that, in this embodiment, the vehicle speed sensor 202 is used to determine whether the automobile 1 is stopped, but a wheel speed sensor may be used instead.

[0021] In step S2, the determination unit 102 determines whether or not the road is an uphill road based on the output of the inclination sensor 203. If the road is an uphill road, the process proceeds to step S3, and if the road is not an uphill road, the process ends.

[0022] In step S3, the determination unit 102 determines whether or not the shift position selected by the shift operation unit 204 is the N range. If it is the N range, the process proceeds to step S4, and if it is not the N range, the process exits from this flowchart.

[0023] In step S4, the determination unit 102 determines whether the state in which the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range has continued for a predetermined time or more. If the state has continued for the predetermined time or more, the process proceeds to step S5, and if the state has not continued for the predetermined time or more, the process exits this flowchart. If the process proceeds to step S5 and a notification is given every time the shift position momentarily enters N range, such as when switching from D range to P range, the driver will find it annoying. The predetermined time is set to prevent such annoyance.

[0024] In step S5, when the state in which the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range has continued for a predetermined time or more, the notification control unit 103 executes a notification using the notification unit 300. As described above, for example, the shift indicator flashes, the background color is changed, etc., to notify the driver that the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range, i.e., that there is a risk of rolling down.

[0025] As described above, when the driver puts the shift position in N range while the vehicle 1 is stopped on an uphill road as shown in Fig. 2(a), a notification is issued to the driver. This prompts the driver to change the shift position and calls attention to the risk of releasing the brake and starting the vehicle with the shift position in N range, thereby preventing the vehicle 1 from rolling down a slope due to the shift position being in N range while the vehicle 1 is stopped on an uphill road. Furthermore, even in the case of the present embodiment having a hill start assist function, if the driver puts the shift position in N range while the vehicle 1 is stopped on an uphill road as shown in FIG. 2(a), a notification is issued to the driver, prompting the driver to change the shift position, thereby preventing the vehicle 1 from rolling downhill due to the shift position being in N range while the vehicle 1 is stopped on an uphill road.

[0026] The notification may be strengthened in stages according to the duration of the state in which the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range. For example, when the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range for a predetermined period of time or more, a warning message is displayed, and if a second predetermined period of time has passed in this state, a warning sound is generated.

[0027] In this embodiment, when the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range for a predetermined period of time or more, a notification is given to the driver, but if a start operation is performed in this state, a further notification may be given. For example, when the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range for a predetermined period of time or more, and it is detected based on the outputs of the accelerator pedal sensor 200 and the brake pedal sensor 201 that the brake pedal 3 has been released and the accelerator pedal 2 has been depressed, a further notification is given.

[0028] In addition, when the automobile 1 is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position has been in N range for a predetermined period of time or more and a starting operation is performed in this state, the hill start assist control unit 101 may control a braking device (brake) not shown in the figure to generate a braking force to prevent the automobile 1 from rolling downhill.

[0029] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, each embodiment merely shows a specific example of the implementation of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to each embodiment. Various modifications of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these modifications are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1: automobile, 2: accelerator pedal, 3: brake pedal, 100: control device, 101: hill start assist control unit, 102: determination unit, 103: notification control unit, 200: accelerator pedal sensor, 201: brake pedal sensor, 202: vehicle speed sensor, 203: inclination sensor, 204: shift operation unit, 300: notification unit

Claims

1. A notification control device mounted on a vehicle in which a driver can select a shift position, a first determination means for determining whether the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road; a second determination means for determining whether the shift position is in the N range; and a notification control means for executing a notification using a notification unit when the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range.

2. a third determination means for determining whether or not a state in which the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range has continued for a predetermined period of time or more; 2. The vehicle notification control device according to claim 1, wherein the notification control means executes a notification using the notification unit when the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road and the shift position is in N range for the predetermined period of time or longer.

3. 3. The vehicle notification control device according to claim 1, further comprising a hill start assist function that maintains braking force for a predetermined period of time when the driver switches from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road.

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