Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device which can prevent an electronic device mounted on a vehicle from being exposed to water.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device includes a control unit. The control unit controls a suspension of a vehicle to adjust a vehicle height when detecting the vehicle crossing a river. Further, the control unit detects accelerations in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle and controls the suspension of the vehicle to incline the vehicle in directions opposite to the accelerations.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for adjusting the vehicle height when a vehicle crosses water, taking into consideration the risk of electronic devices mounted on the vehicle coming into contact with water and being damaged. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-515819 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As with the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to completely prevent electronic devices from getting wet by simply adjusting the vehicle height, and there is room for improvement.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a vehicle control device that can prevent water from getting on electronic devices mounted on a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle control device according to the present disclosure includes a control unit, which, when detecting that the vehicle is crossing a river, controls the suspension of the vehicle to adjust the vehicle height, detects the acceleration of the vehicle in the forward / backward and left / right directions, and controls the suspension of the vehicle to tilt the vehicle in the direction opposite to the acceleration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, electronic devices mounted on a vehicle can be prevented from being exposed to water. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle to which a vehicle control device according to an embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of a vehicle control method executed by the vehicle control device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that components in the following embodiments include those that are easily replaceable by those skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same.

[0010] (Vehicle control device) The configuration of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The vehicle control device according to the embodiment is for controlling the vehicle height and attitude of a vehicle, for example, when the vehicle is crossing a river. The vehicle control device according to the embodiment can also perform the above control when an urban area is flooded due to heavy rain, in addition to when crossing a river. As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 to which the vehicle control device according to the embodiment is applied includes a control unit 11, a suspension 12, a water detection sensor 13, and an acceleration sensor 14. In addition to these, the vehicle 1 also includes electronic devices such as a battery and a DC-DC converter, various wiring, etc.

[0011] The control unit 11 is an electronic control unit (ECU) whose main components are a microcomputer including, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), etc. The control unit 11 executes various programs to comprehensively control the operations of various components of the vehicle 1.

[0012] The control unit 11 detects that the vehicle 1 is crossing a river using the water detection sensor 13. When the control unit 11 detects that the vehicle 1 is crossing a river, it controls the suspension 12 of the vehicle 1 to adjust the vehicle height. Note that the control unit 11 may take into consideration the position of electronic devices mounted on the vehicle 1 and adjust the vehicle height to a height that will prevent the electronic devices from getting wet.

[0013] Furthermore, the control unit 11 detects the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in the longitudinal and lateral directions using the acceleration sensor 14. Then, the control unit 11 controls the suspension 12 of the vehicle 1 to tilt the body of the vehicle 1 in the direction opposite to the detected acceleration. Note that the control unit 11 may take into consideration the position of electronic devices mounted on the vehicle 1 and tilt the body at an angle that will prevent the electronic devices from becoming wet.

[0014] The suspension 12 is a mechanism for changing the vehicle height and posture of the vehicle 1. The suspension 12 is provided, for example, between the body of the vehicle 1 and each wheel.

[0015] The water detection sensor 13 is a sensor for detecting when the vehicle 1 is crossing a river. An example of the water detection sensor 13 is an ultrasonic distance sensor. The acceleration sensor 14 is a sensor for detecting the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in the forward / backward and left / right directions.

[0016] (Vehicle control method) The flow of a vehicle control method executed by a vehicle control device according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0017] First, the control unit 11 detects that the vehicle 1 is crossing a river using the water detection sensor 13 (step S1). If the control unit 11 does not detect that the vehicle 1 is crossing a river in step S1 (No in step S1), the control unit 11 completes this process. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 detects that the vehicle 1 is crossing a river in step S1 (Yes in step S1), the control unit 11 adjusts the ground clearance (vehicle height) of the vehicle 1 by controlling the suspension 12 (step S2).

[0018] Next, the control unit 11 determines whether the acceleration in the longitudinal and lateral directions detected by the acceleration sensor 14 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step S3). If the control unit 11 determines in step S3 that the acceleration in the longitudinal and lateral directions is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value (is less than the predetermined value) (No in step S3), the control unit 11 returns to the determination in step S3. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines in step S3 that the acceleration in the longitudinal and lateral directions is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (Yes in step S3), the control unit 11 controls the suspension 12 to tilt the vehicle 1 in the direction opposite to the detected acceleration (step S4), and then completes this process. For example, in step S4, if acceleration is acting on the rear of the vehicle 1, control can be performed to increase the vehicle height of the front of the vehicle 1.

[0019] In the vehicle control device according to the embodiment described above, when it is detected that the vehicle 1 is crossing a river, the ground clearance of the vehicle 1 is increased by controlling the suspension height of the suspensions 12. Furthermore, in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment, the acceleration sensor 14 detects the tilt state of the vehicle 1 in the front, rear, left and right directions, and controls each suspension 12 to prevent water from getting into the electronic devices based on the detected attitude of the vehicle 1 and the positions of important electronic devices, etc. This makes it possible to prevent water from getting into the electronic devices mounted on the vehicle 1.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the vehicle control device of the embodiment, when the acceleration is low, for example, the overall vehicle height can be raised by the suspension 12, thereby preventing the electronic devices from being submerged in water. Furthermore, when the posture of the vehicle 1 is tilted or the acceleration is high, the suspension 12 controls the tilt of the vehicle 1, thereby preventing the electronic devices from being submerged in water or from being continuously submerged in water.

[0021] For example, the battery, which is most susceptible to water damage, is often located at the rear of the vehicle 1. Therefore, when the vehicle 1 accelerates while crossing a river and tilts backward, the battery is more likely to be splashed with water. In such a case, lowering the front height of the vehicle 1 and changing the tilt of the vehicle 1 can prevent the battery from being splashed with water.

[0022] Further advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0023] 1 vehicle 11 Control section 12. Suspension 13 Water sensor 14 Acceleration sensor

Claims

[Claim 1] A control unit is provided, The control unit When detecting that a vehicle is crossing a river, the suspension of the vehicle is controlled to adjust the vehicle height; detecting acceleration in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the vehicle, and controlling a suspension of the vehicle to tilt the vehicle in a direction opposite to the acceleration; Vehicle control device.

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