On-vehicle control device

Abstract

To set a driving force characteristic according to a travel road more easily and more properly.SOLUTION: An on-vehicle control device is installed on a vehicle provided with an own vehicle position detecting device detecting a position of an own vehicle, confirms whether or not the driving of a vehicle is controlled using a closed course control map with a driver when an own vehicle position is in a prescribed closed course at a system startup, and controls the driving of the vehicle using the closed course control map when the driver selects use of the closed course control map.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle control device, and more particularly to an in-vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle equipped with a vehicle position detection device that detects the position of the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of on-board control device, a device has been proposed that determines that the vehicle's position is within a predicted circuit area and determines that the vehicle is located within a circuit when no characteristic features are recognized on a general road (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This device makes it possible to more accurately identify that the vehicle is within a circuit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-199382 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, while the above-mentioned on-board control device can identify whether the vehicle is located on a closed course such as a race track, it does not take into consideration the drive control of the vehicle, which is desirable for the drive force characteristics of the vehicle to be different on a closed course than on an ordinary road.

[0005] The main object of the in-vehicle control device of the present disclosure is to more easily and appropriately set driving force characteristics according to the road. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The in-vehicle control device of the present disclosure employs the following means to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] The in-vehicle control device of the present disclosure includes: An in-vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle having a vehicle position detection device that detects the vehicle position, When the vehicle position is within a predetermined closed course at the time of system startup, the system confirms with the driver whether or not to use a control map for the closed course to control the vehicle, and when the driver selects to use the control map for the closed course, the system controls the vehicle using the control map for the closed course. It is characterized by:

[0008] In the on-board control device of the present disclosure, when the vehicle position is within a predetermined closed course at the time of system startup, the driver is asked whether or not to control the vehicle using the closed course control map, and if the driver selects to use the closed course control map, the vehicle is controlled using the closed course control map. This makes it possible to more easily and appropriately set driving force characteristics according to the closed course.

[0009] Here, a closed course control map may be prepared for each closed course, or multiple closed course control maps may be prepared and the driver may select one. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an automobile 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a control map setting process executed by an electronic control unit 50. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Next, a mode (embodiment) for carrying out the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an automobile 20 as an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the automobile 20 of the embodiment includes an engine 22, a transmission 24, an electronic control unit 50, a mode selection switch 69, and a navigation system 72.

[0012] The engine 22 is configured as an internal combustion engine that is driven by hydrocarbon fuel such as gasoline or diesel, and its output shaft 23 is connected to a transmission 24 .

[0013] The transmission 24 is configured as, for example, a well-known manual transmission with six forward speeds and one reverse speed. The output shaft of the transmission 24 is connected via a differential gear 26 to a drive shaft 25 which is connected to drive wheels 28a, 28b.

[0014] The electronic control unit 50 is a microcomputer centered around a CPU 51, and in addition to the CPU 51, it is equipped with a ROM 52 for storing programs, etc., a RAM 53 for temporarily storing data, a flash memory 54 for storing data, etc., and input / output ports (not shown).

[0015] Signals from various sensors are input via input ports to the electronic control unit 50. Examples of signals input to the electronic control unit 50 via the input ports include an ignition signal from an ignition switch 60, a shift position SP from a shift position sensor 62 that detects the position of a shift lever 61, an accelerator opening Acc from an accelerator pedal position sensor 64 that detects the amount of depression of an accelerator pedal 63, and a brake position BP from a brake pedal position sensor 66 that detects the amount of depression of a brake pedal 65. Other examples include a vehicle speed V from a vehicle speed sensor 68.

[0016] Various control signals are output from the electronic control unit 50 via an output port. Examples of control signals output from the electronic control unit 50 via the output port include a throttle control signal for controlling the operation of the engine 22, a fuel injection control signal, an ignition control signal, and other control signals, as well as a drive control signal for the transmission 24. Other examples include a display control signal for a display device 70 mounted near the driver's seat.

[0017] The navigation system 72 is a system that guides the vehicle to a set destination, and includes a GPS (Global Positioning System, Global Positioning Satellite) 74 that detects the vehicle's position, a map information database (not shown), and the like. The map information database stores map information such as distance information, road width information, road type information (general road, expressway), and legal speed information for each section of road. The map information database also stores course information for various racing circuits. When a destination is set, the navigation system 72 sets a driving route based on the destination information, current location information (current vehicle position) acquired by the GPS, and the information stored in the map information database, and displays the set driving route on the display device 70 to provide route guidance.

[0018] Next, the operation of the automobile 20 of this embodiment configured as described above, particularly the operation when setting a control map for traveling on a closed course such as a circuit, will be described. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a control map setting process executed by the electronic control unit 50. The control map setting process is executed immediately after the system is started up.

[0019] When the control map setting process is executed immediately after the system is started, the electronic control unit 50 first detects the vehicle position (step S100) and determines whether the vehicle position is within a closed course (step S110). If it is determined that the vehicle position is outside the closed course, a control map for general roads is set (step S170) and this process ends. The general control map is set to provide good fuel economy under relatively low or medium loads.

[0020] If it is determined in step S110 that the vehicle is located within a closed course, map information for the closed course and the vehicle's position are displayed on the display screen of display device 70, and the driver is asked whether or not to set a control map for the closed course (steps S120 and S130). If the driver confirms that the control map for the closed course is set by touching the display screen of display device 70, the control map for the closed course is set (step S140). The control map for the closed course may be designed to make fluctuations in accelerator opening Acc, which represents the amount of depression of accelerator pedal 63, more sensitive than a control map for ordinary roads, or to emphasize power in control of engine 22, or, in the case of an engine with a supercharger, to perform anti-lag control that suppresses the time lag that occurs when the supercharger function is delayed when accelerator pedal 63 is depressed after the accelerator is released.

[0021] Once the control map for the closed course is set, the setting of the control map for the closed course is maintained until the vehicle position leaves the closed course (steps S150, S160), at which point the control map for the general road is set (step S170), and this process ends. Note that if the driver's setting of the control map for the closed course by the driver is denied in step S130, the control map for the general road is set (step S170), and this process ends.

[0022] In the automobile 20 of the embodiment described above, when the vehicle is located within a closed course such as a racing circuit at the time of system startup, the system asks the driver whether or not to set a control map for the closed course, and if the driver confirms that a control map for the closed course should be set, the system sets the control map for the closed course. This makes it possible to more easily and appropriately set a control map (driving force characteristics) suited to the closed course.

[0023] In the embodiment of the automobile 20, when the vehicle is located within a closed course at the time of system startup, the driver is asked whether or not to set a control map for the closed course. However, multiple control maps for closed courses may be prepared and the driver may select one. Also, a control map may be prepared for each closed course.

[0024] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problems" section will be explained below. In the embodiment, the GPS 74 corresponds to the "vehicle position detection device," and the electronic control unit 50 corresponds to the "vehicle control device."

[0025] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiments and the main elements of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section does not limit the elements of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section, since the embodiments are examples for specifically explaining the mode for implementing the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section. In other words, the interpretation of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section should be based on the description in that section, and the embodiments are merely specific examples of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section.

[0026] The present disclosure has been described above using embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments and can, of course, be embodied in various forms within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. [Industrial Applicability]

[0027] The present disclosure is applicable to the automobile manufacturing industry and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 20 automobile, 22 engine, 23 output shaft, 24 transmission, 25 drive shaft, 26 differential gear, 28a, 28b drive wheels, 30 fuel tank, 32 remaining fuel gauge, 50 electronic control unit, 51 CPU, 52 ROM, 53 RAM, 54 flash memory, 60 ignition switch, 61 shift lever, 62 shift position sensor, 63 accelerator pedal, 64 accelerator pedal position sensor, 65 brake pedal, 66 brake pedal position sensor, 68 vehicle speed sensor, 69 mode selection switch, 70 display device, 72 navigation system, 74 GPS.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle having a vehicle position detection device that detects the vehicle position, When the vehicle position is within a predetermined closed course at the time of system startup, the system confirms with the driver whether or not to use a control map for the closed course to control the vehicle, and when the driver selects to use the control map for the closed course, the system controls the vehicle using the control map for the closed course.

1. An in-vehicle control device comprising:

Images