Startup determination device

Abstract

To provide a start-up determination device.SOLUTION: The startup determination device includes a state detection unit 14 that detects battery information indicating a remaining amount of a battery of the vehicle and a maximum capacity of the battery when the ignition shifts from an on-state to an off-state, a state detection unit 15 that stores the battery information detected by the state detection unit in a storage area 12, an information acquisition unit 16 that acquires the battery information at startup of the vehicle control device, and a determination unit 17 that determines whether the application is operable based on the battery information acquired by the information acquisition unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This embodiment relates to a start-up determination device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, vehicles have been considered to be equipped with a camera that captures images inside the vehicle cabin and a microphone that collects audio inside the vehicle cabin, and to be equipped with applications that utilize the images captured by the camera and the audio collected by the microphone, etc. For example, a technology is known in which, when a vehicle door is opened, the camera is activated to capture an image of the driver, and if personal authentication of the driver is successful using a personal authentication application that uses the captured image of the driver, the seat position and mirror positions are automatically adjusted to pre-set positions for the authenticated driver.

[0003] Even after the door is opened, the camera, microphone, applications, etc. are powered by battery power until the ignition is turned on. In this case, if the ignition is left off for a long period of time, the battery power continues to be consumed, causing a problem of the remaining battery power decreasing. Therefore, studies are being conducted to monitor the remaining battery power and perform processing according to the remaining battery power.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a power supply control device for a driver monitor that includes a driver monitor that monitors the state of the driver and a control unit that controls the power supply to the driver monitor from a power source. The control unit supplies power from the power source to the driver monitor when it detects that the driver has gotten into the vehicle, and continues the power supply to the driver monitor if a predetermined operation is performed on the vehicle within a certain period of time thereafter, and stops the power supply to the driver monitor if the predetermined operation is not performed within the certain period of time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-177131 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, there is room for improvement in controlling the launch of applications during the period from the start of the vehicle control device to the ignition being turned on.

[0007] Therefore, a startup determination device is provided that appropriately determines whether an application can be operated and appropriately controls the remaining battery capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The startup determination device (10) of the present disclosure is a startup determination device (10) that determines whether an application can operate during the period from when a vehicle control device (11) is started until the ignition of the vehicle is turned on, and includes a state detection unit (14) that detects battery information indicating the remaining charge of the vehicle's battery and the maximum capacity of the battery when the ignition transitions from an on state to an off state, a memory processing unit (15) that stores the battery information detected by the state detection unit in a memory area (12), an information acquisition unit (16) that acquires the battery information from the memory area when the control device is started, and a determination unit (17) that determines whether the application can operate based on the battery information acquired by the information acquisition unit.

[0009] The startup determination device of the present disclosure can determine whether an application will operate or not depending on the battery state during periods when the battery is not being charged. Furthermore, since there is no need to newly detect battery information when getting in the vehicle, a startup determination device is provided that can appropriately determine whether an application will operate within a relatively short period of time and appropriately control the remaining battery capacity. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a start-up determination system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a table showing an example of correspondence between battery information stored in a storage area, whether an application can be operated, and whether power can be supplied to an information acquisition device. [Figure 3] Table 1 showing another example of the correspondence between the battery information stored in the storage area, whether the application can run, and whether power can be supplied to the information acquisition device [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by the start-up determination system according to the first embodiment when the ignition is switched from ON to OFF. [Figure 5] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed when an ECU power supply of a start-up determination system according to a first embodiment is switched from off to on. [Figure 6] An example of a flowchart showing the details of the personal authentication process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by the start-up determination system according to the first embodiment when the ignition is switched from off to on. [Figure 8] Table 2 showing another example of the correspondence between the battery information stored in the storage area, whether the application can run, and whether power can be supplied to the information acquisition device [Figure 9] Table 3 showing another example of the correspondence between the battery information stored in the storage area, whether the application can run, and whether power can be supplied to the information acquisition device [Figure 10] Table 4 showing another example of the correspondence between the battery information stored in the storage area, whether the application can run, and whether power can be supplied to the information acquisition device [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed when an ECU power supply of a start-up determination system according to a second embodiment is switched from off to on. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by a start-up determination system according to a second embodiment when an ignition switch is switched from off to on. [Figure 13]10 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed when an ECU power supply of a start-up determination system according to a third embodiment is switched from off to on. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by a start-up determination system according to a third embodiment when an ignition switch is switched from off to on. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, a startup determination system 1 and a startup determination device 10 according to several embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals will be used to designate substantially the same components in several embodiments, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0012] (First embodiment) A first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. A startup determination system 1 according to the present application executes startup determination processing based on the state of a vehicle battery 210 when a vehicle control device 11 (hereinafter referred to as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 11) is started. The startup determination processing is processing for determining whether a target application can be started and / or operated during the period from when the ECU 11 is started until the ignition is turned on. The startup determination system 1 also determines, when the ECU 11 is started, based on the state of the vehicle battery 210, whether power can be supplied to an information acquisition device that acquires information used by the target application for its operation.

[0013] In this case, the start-up determination system 1 does not newly detect the state of the battery 210 when the ECU 11 is started and use the detected state in the start-up determination process, but performs the above-mentioned determination based on battery information, which is information about the state of the battery 210 when the ignition was turned off last time, i.e., when the vehicle was last dismounted. That is, the start-up determination system 1 assumes that any change in the battery state that occurs between the last time the vehicle was dismounted and the current time the vehicle is boarded can be ignored, and approximates the battery state when the vehicle is last boarded to be the same as the battery state when the vehicle was last dismounted. That is, by storing battery information in nonvolatile memory when the vehicle last dismounted and reading the previous battery information from the nonvolatile memory when the vehicle is boarded this time, the start-up determination system 1 can perform the start-up determination process faster than by newly detecting battery information when the vehicle is last boarded.

[0014] The startup determination system 1 includes a startup determination device 10, an ECU 11, a camera 20, a floodlight 25, a microphone (not shown), a display device group 40, a door open / close switch 201, and an ignition (IG) button 202. The ECU 11 is a device mounted on a moving body such as a vehicle. The ECU 11 is responsible for controlling the entire vehicle and also has the function of controlling various electronic devices mounted on the vehicle. The ECU 11 is connected to the door open / close switch 201, the IG button 202, the camera 20, the floodlight 25, the microphone (not shown), the display device group 40, etc. via an in-vehicle network such as a controller area network (CAN).

[0015] The camera 20 is equipped with an imaging element (not shown) and has the function of capturing an image of an object in the vehicle cabin. The object may be, for example, the driver's face or the driver's upper body. The floodlight 25 has the function of illuminating the object when the camera 20 captures an image, thereby assisting in capturing a good image. The microphone (not shown) captures audio within the vehicle cabin, such as speech from the driver or passengers, and for use in the operation of a target application. The display device group 40 includes, for example, meters, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), etc., and may be equipped with a speaker (not shown).

[0016] The startup determination system 1 further includes a memory area 12, a battery 210, a door open / close switch 201, and an IG button 202. The memory area 12 can be configured, for example, by a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), or a flash memory provided in the ECU 11. The memory area 12 stores a control program executed by the ECU 11, battery information (described later), and the like. The memory area 12 may also be provided in an external server device (not shown) connected via the Internet. In this case, the startup determination system 1 may also include a communication unit for communicating with the server device.

[0017] The battery 210 supplies power to the ECU 11, the door open / close switch 201, the IG button 202, the camera 20, the floodlight 25, a microphone (not shown), the display device group 40, etc. In the IG on state, the battery 210 is charged by a generator (not shown), such as an alternator. In the IG off state, the generator cannot generate power, so the battery 210 is not charged.

[0018] The door opening / closing switch 201 detects whether a vehicle door is opened or closed. When the vehicle door changes from a closed state to an open state while the ECU power supply unit 111 is in an OFF state, the ECU power supply unit 111 is turned ON. The IG button 202 accepts an operation from the driver to start or stop the engine. The ECU 11 switches the ignition of the vehicle between ON and OFF.

[0019] The ECU 11 has an ECU power supply unit 111, a CAN signal acquisition unit 112, a camera control unit 113, an image acquisition unit 13, and a status detection unit 14. The ECU power supply unit 111 serves as a driving power source for the ECU 11. The CAN signal acquisition unit 112 is connected to a door opening / closing switch 201, an IG button 202, a camera 20, a floodlight 25, a microphone (not shown), a display device group 40, and the like via an in-vehicle network such as a CAN. The camera control unit 113 controls the operation of a camera system including the camera 20 and the floodlight 25. The status detection unit 14 detects battery information indicating the status of the battery 210. Note that the status detection unit 14 monitors the battery information of the battery 210 constantly or at predetermined intervals when the IG is on.

[0020] The battery information includes, but is not limited to, one or more selected from a remaining charge indicating the charge amount of the battery 210, a maximum capacity indicating the maximum charge amount of the battery 210, and battery type information. In this embodiment, the battery information includes both the remaining charge and the maximum capacity of the battery 210. In another embodiment, the battery information includes the remaining charge of the battery 210. In yet another embodiment, the battery information includes the maximum capacity of the battery 210. In yet another embodiment, the battery information includes the battery type information of the battery 210. In yet another embodiment, the battery information includes the remaining charge of the battery 210 and the battery type information of the battery 210. In yet another embodiment, the battery information includes the maximum capacity of the battery 210 and the battery type information of the battery 210. In yet another embodiment, the battery information includes the remaining charge of the battery 210, the maximum capacity of the battery 210, and the type information of the battery 210. The battery type information includes, for example, a rated capacity. In this specification, the rated capacity refers to the absolute value of the amount of electricity that can be extracted from the battery 210 under specified conditions, such as when the battery 210 is fully charged when new. Furthermore, the maximum capacity is a value that gradually decreases as charging and discharging are repeated, with 100% being the value when the battery 210 is fully charged as a new product, and indicates a relative percentage to the rated capacity. The remaining amount indicates the amount of electricity that can be extracted from the battery 210 at any point in time, and may be an absolute value of the amount of electricity, or may indicate a relative percentage to the rated capacity or maximum capacity.

[0021] The camera control unit 113 may detect the luminance distribution of the subject to be imaged (in this case, the driver's face), which changes from moment to moment, and control the imaging conditions of the camera system so that the face can be imaged with a desirable degree of shading. For example, the camera control unit 113 may control the exposure time and gain of the camera 20, the light intensity of the floodlight 25, etc. Note that in this embodiment, the camera 20, the floodlight 25, and the microphone are connected to the ECU 11 via an in-vehicle network such as a CAN, but this is not limiting. For example, in other embodiments, the camera 20, the floodlight, and the microphone may each be connected to the ECU 11 by dedicated wiring.

[0022] The target application is an application used by the user in the vehicle, and may be an in-vehicle application or an application installed on an external device (not shown) that the user brings in from outside the vehicle and uses in the vehicle. The target application may be, for example, a personal authentication application that performs personal authentication using the driver's personal information, or an application for detecting items left behind in the vehicle. In this embodiment, the target application is a personal authentication application, which is the personal authentication unit 51 shown in FIG. 1. Personal information includes, but is not limited to, an image of the user in an identifiable manner, audio including the user's voice that can identify the user through voiceprint recognition, image information capturing fingerprints, palm prints, palm veins, finger veins, or irises. The information acquisition device may include, but is not limited to, a camera, a microphone, a fingerprint sensor, a vein sensor, etc. In this embodiment, the personal information used by the personal authentication unit 51 is an image of the driver's face captured by the camera 20. The target application does not need to be installed in the vehicle, and may be a personal authentication application installed on an external device.

[0023] The memory area 12 pre-stores verification information to be used as a comparison target when verifying personal information, such as an image acquired by the information acquisition device, for personal authentication. The verification information includes, but is not limited to, an image of the driver's face, the driver's voiceprint, iris, fingerprint, palm print, finger vein pattern, etc. In this embodiment, the verification information is an image of the driver's face. When performing personal authentication processing, the personal authentication unit 51 acquires the verification information stored in the memory area 12 and compares it with personal information acquired each time. The personal authentication unit 51 calculates the similarity between the verification information and the personal information, and determines that the personal authentication is successful if the similarity is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and determines that the personal authentication is unsuccessful if the similarity is less than the predetermined value. The method for calculating the similarity may be any known method.

[0024] If the personal authentication is successful, the personal authentication unit 51 outputs a notification of success to the display device group 40. If the personal authentication is unsuccessful, the personal authentication unit 51 outputs a notification of failure to the display device group 40. The notification of success or failure may be, for example, the lighting of an indicator light, the display of a message, or the generation of a voice or alarm sound from a speaker (not shown) included in the display device group 40.

[0025] The startup determination device 10 has a storage processing unit 15, an information acquisition unit 16, and a determination unit 17. When the CAN signal acquisition unit 112 detects that the IG button 202 has been operated to transition from the IG on state to the IG off state, the storage processing unit 15 stores battery information at that time in the storage area 12. That is, the storage processing unit 15 stores battery information indicating the state of the battery 210 immediately before the driver gets off the vehicle in the storage area 12.

[0026] The storage processing unit 15 may store the battery information of the battery 210, which is constantly monitored by the battery state detection unit, in the storage area 12 for a predetermined period of time, for example, every minute. In this case, the storage processing unit 15 may overwrite old battery information with new battery information. Therefore, when the IG state is shifted from the IG on state to the IG off state, the battery state stored by the storage processing unit 15 immediately before that is stored in the storage area 12. This also results in battery information stored in the storage area 12 that is substantially the same as the battery state immediately before the driver got off the vehicle.

[0027] When the ECU power supply unit 111 changes from an off state to an on state, for example, due to the door open / close switch 201 detecting the door being open, the information acquisition unit 16 acquires the battery information stored in the storage area 12 when the previous IG state was changed from on to off. That is, the information acquisition unit 16 acquires the battery information immediately before the previous dismounting. When the user is not in the vehicle, it can be assumed that the battery 210 is not consuming power, or even if it has, the amount is usually negligible. Therefore, the remaining charge and maximum capacity immediately before the previous dismounting can be approximately regarded as the remaining charge and maximum capacity at the time of the current dismounting.

[0028] The determination unit 17 executes a start-up determination process based on the battery information acquired by the information acquisition unit 16. The start-up determination process includes a process for determining whether or not a target application can be started or operated. The start-up determination process also includes a process for determining whether or not power can be supplied to an information acquisition device that acquires information used by the target application. When the battery information indicates a state requiring charging, the determination unit 17 determines to work in a direction to reduce battery consumption. In this specification, a state requiring charging refers to a state in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery 210 is lower than a predetermined value.

[0029] The state requiring charging can be defined by, for example, one or a combination of the remaining amount of the battery 210, the maximum capacity of the battery 210, or the rated capacity of the battery 210. That is, the state requiring charging includes at least one or a combination of a state in which the remaining amount of the battery 210 is less than a predetermined first threshold, a state in which the maximum capacity of the battery 210 is less than a predetermined second threshold, or a state in which the rated capacity of the battery 210 is less than a predetermined third threshold.

[0030] For example, in one embodiment, the need to charge state includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a first predetermined threshold, in one embodiment, the need to charge state includes a state in which the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a second predetermined threshold, and in one embodiment, the need to charge state includes a state in which the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a third predetermined threshold.

[0031] In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a first predetermined threshold and the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a second predetermined threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a first predetermined threshold and the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a third predetermined threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a second predetermined threshold and the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a third predetermined threshold.

[0032] In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a predetermined first threshold and the maximum capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold and the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined second threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a predetermined first threshold and the rated capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined third threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold and the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined third threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined second threshold and the rated capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined third threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the maximum capacity of battery 210 is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold and the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined third threshold.

[0033] In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a predetermined first threshold, the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined second threshold, and the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined third threshold.

[0034] In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a predetermined first threshold, the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined second threshold, and the rated capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined third threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a predetermined first threshold, the maximum capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold, and the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined third threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is equal to or greater than the predetermined first threshold, the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined second threshold, and the rated capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined third threshold.

[0035] In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a predetermined first threshold, the maximum capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold, and the rated capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined third threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined second threshold, and the rated capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined third threshold. In one embodiment, the state requiring charging includes a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, the maximum capacity of battery 210 is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold, and the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined third threshold.

[0036] The determination unit 17 can perform a startup determination process by comparing one or more of a predetermined first threshold for the remaining battery capacity, a predetermined second threshold for the maximum capacity, or a predetermined third threshold for the rated capacity with one or more of the remaining battery capacity, maximum capacity, or rated capacity indicated by the battery information. In this embodiment, the determination unit 17 performs the startup determination process by comparing the remaining battery capacity indicated by the battery information with the predetermined first threshold and the maximum capacity indicated by the battery information with the predetermined second threshold. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, the charging-required state is defined as a state where either one of the remaining battery capacity or maximum capacity is less than a predetermined threshold, i.e., an OR condition. In other words, if both the remaining battery capacity and maximum capacity are equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (AND condition), the charging-required state is not determined. Note that the charging-required state may be determined based on only one of the remaining battery capacity, maximum capacity, and rated capacity conditions, and the remaining conditions may be ignored, as in the examples shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, which will be described in detail later.

[0037] 2, when the remaining battery charge of the battery 210 is equal to or greater than a first threshold and the maximum capacity is equal to or greater than a second threshold, the determination unit 17 permits the activation and operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and permits the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). When the remaining battery charge of the battery 210 is less than the first threshold or the maximum capacity is less than the second threshold, the determination unit 17 does not permit the activation or operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and does not permit the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). This makes it possible to reduce battery power consumption in situations where the battery cannot be charged.

[0038] 3 , when the remaining charge of the battery 210 is equal to or greater than a first threshold and the maximum capacity is equal to or greater than a second threshold, the determination unit 17 permits the activation and operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and permits the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). When the remaining charge of the battery 210 is less than the first threshold or the maximum capacity is less than the second threshold, the determination unit 17 does not permit the activation or operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and does not permit the supply of power to a portion of the information acquisition device (in this case, the projector 25). However, the determination unit 17 permits the supply of power to a portion of the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20). In this case, for example, the projector 25, which has an LED light source, consumes more power than the camera 20 and has a greater impact on the battery 210, so the supply of power to the projector 25 is not permitted. However, the camera 20 consumes less power than the projector 25 and has a smaller impact on the battery 210, so the supply of power to the camera 20 may be permitted. By not supplying power to the projector 25, which consumes a lot of power, and not allowing the target application to start or operate, it is possible to reduce battery power consumption in a situation where the battery cannot be charged. In this way, the startup determination system 1 can determine the power supply to each component of the information acquisition device according to the power consumption of each component.

[0039] The memory area 12 stores a first threshold value, a second threshold value, and a chart showing the correspondence between battery information and whether a target application can be started and operated, as shown in Fig. 2 or 3. The determination unit 17 refers to each threshold value and the chart stored in the memory area 12 to perform a start-up determination process.

[0040] When the CAN signal acquisition unit 112 acquires an IG on signal from the IG button 202, i.e., when the ignition is turned on, the judgment unit 17 allows the activation and operation of the personal authentication unit 51 as the target application, and the supply of power to the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices.

[0041] (Flow when IG is off) The processing of the startup determination system 1 when switching from the IG on state to the G off state will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 4. In the following description, the processing by each component of the startup determination system 1 will be described as processing by the startup determination system 1.

[0042] In step S101, the startup determination system 1 determines whether the CAN signal acquirer 112 has acquired an IG off signal that switches from the IG on state to the IG off state in response to a user operation on the IG button 202. If the IG off signal has not been acquired (NO in step S101), the startup determination system 1 repeats the process of step S101. If the IG off signal has been acquired (YES in step S101), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to the process of step S102.

[0043] In step S102, the start-up determination system 1 stores the latest battery information detected by the state detection unit 14 in the memory area 12. In step S103, the start-up determination system 1 determines whether or not an ECU power supply off signal has been acquired. The ECU power supply off signal may be triggered, for example, by a key lock (not shown). If the ECU power supply off signal has not been acquired (NO in step S103), the start-up determination system 1 repeats the processing of step S103. If the ECU power supply off signal has been acquired (YES in step S103), the start-up determination system 1 proceeds to processing of step S104. In step S104, the start-up determination system 1 turns off the ECU power supply. Then, the start-up determination system 1 ends the flow (END). In this way, the start-up determination system 1 performs processing when the IG is off.

[0044] (Flow when ECU power is turned on) The processing of the start-up determination system 1 when switching from the ECU power-off state to the ICU power-on state will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 5 and 6. In the example shown in this flowchart, the start-up determination system 1 executes the start-up determination processing based on the chart shown in Figure 2.

[0045] In step S111, the startup determination system 1 determines whether the ECU power supply unit 111 has received a door open signal from the door opening / closing switch 201. If the ECU power supply unit 111 has not detected the door open signal (NO in step S111), the ECU 11 repeats the process of step S111. If the ECU power supply unit 111 has detected the door open signal (YES in step S111), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S112.

[0046] In step S112, the start-up determination system 1 turns on the ECU power supply unit 111. This supplies power to the ECU 11. In step S113, the start-up determination system 1 obtains from the storage area 12 battery information from the previous time the vehicle was dismounted.

[0047] In step S114, the startup determination system 1 determines whether the battery information indicates a state requiring charging. Specifically, the startup determination system 1 determines whether the remaining battery charge indicated by the battery information is equal to or greater than a first threshold and the maximum capacity is equal to or greater than a second threshold. If the remaining battery charge is less than the first threshold or the maximum capacity is less than the second threshold (NO in step S114), the startup determination system 1 ends the processing. As a result, when the remaining battery charge of the battery 210 is low and the maximum capacity is low, the personal authentication unit 51 as the target application is not operated and power is not supplied to the camera 20 and the projector 25 as the information acquisition processing unit, thereby suppressing further consumption of battery power.

[0048] If the remaining battery charge is equal to or greater than the first threshold and the maximum capacity is equal to or greater than the second threshold (YES in step S114), ECU 11 proceeds to step S115. In step S115, ECU 11 starts personal authentication unit 51 as the target application and permits its operation. In step S116, startup determination system 1 starts supplying power to camera 20. This turns on the power to camera 20. In step S117, startup determination system 1 starts supplying power to projector 25. This turns on the power to projector 25, and the camera system starts capturing images.

[0049] In step S118, the startup determination system 1 executes the personal authentication process shown in the flow chart of Fig. 6 using the personal authentication unit 51. When the personal authentication process starts, in step S121, the startup determination system 1 acquires an image from the camera 20 via the image acquisition unit 13. In step S122, the startup determination system 1 performs image recognition on the acquired image. In step S123, the startup determination system 1 acquires the matching information stored in the memory area 12. In step S124, the startup determination system 1 compares the information acquired by image recognition with the matching information and calculates the similarity.

[0050] In step S125, the startup judgment system 1 determines whether the authentication was successful. If the authentication failed (NO in step S125), the startup judgment system 1 proceeds to step S126. In step S126, the startup judgment system 1 outputs a notification of failure to the display device group 40. If the authentication was successful (YES in step S125), the startup judgment system 1 proceeds to step S127. In step S127, the startup judgment system 1 outputs a notification of success to the display device group 40. Thereafter, the startup judgment system 1 ends the personal authentication process (return).

[0051] Returning to FIG. 5, when the personal authentication process in step S118 is completed, the startup determination system 1 ends the process when the ECU power is turned on (END).

[0052] If the battery information cannot be acquired from the storage area 12 in step S113 due to a malfunction in the storage area 12 or other reasons, the process ends as in the case of NO in step S114. This makes it possible to reduce the power consumption of the battery 210 when the battery state is unknown.

[0053] (Flow when IG is on) Referring to the flowchart of FIG. 7, the flow of the start-up determination system 1 when the IG state changes from the IG OFF state to the IG ON state after the ECU power is turned ON will be described.

[0054] In step S131, the startup determination system 1 determines whether the CAN signal acquisition unit 112 has acquired an IG on signal in response to a user's operation of the IG button 202. If the CAN signal acquisition unit 112 has not acquired an IG on signal (NO in step S131), the ECU 11 repeats the process of step S131. If the CAN signal acquisition unit 112 has acquired an IG on signal (YES in step S131), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to the process of step S132.

[0055] In step S132, the startup determination system 1 determines whether personal authentication was performed by the personal authentication unit 51 before the IG was turned on. If personal authentication was successful before the IG was turned on (success in step S132), the ECU 11 ends the process (END). If personal authentication failed before the IG was turned on (failure in step S132), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S136.

[0056] If personal authentication has not been performed before IG is turned on (not performed in step S132), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S133. In step S133, the startup determination system 1 permits the startup and operation of the personal authentication unit 51. In step S134, the startup determination system 1 supplies power to the camera 20. In step S135, the startup determination system 1 supplies power to the floodlight 25.

[0057] In step S136, the start-up determination system 1 executes the personal authentication process, and then ends the process when the IG is on (END).

[0058] Although details are omitted, if personal authentication is successful before the IG is turned on, after the IG is turned on, the ECU 11 adjusts the environmental settings in the vehicle cabin, such as the driver's seat position and the angle of the side mirrors, as previously set for each driver. If personal authentication is successful after the IG is turned on, the ECU adjusts the environmental settings in the vehicle cabin as described above after confirming success.

[0059] According to the present embodiment described above, the startup determination device 10 determines whether the personal authentication unit 51 operates as an application during the period from startup of the vehicle control device (ECU) 11 until the vehicle ignition is turned on. The startup determination device 10 includes a state detection unit 14 that detects battery information indicating the remaining charge of the vehicle's battery 210 and the maximum capacity of the battery 210 when the ignition transitions from an on state to an off state, a storage processing unit 15 that stores the battery information detected by the state detection unit 14 in a storage area 12, an information acquisition unit 16 that acquires the battery information from the storage area 12 when the ECU 11 is started, and a determination unit 17 that determines whether the personal authentication unit 51 operates based on the battery information acquired by the information acquisition unit 16.

[0060] This allows the operation or non-operation of an application to be determined according to the state of the battery 210 during the IG-off period, i.e., during the period when the battery 210 is not being charged, thereby enabling more appropriate control of the remaining battery charge and other factors when an application must be started using battery power. Therefore, a startup determination device is provided that appropriately determines whether an application can be run and appropriately controls the remaining battery charge. Furthermore, because the determination is based on battery information from the previous time the vehicle was dismounted, there is no need to newly detect the remaining battery charge or maximum battery capacity when the vehicle is currently being boarded. In other words, the startup determination system 1 can perform startup determination more quickly than when newly acquiring battery information. This prevents inefficient time from being wasted solely on detecting the battery state, preventing the operation of information acquisition devices, such as the camera 20, the floodlight 25, and the microphone, required for application operation and application processing.

[0061] When the battery information indicates a state requiring charging, in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery 210 is lower than a predetermined amount, the judgment unit 17 does not allow power to be supplied to at least some of the information acquisition devices necessary for the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 as an application.

[0062] In this embodiment, if the remaining capacity indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined first threshold or the maximum capacity indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined second threshold, the determination unit 17 does not permit the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 as an application.

[0063] According to this, by not starting the target application when the battery 210 is in a low power state, it is possible to suppress consumption of the battery 210 until the ignition is turned on. On the other hand, when the battery 210 is in a good state in terms of the remaining charge and maximum capacity, the target application is permitted to start, so the target application is still available before the ignition is turned on. Therefore, user convenience is not excessively suppressed.

[0064] When the battery information indicates a state requiring charging, in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery 210 is lower than a predetermined amount, the judgment unit 17 does not allow power to be supplied to at least some or all of the camera 20 and the floodlight 25, which are information acquisition devices that acquire information necessary for the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 as an application.

[0065] In this embodiment, when the remaining battery charge indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined first threshold or the maximum capacity indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined second threshold, the judgment unit 17 does not allow power supply to at least some of the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices that acquire information necessary for the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 as an application.

[0066] According to this, when the battery 210 has low power, in addition to restricting the launch or operation of the target application, by not operating devices that capture images and sounds necessary for the operation of the target application, such as a camera or a floodlight, it is possible to reduce the amount of power consumed by the battery 210 in a situation where charging is not possible until the ignition is turned on and power generation becomes possible.

[0067] The state requiring charging is at least one or a combination of the following states: a state in which the remaining charge of battery 210 is less than a predetermined first threshold, a state in which the maximum capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined second threshold, or a state in which the rated capacity of battery 210 is less than a predetermined third threshold.

[0068] This allows the startup determination process to be performed based on information that is relatively easy to obtain and does not require an excessively large amount of data, thereby reducing the load on the control device 11 and the pressure on the storage capacity of the storage area 12.

[0069] When the ignition is turned on, the determination unit 17 permits the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 as a personal authentication application, and permits the supply of power to the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices.

[0070] According to this, even if personal authentication is not performed due to the battery state or if personal authentication has failed once, when the ignition is turned on, personal authentication processing can be performed under conditions where the battery 210 can be charged, thereby improving user convenience.

[0071] Although the start-up determination system 1 of this embodiment performs the start-up determination process based on both the remaining charge and maximum capacity of the battery 210 at the time of last dismounting as battery information, this is not limiting. For example, in other embodiments, the start-up determination system 1 may perform the start-up determination process based on either the remaining charge or maximum capacity of the battery 210 at the time of last dismounting.

[0072] For example, in another embodiment, the battery information may include the remaining charge of the battery 210, and the startup determination process may be performed based on a first threshold and the remaining charge of the battery 210 indicated by the battery information. In this case, the storage area 12 stores a chart, such as that shown in FIG. 8, indicating the correspondence between the battery information and whether or not a target application can be started and operated. In the example shown in FIG. 8, when the remaining charge of the battery 210 is less than the first threshold, the determination unit 17 does not permit the start or operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and does not permit the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). When the remaining charge of the battery 210 is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the determination unit 17 permits the start and operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and permits the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). This makes it possible to reduce battery power consumption when the remaining charge is low and the battery 210 cannot be charged. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the start-up determination system 1 executes the start-up determination process based on the remaining capacity of the battery 210, regardless of the maximum capacity or rated capacity of the battery 210.

[0073] In yet another embodiment, the battery information may include the maximum capacity of the battery 210, and the startup determination process may be performed based on a second threshold and the maximum capacity of the battery 210 indicated by the battery information. In this case, the storage area 12 stores a chart, such as that shown in FIG. 9, indicating the correspondence between the battery information and whether or not a target application can be started and operated. In the example shown in FIG. 9, if the maximum capacity of the battery 210 is less than the second threshold, the determination unit 17 does not permit the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) to be started or operated, and does not permit the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). If the maximum capacity of the battery 210 is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the determination unit 17 permits the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) to be started and operated, and permits the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). This makes it possible to reduce battery consumption when the maximum capacity of the battery is low and the battery 210 cannot be charged. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the startup determination system 1 performs the startup determination process based on the maximum capacity, regardless of the remaining charge or rated capacity of the battery 210.

[0074] In still another embodiment, the startup determination system 1 may perform startup determination based on at least battery type information as battery information. The battery type information includes, for example, the rated capacity of the battery 210. The rated capacity of the installed battery 210 may vary depending on the vehicle model. For example, in a microcar or the like equipped with a battery 210 having a very small rated capacity, operation of the target application may always be prohibited when the battery 210 cannot be charged. On the other hand, in a pickup truck or the like equipped with a battery 210 having a relatively large rated capacity, operation of the target application may always be permitted even when the battery 210 cannot be charged.

[0075] In the example shown in FIG. 10 , if the rated capacity of the battery 210 is less than the third threshold, the determination unit 17 does not permit the activation or operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and does not permit the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). If the rated capacity of the battery 210 is equal to or greater than a fourth threshold that is greater than the third threshold, the determination unit 17 permits the activation or operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and permits the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). Furthermore, if the rated capacity of the battery 210 is equal to or greater than the third threshold and less than the fourth threshold, the determination unit 17 may make a determination at the time of activation based on other conditions, such as the remaining battery charge. In this case, if the remaining charge of the battery 210 is less than the first threshold, the determination unit 17 does not permit the activation or operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and does not permit the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the projector 25). If the remaining battery charge of the battery 210 is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the determination unit 17 permits the activation and operation of the target application (in this case, the personal authentication unit 51) and permits the supply of power to the information acquisition device (in this case, the camera 20 and the floodlight 25). In this manner, when the rated capacity of the battery 210 is very small, battery consumption can be reduced even in a situation where the battery 210 cannot be charged. On the other hand, when the rated capacity of the battery 210 is relatively large, the target application can be used even in a situation where the battery 210 cannot be charged, thereby improving user convenience. In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the startup determination system 1 executes the startup determination process based on the remaining battery charge and the rated capacity, regardless of the maximum capacity of the battery 210.

[0076] Furthermore, although the start-up determination device 10 of this embodiment is configured together with the ECU 11 on one circuit board, it may be configured by combining multiple circuit boards. Furthermore, the start-up determination system 1 of this embodiment may be configured to include multiple physically separated components. Furthermore, the start-up determination system 1 may be partially configured by multiple in-vehicle devices or external devices brought in by the driver from outside the vehicle.

[0077] (Second embodiment) A second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. In this embodiment, the startup determination system 1 permits operation of a target application and supply of power to an information acquisition device in the IG-off state, regardless of the battery information at the time of the previous dismount. On the other hand, if the battery information at the time of the previous dismount indicates a state requiring charging, once the target application is operated and the result is confirmed, the startup determination system 1 suspends the target application and suspends the supply of power to the information acquisition device for a period until the IG-on state is reached. This allows operation of the target application once even when the battery 210 has little power, improving user convenience.

[0078] More specifically, when the ECU power supply is turned on, the startup determination system 1 permits the supply of power to the personal authentication unit 51 as a target application and the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices. If the battery information from the previous time of dismounting indicates a charging-required state, and the personal authentication unit 51 determines whether the authentication was successful or unsuccessful, the startup determination system 1 stops the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 and the supply of power to at least one or both of the camera 20 and the floodlight 25. This allows the target application to be run even when the battery is in a charging-required state, improving user convenience. Furthermore, if personal authentication is successful in the IG-off state, processing for successful personal authentication can be executed immediately after the IG-on state is entered, thereby shortening the waiting time, for example, until the driver's desired environmental settings are achieved after the IG-on state is entered.

[0079] (Flow when ECU power is turned on) The processing of the start-up determination system 1 when switching from the ECU power-off state to the ICU power-on state will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 11. Note that the following will focus on the parts that differ from the flowchart of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

[0080] If the remaining battery charge indicated by the battery information is less than the first threshold or the maximum capacity is less than the second threshold (NO in step S114), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S211. In step S211, the startup determination system 1 permits the startup and operation of the personal authentication unit 51. In step S212, the startup determination system 1 starts supplying power to the camera 20. This turns on the power to the camera 20. In step S213, the startup determination system 1 starts supplying power to the projector 25. This turns on the power to the projector 25, and the camera system starts capturing images. In step S214, the startup determination system 1 executes personal authentication processing. This allows the personal authentication unit 51 to perform personal authentication processing at least once even when the IG is off.

[0081] In step S215, the start-up determination system 1 determines whether the success or failure of the personal authentication has been determined. If the success or failure of the personal authentication has not been determined (NO in step S215), the start-up determination system 1 returns the process to step S214. If the success or failure of the personal authentication has been determined (YES in step S215), the start-up determination system 1 proceeds to step S216.

[0082] In step S216, the startup determination system 1 stops the personal authentication unit 51. In step S217, the startup determination system 1 stops the supply of power to the camera 20. In step S218, the startup determination system 1 stops the supply of power to the projector 25. These operations reduce power consumption, so that after the personal authentication process has been performed once, further battery consumption can be suppressed when the battery 210 has little power.

[0083] Thereafter, the start-up determination system 1 ends the processing (END). In this manner, the start-up determination system 1 executes the processing when the ECU power is turned on.

[0084] In this embodiment, when the battery information indicates a state requiring charging, the supply of power to both the camera 20 and the projector 25 is stopped once the success or failure of personal authentication is determined, but this is not limited to this. In other embodiments, for example, the supply of power to the camera 20, which consumes less power than the projector 25, may be maintained, and the supply of power to the projector 25, which consumes relatively more power, may be maintained. In this case, the period required for starting up the camera 20 can be shortened during the period until the camera system becomes available after switching to the IG on state.

[0085] 11, the start-up determination is performed according to the chart of FIG. 2 described in the first embodiment, but is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments, the start-up determination may be performed according to any one of the charts shown in FIG. 3, or FIG. 8 to FIG. 10.

[0086] (Flow when IG is on) The flow of processing by the startup determination system 1 when the IG state changes from OFF to ON after the ECU power is turned ON will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 12. Note that the following will focus on the parts that differ from the flowchart of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 7.

[0087] If the CAN signal acquisition unit 112 acquires the IG on signal (YES in step S131), the ECU 11 proceeds to step S231. In step S231, the startup determination system 1 determines whether personal authentication by the personal authentication unit 51 before the IG was turned on was successful or unsuccessful. If personal authentication was successful in the IG off state (success in step S231), the startup determination system 1 ends the processing (END). If personal authentication failed in the IG off state (failure in step S231), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S232.

[0088] In step S232, the startup determination system 1 determines whether the personal authentication unit 51 serving as the target application is running. If the personal authentication unit 51 is running (YES in step S232), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S136. If the personal authentication unit 51 is stopped (NO in step S232), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S133.

[0089] In this way, the start-up determination system 1 executes the process when the IG state changes from the IG OFF state to the IG ON state.

[0090] According to the present embodiment described above, the target application is the personal authentication application, that is, the personal authentication unit 51. When the battery information indicates a charging-required state in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery 210 is lower than a predetermined amount, the determination unit 17 permits the supply of power to the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 and to the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices that acquire information necessary for the operation of the personal authentication unit 51, and when the personal authentication unit 51 determines that the authentication has been successful or unsuccessful, the determination unit 17 stops the personal authentication unit 51 and stops the supply of power to at least one or both of the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices.

[0091] In this embodiment, when the remaining charge indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined first threshold or the maximum capacity indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined second threshold, the judgment unit 17 allows the supply of power to the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 and to the camera 20 and floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices that acquire information necessary for the operation of the personal authentication unit 51, and when the personal authentication unit 51 determines that the authentication is successful or unsuccessful, the judgment unit 17 stops the personal authentication unit 51 and stops the supply of power to at least one or both of the camera 20 and floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices.

[0092] According to this, when the battery 210 has low power in a situation where the IG is off and the battery 210 cannot be charged, the operation of the personal authentication application and the information acquisition device is stopped after one processing, so that further consumption of the battery 210 can be suppressed until the ignition is turned on and the battery 210 can be charged. Furthermore, even when the battery 210 has low power, the personal authentication processing is executed once, so that the environmental settings can be smoothly adjusted to suit the driver's preferences after the ignition is turned on. Therefore, consumption of the battery 210 can be suppressed while maintaining convenience for the driver as much as possible.

[0093] (Third embodiment) A third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14 . In this embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, when the battery information from the previous time of dismounting indicates that the battery 210 needs to be charged while the ignition is off, the startup determination system 1 does not permit the operation of a target application and the supply of power to the information acquisition device. However, when the battery information from the previous time of dismounting indicates that the battery 210 is highly charged, the startup determination system 1 permits the operation of a target application and the supply of power to the information acquisition device. In this embodiment, the highly charged state refers to a state in which the remaining battery charge is equal to or greater than a first threshold and the maximum capacity is equal to or greater than a second threshold. On the other hand, even when the battery information from the previous time of dismounting indicates a highly charged state, once the target application is operated and the result is confirmed, the startup determination system 1 stops the target application and stops the supply of power to the information acquisition device until the ignition is on. This makes it possible to suppress further consumption of battery power even when the battery 210 is not low in power and cannot be charged due to the ignition being off.

[0094] More specifically, when the ECU power supply is on and the IG is off, if the battery information indicates a high charge state, the startup determination system 1 permits the supply of power to the personal authentication unit 51 as the target application and to the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as the information acquisition devices. Then, when the personal authentication unit 51 determines whether the authentication has been successful or unsuccessful, the system stops the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 and the supply of power to at least one or both of the camera 20 and the floodlight 25.

[0095] (Flow when ECU power is turned on) The processing of the startup determination system 1 in this embodiment when switching from an ECU power-off state to an ICU power-on state will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 13. Note that the following will focus on the parts that differ from the flowchart of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

[0096] When the personal authentication process in step S118 is completed, the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S311. In step S311, the startup determination system 1 determines whether the success or failure of the personal authentication has been determined. If the success or failure of the personal authentication has not been determined (NO in step S311), the startup determination system 1 returns to step S118. If the success or failure of the personal authentication has been determined (YES in step S311), the startup determination system 1 proceeds to step S312.

[0097] In step S312, the startup determination system 1 stops the personal authentication unit 51. In step S313, the startup determination system 1 stops the supply of power to the camera 20. In step S313, the startup determination system 1 stops the supply of power to the projector 25. These steps reduce power consumption, so that after the personal authentication process has been performed once, further consumption of battery power can be suppressed under circumstances where the battery 210 cannot be charged.

[0098] Thereafter, the start-up determination system 1 ends the processing (END). In this manner, the start-up determination system 1 executes the processing when the ECU power is turned on.

[0099] In the flowchart shown in Fig. 13, the start-up determination is performed according to the chart of Fig. 2 described in the first embodiment, but is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments, the start-up determination may be performed according to any one of the charts shown in Fig. 3, or Fig. 8 to Fig. 10.

[0100] (Flow when IG is on) The flow of processing by the startup determination system 1 when the IG state changes from the IG OFF state to the IG ON state after the ECU power is turned ON in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 14. Note that the parts that differ from the flowchart of the second embodiment shown in Fig. 9 will be particularly described.

[0101] In this embodiment, if personal authentication fails in the IG-off state (failure in step S231), the startup determination system 1 advances the process to step S133.

[0102] According to the present embodiment described above, the target application is the personal authentication unit 51, which is a personal authentication application. When the battery information indicates a charging-needed state, in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery 210 is lower than a predetermined amount, the determination unit 17 does not permit the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 and the operation of at least part of the camera 20 and the projector 25, which serve as information acquisition devices that acquire information necessary for the operation of the personal authentication unit 51. When the battery information does not indicate a charging-needed state, the determination unit 17 permits the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 and the supply of power to the camera 20 and the projector 25, which serve as information acquisition devices. When the personal authentication unit 51 determines whether authentication has succeeded or failed, the determination unit 17 stops the personal authentication unit 51 and stops the supply of power to at least one or both of the camera 20 and the projector 25, which serve as information acquisition devices.

[0103] In this embodiment, when the remaining battery charge indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined first threshold or the maximum capacity is less than a predetermined second threshold, the determination unit 17 does not permit the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 and the operation of at least a part of the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices that acquire information necessary for the operation of the personal authentication unit 51. When the remaining battery charge indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined first threshold or the maximum capacity indicated by the battery information is less than a predetermined second threshold, the determination unit 17 stops the personal authentication unit 51 and permits the supply of power to the camera 20 and the floodlight 25 as information acquisition devices.

[0104] According to this, in a situation where the battery 210 cannot be charged when the IG is off, even if the battery 210 is in a highly charged state, the operation of the personal authentication unit 51 and the information acquisition device is stopped after the personal authentication process is performed once, thereby further reducing the amount of power consumed by the battery 210 until the ignition is turned on when the battery 210 cannot be charged.

[0105] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments or structures. The present disclosure also encompasses various modifications and equivalent modifications. In addition, various combinations and forms, including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0106] The controller and the method described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer configured with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. Alternatively, the controller and the method described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer configured with a processor comprising one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the controller and the method described herein may be implemented by one or more special-purpose computers configured with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions in combination with a processor configured with one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium as instructions executed by a computer.

[0107] In addition to the inventions set forth in the claims, the present disclosure further includes the following inventions.

[0108] [1] A startup determination device (10) that determines whether an application can operate during a period from when a vehicle control device (11) is started until an ignition of the vehicle is turned on, comprising: a state detection unit (14) that detects battery information indicating a remaining amount of the battery of the vehicle and a maximum capacity of the battery when the ignition is switched from an on state to an off state; a storage processing unit (15) that stores the battery information detected by the state detection unit in a storage area (12); an information acquisition unit (16) that acquires the battery information from the storage area when the control device is started; a determination unit (17) that determines whether the application can be operated based on the battery information acquired by the information acquisition unit, Start-up determination device (10).

[0109] [2] the determination unit does not permit the application to operate when the battery information indicates a state requiring charging, in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery is lower than a predetermined amount. The startup determination device according to [1].

[0110] [3] when the battery information indicates a state requiring charging in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery is lower than a predetermined amount, the determination unit does not permit power supply to at least a part of the information acquisition devices that acquire information necessary for operation of the application. The startup determination device according to [1].

[0111] [4] the application is a personal authentication application, When the battery information indicates a state requiring charging in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery is lower than a predetermined amount, the determination unit permits the supply of power to the operation of the personal authentication application and to an information acquisition device that acquires information necessary for the operation of the personal authentication application, and when the success or failure of authentication is determined by the personal authentication application, stops the personal authentication application and stops the supply of power to at least a part of the information acquisition device. The startup determination device according to [1].

[0112] [5] the application is a personal authentication application, when the battery information indicates a state requiring charging in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery is lower than a predetermined amount, the determination unit does not permit operation of the personal authentication application and operation of at least a part of an information acquisition device that acquires information necessary for operation of the personal authentication application; If the battery information does not indicate the charging required state, operation of the personal authentication application and supply of power to the information acquisition device are permitted, and if the success or failure of authentication is determined by the personal authentication application, the personal authentication application is stopped and the supply of power to the information acquisition device is stopped. The startup determination device according to [1].

[0113] [6] The state requiring charging is at least one of a state in which the remaining charge of the battery is less than a predetermined first threshold, a state in which the maximum capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined second threshold, or a state in which the rated capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined third threshold, or a combination of a plurality of these states. The startup determination device according to any one of [2] to [5].

[0114] [7] When the ignition is turned on, the determination unit permits the operation of the application and permits the supply of power to the information acquisition device. The startup determination device according to any one of [3] to [5]. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 1...Start-up determination system, 10...Start-up determination device, 11...Control device (ECU), 112...CAN signal acquisition unit (detection unit), 12...Memory area, 15...Memory processing unit, 16...Information acquisition unit, 17...Determination unit, 20...Camera (information acquisition device), 25...Projector (information acquisition device), 51...Personal authentication unit (application, personal authentication application)

Claims

1. A startup determination device (10) that determines whether an application can operate during a period from when a vehicle control device (11) is started until the ignition of the vehicle is turned on, comprising: a state detection unit (14) that detects battery information indicating a remaining amount of the battery of the vehicle and a maximum capacity of the battery when the ignition is shifted from an on state to an off state; a storage processing unit (15) that stores the battery information detected by the state detection unit in a storage area (12); an information acquisition unit (16) that acquires the battery information from the storage area when the control device is started; a determination unit (17) that determines whether the application can be operated based on the battery information acquired by the information acquisition unit, Start-up determination device (10).

2. the determination unit does not permit the application to operate when the battery information indicates a state requiring charging, in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery is lower than a predetermined amount. The start-up determination device according to claim 1 .

3. when the battery information indicates a state requiring charging in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery is lower than a predetermined amount, the determination unit does not permit power supply to at least a part of the information acquisition devices that acquire information necessary for operation of the application. The start-up determination device according to claim 1 .

4. the application is a personal authentication application, When the battery information indicates a state requiring charging in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery is lower than a predetermined amount, the determination unit permits the supply of power to the operation of the personal authentication application and to an information acquisition device that acquires information necessary for the operation of the personal authentication application, and when the success or failure of authentication is determined by the personal authentication application, stops the personal authentication application and stops the supply of power to at least a part of the information acquisition device. The start-up determination device according to claim 1 .

5. the application is a personal authentication application, when the battery information indicates a state requiring charging in which the amount of electricity charged in the battery is lower than a predetermined amount, the determination unit does not permit operation of the personal authentication application and operation of at least a part of an information acquisition device that acquires information necessary for operation of the personal authentication application; If the battery information does not indicate the charging required state, operation of the personal authentication application and supply of power to the information acquisition device are permitted, and if the success or failure of authentication is determined by the personal authentication application, the personal authentication application is stopped and the supply of power to the information acquisition device is stopped. The start-up determination device according to claim 1 .

6. The charging-required state is at least one of a state in which the remaining charge of the battery is less than a predetermined first threshold, a state in which the maximum capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined second threshold, or a state in which the rated capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined third threshold, or a combination of a plurality of these states. The start-up determination device according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. When the ignition is turned on, the determination unit permits the operation of the application and permits the supply of power to the information acquisition device. The start-up determination device according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

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