control device

Abstract

The present invention provides a control device that can control in-vehicle equipment appropriately according to the vehicle's condition using a table while keeping system costs down. [Solution] A control device mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a first storage unit that stores a first table which defines the control content to be performed on a plurality of control targets for each of a plurality of vehicle states; a first processing unit that outputs information regarding the control to be performed on the plurality of control targets based on the vehicle state and the first table; a second storage unit that stores a second table which shows information for changing the control content defined in the first table; and a second processing unit that, when the vehicle state is a predetermined state, changes the information regarding the control output by the first processing unit based on the second table.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a control device mounted on a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a system capable of appropriately and efficiently controlling in-vehicle devices according to the power supply state of a vehicle.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As one method for realizing the system described in Patent Document 1 above, a method of controlling in-vehicle devices appropriate for the vehicle state using a table that associates the vehicle state including the power supply state of the vehicle with the control content to be performed on the in-vehicle devices that are the control targets in that vehicle state can be considered.

[0005] However, in the method using this table, when the vehicle states that the vehicle can take increase due to an increase in functions or the like, there is a problem that the size of the table required for storage increases and the system cost increases. Therefore, there is room for further consideration in order to perform appropriate control of in-vehicle devices for the vehicle state using a table.

[0006] This disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a control device capable of performing appropriate control of in-vehicle devices for the vehicle state using a table while suppressing the system cost.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the disclosed technology is a control device mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a first storage unit that stores a first table which defines control content to be performed on a plurality of control objects for each of a plurality of vehicle states; a first processing unit that outputs information regarding control to be performed on a plurality of control objects based on the vehicle state and the first table; a second storage unit that stores a second table which shows information for changing the control content defined in the first table; and a second processing unit that, when the vehicle state is a predetermined state, changes the information regarding control output by the first processing unit based on the second table. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the control device described above, it is possible to control the control target appropriate to the vehicle state by utilizing the first table without modification and by adding only minimal additional control and the second table. Therefore, it is possible to respond to an increase in vehicle states while keeping the increase in system costs down. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Functional block diagram of a control device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] An example of a conversion table held by the state conversion unit. [Figure 3] An example of the first table stored in the first memory unit [Figure 4] An example of the second table stored in the second memory unit [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The control device according to this disclosure includes a first table that records information on what kind of control to perform on each of multiple controlled objects, as well as a second table that allows the control to be changed from the control obtained from the first table when the vehicle is in a predetermined state. This configuration makes it possible to respond to an increase in vehicle states with minor design changes while utilizing the conventional first table. Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] <Embodiment> Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a control device 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The control device 10 illustrated in Figure 1 comprises an ECU 100, a first storage unit 210, and a second storage unit 220. The ECU 100, the first storage unit 210, and the second storage unit 220 are mounted, for example, in a vehicle.

[0012] The ECU 100 is an electronic control unit that performs appropriate control on in-vehicle equipment (not shown) that is the target of control, according to the state the vehicle can be in. The ECU 100 includes a state conversion unit 110, a first behavior determination unit 120, a behavior control unit 130, a second behavior determination unit 140, an additional behavior determination unit 150, and an additional control unit 160.

[0013] The state conversion unit 110 receives a state, which is information representing the vehicle state, and sorts (discriminates) this input state into "basic states" that represent the basic state of the vehicle and "special states" that are other than basic states. In this embodiment, the states that the state conversion unit 110 receives are exemplified by vehicle power state A, which represents the basic state, and vehicle power state B, which represents the special state. The number of basic states shall not exceed the upper limit that can be input to the first behavior determination unit 120, and states that exceed the upper limit shall be treated as special states. These basic states represent the basic state of the vehicle, such as when parked, when occupied, and when driving. Special states represent special states (states outside the existing state) that are added on to the basic state of the vehicle, such as when being transported or when being reprogrammed.

[0014] Furthermore, if the input state is a basic state (vehicle power state A), the state conversion unit 110 converts this basic state to a predetermined power state for the existing system. For this conversion, a conversion table like the one shown in Figure 2 is used. Specifically, if the state is a basic state, the state conversion unit 110 refers to the conversion table and converts the state name to a power name. In the conversion table illustrated in Figure 2, basic state 1 is converted to "power A", basic state 2 is converted to "power B", basic state 3 is converted to "power C", and basic state 4 is converted to "power D". The power state information converted by the state conversion unit 110 is output to the first behavior determination unit 120.

[0015] On the other hand, if the input state is a special state (vehicle power state B), the state conversion unit 110 outputs the information of this special state directly to the second behavior determination unit 140.

[0016] The first behavior determination unit 120 determines the behavior in the basic state input to the state conversion unit 110. This determination is made based on the power supply state converted from the basic state by the state conversion unit 110 and the first table pre-stored in the first storage unit 210.

[0017] Figure 3 shows an example of a first table stored in the first storage unit 210. In the first table illustrated in Figure 3, each power supply state (power A to D) is associated with a behavior state (behavior A to D), and the control contents that the in-vehicle equipment being controlled can take in each behavior state are shown. For example, when the power supply is C, behavior C is associated, and in this behavior C, operation of the in-vehicle equipment is permitted when processing message 1, message 2, channel drive, and fail-safe (marked with a circle in Figure 3), and stopping the in-vehicle equipment (marked with an X in Figure 3) is instructed when processing any other operation.

[0018] The behavior control unit 130 performs behavior control based on the behavior state (any one of behaviors A to D) determined by the first behavior determination unit 120. The implementation of this behavior control can be performed by outputting a predetermined control instruction to the in-vehicle device that is the control target via the additional control unit 160, etc.

[0019] The above-described first behavior determination unit 120, behavior control unit 130, and first storage unit 210 correspond to an existing system. Also, the first behavior determination unit 120 and the behavior control unit 130 correspond to the first processing unit of the claims.

[0020] The second behavior determination unit 140 determines the behavior in the special state input to the state conversion unit 110. This determination is made based on the special state and the second table stored in advance in the second storage unit 220.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the second table stored in the second storage unit 220. In the second table illustrated in FIG. 4, additional behavior states (additional behaviors A to D) to be added are associated with each special state (special A to D) sorted by the state conversion unit 110, and the contents of changes regarding the control that the in-vehicle device, which is the control target, can take in each additional behavior state are shown. For example, when it is special A, additional behavior A is associated, and in this additional behavior A, it is shown that the operation of the in-vehicle device is permitted (the ○ mark in FIG. 3) when processing messages 4 and 5 is performed. Also, when it is special B, additional behavior B is associated, and in this additional behavior B, it is shown that the stop of the in-vehicle device (the × mark in FIG. 3) is instructed when processing messages 2 and 4 is performed. Regarding the - mark in FIG. 3, it shows that the control of the in-vehicle device has not changed from the previous settings.

[0022] The additional behavior determination unit 150 compares the behavior state controlled by the behavior control unit 130 with the additional behavior state derived by the second behavior determination unit 140, and determines whether it is necessary to change the control that the in-vehicle equipment being controlled can take due to the additional behavior. For example, if the behavior state controlled by the behavior control unit 130 is "behavior A", and the additional behavior state derived by the second behavior determination unit 140 is "additional behavior A", then it is not necessary to change it because operational control has already been performed for messages 4 and 5. However, if it is "additional behavior B", then it is necessary to change the stop control for messages 2 and 3.

[0023] The additional behavior determination unit 150 outputs the additional behavior state, which is the change in the control that the in-vehicle device being controlled can take, to the additional control unit 160 when it is necessary to change the control that the device needs to be controlled.

[0024] The additional control unit 160 performs additional behavior control based on the additional behavior state (one of additional behaviors A to D) provided by the additional behavior determination unit 150. This additional behavior control can be performed by outputting a predetermined additional control instruction to the in-vehicle equipment that is the target of control.

[0025] The state conversion unit 110, second behavior determination unit 140, additional behavior determination unit 150, additional control unit 160, and second storage unit 220 described above correspond to the new system that is a technical feature of this disclosure. Furthermore, the second behavior determination unit 140, additional behavior determination unit 150, and additional control unit 160 correspond to the second processing unit of the claim.

[0026] <Effects and Actions> As described above, the control device 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first storage unit 210 that stores a first table which defines the control content to be performed on a plurality of control targets for each of a plurality of vehicle states; a first behavior determination unit 120 and a behavior control unit 130 (first processing unit) that output information regarding the control to be performed on a plurality of control targets based on the vehicle state and the first table; a second storage unit 220 that stores a second table which shows information for changing the control content defined in the first table; and a second behavior determination unit 140, an additional behavior determination unit 150, and an additional control unit 160 (second processing unit) that, when the vehicle state is a predetermined state (special state), change the information regarding the control output by the first processing unit based on the second table.

[0027] Thus, by providing a second table in addition to the first table which records information on what kind of control to perform on each of the multiple control targets, the system can accommodate an increase in the number of power states of the vehicle while keeping system costs down. This allows for changes to the control to be performed based on the control obtained from the first table when the vehicle is in a predetermined state.

[0028] Furthermore, when a vehicle communication control system has limitations on the number of input / output states (number of vehicle power supplies), the number of input / output states can be increased with minimal additional control while utilizing the vehicle communication control system without modification by adding the state conversion unit 110, the second behavior determination unit 140, the additional behavior determination unit 150, and the additional control unit 160.

[0029] Although one embodiment of the disclosed technology has been described above, the disclosure can be understood not only as a control device, but also as a method performed by a control device comprising a processor and memory, a program for performing the method, a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium storing the program, and a vehicle equipped with the control device. [Industrial applicability]

[0030] The control device described herein can be used in situations where it is desirable to add more power states to a vehicle while keeping system costs down. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 10 Control device 100 ECU 110 State conversion unit 120 First Behavior Determination Unit 130 Behavior Control Unit 140 Second Behavior Determination Unit 150 Additional behavior determination unit 160 Additional control unit 210 1st memory section 220 2nd memory section

Claims

1. A control device installed in a vehicle, A first storage unit stores a first table which defines the control content to be performed on multiple control targets for each of multiple vehicle states, A first processing unit outputs information regarding the control to be performed on the plurality of control targets based on the vehicle status and the first table, A second storage unit stores a second table containing information for changing the control content defined in the first table, The system includes a second processing unit that, when the vehicle state is in a predetermined state, modifies the control information output by the first processing unit based on the second table, Control device.

2. The predetermined states include, at a minimum, the state in which the vehicle is being transported and the state in which the controlled object is being reprogrammed. The control device according to claim 1.

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