Control device and control program

Abstract

The present invention provides a control device and control program that can notify the user that the vehicle's electromagnetic brake is not released, thereby making the user aware that there is a problem with their operation. [Solution] A control device according to one embodiment controls a vehicle equipped with an electromagnetic brake that operates when the vehicle is stopped. The control device includes a controller that releases the electromagnetic brake when the user's accelerator operation changes from the off state to the on state while the electromagnetic brake is activated. The controller activates the electromagnetic brake when the stopping condition is met while the vehicle is in motion. The controller notifies the user when the accelerator operation is on while the electromagnetic brake is activated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to a control device and a control program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a vehicle such as an electric wheelchair, for example, a technique has been proposed to ensure safety by actuating an electromagnetic brake when the vehicle is stopped to reliably stop the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the prior art, the user is configured to operate a release switch to release the electromagnetic brake.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the prior art, the user has to operate the release switch every time the vehicle starts, and the operation of releasing the electromagnetic brake is cumbersome. Therefore, it is conceivable to configure the electromagnetic brake to be released when the user's accelerator operation changes from the off state to the on state.

[0005] However, for example, due to inappropriate operations such as the accelerator operation and the brake operation being simultaneously turned on by the user during driving, or factors such as an abnormality occurring in the vehicle, the vehicle may be stopped and the electromagnetic brake may be actuated. At this time, the user may continue to operate the accelerator and the on state may continue. In such a case, in order to release the electromagnetic brake, the user has to turn the accelerator operation off once and then on again, but the user may not notice to turn it off once, and as a result, there is a possibility of falling into a situation where the vehicle cannot be driven.

[0006] One embodiment, made in view of the above, aims to provide a control device and control program that can notify the user that the vehicle's electromagnetic brake is not released and make the user aware that there is a problem with their operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems and achieve the objective, a control device according to one embodiment controls a vehicle equipped with an electromagnetic brake that operates when the vehicle is stopped. The control device includes a controller that releases the electromagnetic brake when the user's accelerator operation changes from the off state to the on state while the electromagnetic brake is activated. The controller activates the electromagnetic brake when the stopping condition is met while the vehicle is in motion. The controller notifies the user when the accelerator operation is on while the electromagnetic brake is activated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In one embodiment of the control device, the controller activates the electromagnetic brake when the stopping conditions are met while the vehicle is in motion, and notifies the user if the accelerator is in the ON position while the electromagnetic brake is activated. This notifies the user that the vehicle's electromagnetic brake is not released, allowing the user to realize that there is a problem with their operation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle equipped with a control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device and the like according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 illustrates the transitions between the operating and non-operating states of the electromagnetic brake. [Figure 4]Figure 4 is a time chart (part 1) illustrating the processes performed by the control device and other components. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a time chart (part 2) illustrating the processes performed by the control device and other components. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a time chart (part 3) illustrating the processes performed by the control device and other components. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a diagram (part 1) showing an example of an activation notification. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a forward acceleration notification. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a diagram (part 2) showing an example of an activation notification. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of a reverse accelerator notification. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a diagram (part 3) showing an example of an activation notification. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by the control device according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a notification process performed by the control device according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the control device and control program disclosed in this application will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, this invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, in the following, "predetermined" may be read as "pre-set" or "pre-defined."

[0011] A vehicle equipped with a control device according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle A equipped with a control device 10 according to the embodiment.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle A is a vehicle used by a user B such as an elderly person or a person with a disability, and assists the movement of the user B. Note that the user B is a driver who rides in the vehicle A and drives.

[0013] The vehicle A is a vehicle such as an electric wheelchair or an electric cart, so-called personal mobility. The vehicle A is a small vehicle with a relatively light vehicle body weight. Specifically, the vehicle A is a small vehicle with a lighter vehicle body weight than an ordinary vehicle with a relatively heavy vehicle body weight. Note that the vehicle A is, for example, a single-seater vehicle, but may also be a vehicle that can accommodate two or more people. Also, the vehicle A is not limited to the wheelchair type or cart type shown in FIG. 1, and may be of various types such as a standing-riding type. Further, the vehicle A is, for example, a vehicle whose upper limit of traveling speed is legally limited to a low speed (such as 6 km / h) and can travel on a sidewalk.

[0014] The vehicle A includes a control device 10, a steering 11, an accelerator 50, a brake 60, wheels 70, and a traveling motor 80. In FIG. 1, the control device 10, the accelerator 50, the brake 60, the traveling motor 80, etc. are schematically shown in blocks.

[0015] The control device 10 controls the entire vehicle A. The detailed configuration of the control device 10 will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

[0016] The steering 11 is operated by the user B. Specifically, the steering 11 is an operation unit that is operated by the user B when turning the vehicle A. For example, when the user B desires to turn the vehicle A, the user B operates the steering 11, and the wheels (for example, front wheels) 70 are steered according to the steering angle of the steering 11, and the vehicle A turns. [[ID=??]] [[ID=??]]

[0017] [[ID=??]] It seems there are some repeated tags in the original that might be a mistake. I've translated as accurately as possible based on the provided rules. If you have any further clarification about the tags or the text, please let me know.The accelerator 50 is operated by user B. Specifically, the accelerator 50 is an operating unit operated by user B when driving vehicle A. The accelerator 50 includes a forward accelerator 51 for driving vehicle A forward and a reverse accelerator 52 for driving vehicle A in reverse. The forward and reverse movement of vehicle A will be described later. In addition, although Figure 1 shows an example in which the accelerator 50 is provided on the steering wheel 11, it is not limited to this and may be provided in any location such as at user B's feet.

[0018] The brake 60 is operated by user B. Specifically, the brake 60 is an operating part operated by user B when braking vehicle A. The braking of vehicle A will be described later. The forward accelerator 51, the reverse accelerator 52, and the brake 60 are input mechanisms (operating members) such as levers and pedals for user B to operate.

[0019] Wheels 70 are provided at the front and rear of vehicle A. The number of wheels 70 can be set arbitrarily. For example, vehicle A may have four wheels with two wheels 70 at the front and two wheels at the rear, or it may have three wheels with one wheel 70 at the front and two wheels at the rear.

[0020] The drive motor 80 is connected to the wheels (rear wheels) 70. Specifically, a drive motor 80 is connected to each of the left and right rear wheels 70. For example, an in-wheel motor can be used as the drive motor 80. The drive motor 80 is connected to a battery (not shown) and operates using power from this battery.

[0021] Vehicle A is further equipped with an electromagnetic brake 45. The electromagnetic brake 45 is connected to the drive motor 80. The electromagnetic brake 45 is controlled by the control device 10 to make the drive motor 80 either unable to rotate or able to rotate. The control device 10 activates the electromagnetic brake 45 when the vehicle is stopped. Specifically, the control device 10 can ensure safety by reliably stopping vehicle A by activating the electromagnetic brake 45 when vehicle A is stopped, thereby making the drive motor 80 unable to rotate. Details of the electromagnetic brake 45 will be described later with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0022] Next, the configuration of the control device 10 and other components according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figure 2 and subsequent figures. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device 10 and other components according to this embodiment. Note that in Figure 2, only the components necessary to explain the features of this embodiment are shown as functional blocks, and descriptions of general components are omitted.

[0023] The control device 10 is a control device that controls vehicle A, and is, for example, a VCU (Vehicle Control Unit).

[0024] The control device 10 is connected to an accelerator sensor 40, a reverse switch 41, a brake switch 42, a steering angle sensor 43, a vehicle speed sensor 44, an electromagnetic brake 45, an inverter 46, and an output unit 47.

[0025] The accelerator sensor 40 is connected to the forward accelerator 51. The accelerator sensor 40 is a sensor that detects the amount of operation of the forward accelerator 51 by user B. The accelerator sensor 40 outputs information indicating the detected amount of accelerator operation to the control device 10. The accelerator sensor 40 is also a sensor that detects whether or not user B has operated the forward accelerator 51. Specifically, the accelerator sensor 40 outputs an ON signal to the control device 10 when the forward accelerator 51 is operated by user B and is in the ON state. The accelerator sensor 40 outputs an OFF signal to the control device 10 when the forward accelerator 51 is not operated by user B and is in the OFF state.

[0026] The reverse switch 41 is connected to the reverse accelerator 52. The reverse switch 41 is a sensor that detects whether or not the reverse accelerator 52 is operated by user B. Specifically, the reverse switch 41 outputs an ON signal to the control device 10 when the reverse accelerator 52 is operated by user B and is in the ON state. The reverse switch 41 outputs an OFF signal to the control device 10 when the reverse accelerator 52 is not operated by user B and is in the OFF state. Alternatively, the reverse accelerator (lever) 52 may not be provided, and the reverse switch 41 may be configured to be operated directly by user B.

[0027] The brake switch 42 is connected to the brake 60. The brake switch 42 is a sensor that detects whether or not the brake 60 is operated by user B. Specifically, the brake switch 42 outputs an ON signal to the control device 10 when the brake 60 is operated by user B and is in the ON state. The brake switch 42 outputs an OFF signal to the control device 10 when the brake 60 is not operated by user B and is in the OFF state.

[0028] In this specification, the state in which the accelerator 50 is operated by User B may be described as "accelerator operation on," and the state in which the accelerator 50 is not operated may be described as "accelerator operation off." More specifically, the state in which the forward accelerator 51 is operated by User B may be described as "forward accelerator operation on," and the state in which the forward accelerator 51 is not operated may be described as "forward accelerator operation off." The state in which the reverse accelerator 52 is operated by User B may be described as "reverse accelerator operation on," and the state in which the reverse accelerator 52 is not operated may be described as "reverse accelerator operation off." In addition, the state in which the brake 60 is operated by User B may be described as "brake operation on," and the state in which the brake 60 is not operated may be described as "brake operation off."

[0029] The steering angle sensor 43 is connected to the steering wheel 11. The steering angle sensor 43 is a sensor that detects the steering angle of the steering wheel 11 by user B (in other words, the amount of steering (steering angle)). The steering angle sensor 43 outputs information indicating the detected steering angle of the steering wheel 11 to the control device 10. The information indicating the steering angle also includes information indicating the steering direction of vehicle A.

[0030] The vehicle speed sensor 44 is a sensor that detects the speed of vehicle A. The vehicle speed sensor 44 detects the speed of vehicle A by, for example, detecting the rotational speed (actual rotational speed) of the rotating shaft of the drive motor 80. The vehicle speed sensor 44 outputs information indicating the detected speed of vehicle A to the control device 10. In the above description, the vehicle speed sensor 44 detects the speed from the rotational speed of the rotating shaft of the drive motor 80, but it is not limited to this, and the speed may also be detected by detecting the rotational speed of, for example, the wheel axle or the wheel 70.

[0031] As described above, the electromagnetic brake 45 is connected to the drive motor 80 and controlled by the controller 20 of the control device 10. The electromagnetic brake 45 makes the drive motor 80 either unable to rotate or able to rotate. Specifically, when the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, the rotation axis of the drive motor 80 becomes unable to rotate. That is, when the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated and locked, the wheels 70 are locked and unable to rotate. When the electromagnetic brake 45 is not activated, in other words, when the electromagnetic brake 45 is released, the rotation axis of the drive motor 80 is released and becomes able to rotate. That is, when the electromagnetic brake 45 is released (not activated) and in an unlocked state, the wheels 70 become able to rotate. Thus, the electromagnetic brake 45 is locked when activated and released when released. In the following, the state in which the electromagnetic brake 45 is not activated (in other words, the unlocked state in which the locked state is released) may be referred to as "not activated".

[0032] Here, the transitions between the operating and non-operating states of the electromagnetic brake 45 will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the transitions between the operating and non-operating states of the electromagnetic brake 45. As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle's control states (control modes) include "releasable," "releasable," "driving state," and "stopped state." The arrows in Figure 3 indicate the conditions for the transitions (changes) between the above control states. The electromagnetic brake 45 is controlled to be in an operating state (locked state) when the control state is "releasable" or "releasable," and to a non-operating state (unlocked state) when the control state is "driving state" or "stopped state."

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, when the power to vehicle A is turned on, the electromagnetic brake 45 becomes activated, preventing the drive motor 80 and wheels 70 from rotating (see arrow D). The electromagnetic brake 45 is also in a "non-release" state, preventing it from releasing the rotation shaft of the drive motor 80. Although the above example shows the electromagnetic brake 45 activating after the power is turned on, it is not limited to this. For example, the electromagnetic brake 45 could be configured to be locked when not energized, and since the electromagnetic brake 45 is not energized from when the power is turned on (or before it is turned on), it could be configured to be locked.

[0034] When the control state is "cannot be released," if the controller 20 detects that the accelerator 50 is not being operated (off state), the control state is set to "can be released," which allows the rotation shaft of the drive motor 80 to be released (see arrow E). Specifically, when the forward accelerator 51 is in the off state and the reverse accelerator 52 is also in the off state, the control state is set to "can be released."

[0035] When the control state is "releaseable," if the accelerator 50 is operated by user B and the controller 20 detects that the accelerator 50 is in the ON state, the system enters the "driving state" (see arrow F). When the system enters this "driving state," the electromagnetic brake 45 is released and enters a non-operating state (unlocked state). Specifically, when the forward accelerator 51 or the reverse accelerator 52 is turned ON, the control state enters the "driving state" and the electromagnetic brake 45 enters a non-operating state (unlocked state).

[0036] Thus, when the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, the electromagnetic brake 45 is released when the user's accelerator operation changes from the off state to the on state. More specifically, when the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, the electromagnetic brake 45 is released and becomes inactive (unlocked) when the accelerator 50 (forward accelerator 51 and reverse accelerator 52) changes from the off state to the on state. Since the electromagnetic brake 45 is inactive, the drive motor 80 and wheels 70 can rotate, and the vehicle A is in a "driving state" indicating that it is moving.

[0037] When the control state is "driving state", if the accelerator 50 is turned off and the speed of vehicle A falls below the operating threshold, the control state becomes "stopped state", indicating that vehicle A is stopped (see arrow G). Specifically, if both the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52 are turned off and the speed of vehicle A falls below the operating threshold, the control state becomes "stopped state".

[0038] The above-mentioned operating threshold can be set to any value, but it is set to a value such that, for example, the vehicle speed does not cause any malfunction in the drive motor 80, etc., even when the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated. In other words, the operating threshold is set to a value (for example, 0.1 km / h) at which it can be determined that vehicle A has stopped or is nearly stopped and the drive motor 80 is not rotating or is not rotating.

[0039] When the control state is "stopped," if the accelerator 50 is operated by user B and the controller 20 detects that the accelerator 50 is ON, the control state returns to "driving state" (see arrow H). Specifically, if vehicle A temporarily stops and the control state becomes "stopped," and then user B requests that vehicle A move, and the forward accelerator 51 or the reverse accelerator 52 is turned ON, the control state returns to "driving state." During this time, the electromagnetic brake 45 remains inactive.

[0040] Furthermore, when the control state is "stopped," and a predetermined time has elapsed since the vehicle entered this "stopped state," the control state is controlled by the controller 20 to a "releasable" state (see arrow J). At this time, the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated (locked) by the controller 20. The predetermined time mentioned above can be set to any value.

[0041] In this embodiment, the electromagnetic brake 45 is configured to activate when a preset operating condition is met while the electromagnetic brake 45 is released (i.e., in a non-operating state) (see arrows K1 and K2). More specifically, when the operating condition is met while the control state in which the electromagnetic brake 45 is released is the "driving state", the system is configured to decelerate vehicle A using friction brakes other than the electromagnetic brake 45 or the regenerative brake of the driving motor 80 before activating the electromagnetic brake 45. In other words, the system is configured to activate the electromagnetic brake 45 when the operating condition is met while vehicle A is in motion. The operating conditions include the following three, and the electromagnetic brake 45 activates when at least one of the three operating conditions is met.

[0042] Operating condition 1: The accelerator 50 (including the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52) and the brake 60 are operated. Operating condition 2: The forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52 are operated. Activation condition 3: An abnormality has occurred in vehicle A.

[0043] Note that operating conditions 1 and 2 relate to user operations that are not normally expected (not anticipated in normal operation) or dangerous user operations. The specific operating conditions 1 and 2 described above are not the only conditions that can be applied to user operations that meet these requirements. Furthermore, the operating conditions are examples of stopping conditions. Specifically, operating conditions 1 to 3 are stopping conditions where it is necessary to urgently stop vehicle A while it is in motion.

[0044] Activation condition 1 is, more specifically, when the accelerator 50, which drives vehicle A (forward or reverse), and the brake 60, which stops vehicle A, are operated. In other words, it is when user B performs contradictory operations simultaneously. That is, activation condition 1 is when the accelerator and brake are both turned on at the same time. Activation condition 1 is a state in which the Brake Override System (BOS), which prioritizes the brake 60 when the accelerator 50 and brake 60 are operated simultaneously, is activated. In this embodiment, when the controller 20 is in a "driving state" or "stopped state" and determines that an inappropriate operation is performed on vehicle A, such as the simultaneous operation of the accelerator 50 and brake 60, and that activation condition 1 is met, the controller 20 sets the control state to "cannot be released". That is, the controller 20 stops vehicle A and activates the electromagnetic brake 45.

[0045] Activation condition 2 is, more specifically, when the forward accelerator 51, which drives vehicle A forward, and the reverse accelerator 52, which drives vehicle A in reverse, are operated; in other words, when user B performs contradictory operations simultaneously. That is, activation condition 2 is when the forward accelerator operation and the reverse accelerator operation are turned on at the same time. In this embodiment, when the controller 20 determines that an inappropriate operation is performed on vehicle A, such as operating the accelerator 50 and the reverse accelerator 52 simultaneously, while the control state is in the "driving state" or "stopped state", and that activation condition 2 has been met, the controller 20 sets the control state to the "cannot be released" state. That is, the controller 20 stops vehicle A and activates the electromagnetic brake 45.

[0046] Operating condition 3 specifically refers to the case where an abnormality occurs in vehicle A and it enters a fail-safe state; in other words, it refers to the case where the vehicle A stops (cancels) its movement due to the occurrence of an abnormality. In this embodiment, when the controller 20 is in the "driving state" or "stopped state" and determines that an abnormality has occurred in vehicle A and operating condition 3 has been met, it sets the control state to "cannot be released". That is, the controller 20 stops vehicle A and activates the electromagnetic brake 45.

[0047] Furthermore, the controller 20 may change the timing of activating the electromagnetic brake 45 during the transition of arrow K1, depending on the severity of the abnormality that occurred. That is, for example, if operating condition 3 is met while vehicle A is in motion (control state is "driving state") and the severity of the abnormality that occurred is relatively low, the controller 20 will control the vehicle A to stop by decelerating the driving motor 80, and after sufficiently reducing the speed of vehicle A, will set the control state to "release impossible". In other words, the controller 20 will activate the electromagnetic brake 45. On the other hand, for example, if operating condition 3 is met while vehicle A is in motion and the severity of the abnormality that occurred is relatively high, the controller 20 will perform deceleration control of the driving motor 80, etc., but will set the control state to "release impossible" regardless of the vehicle speed. In other words, the controller 20 will forcibly activate the electromagnetic brake 45.

[0048] Furthermore, for example, if vehicle A is stopped (control state is "stopped") and operating condition 3 is met, since the control state is already "stopped", the controller 20 immediately changes the control state to "cannot be released". In other words, the controller 20 activates the electromagnetic brake 45 (see arrow K2).

[0049] The above example shows how to change the control for operating condition 3 according to the severity (urgency) of the abnormality that occurred, but this is not the only example. In other words, the system may be configured to perform similar control not only when an abnormality occurs under operating condition 3, but also for user operations under operating conditions 1 and 2, according to the urgency (risk) of the user operation.

[0050] Furthermore, the operating conditions do not need to include all three of the above conditions; they may include only some of them. Also, the operating conditions are not limited to the three above. In other words, the operating conditions may include other conditions in addition to, or instead of, the three conditions mentioned above.

[0051] Returning to the explanation of Figure 2, the inverter 46 is connected to the traction motor 80. The inverter 46 controls the drive of the traction motor 80 based on the target rotational speed instruction signal from the controller 20. Specifically, the inverter 46 and its control circuit control the traction motor 80 so that its actual rotational speed becomes the target rotational speed, based on the target rotational speed instruction signal from the controller 20.

[0052] The output unit 47 outputs various notifications to user B. The output unit 47 includes at least one of a display unit such as a display and an audio output unit such as a speaker, and outputs various notifications to user B of vehicle A. Specifically, the output unit 47 outputs an operation notification that the above-mentioned operating conditions have been met and the electromagnetic brake 45 has been activated, and an accelerator notification (described later) that prompts the user to turn off the accelerator 50. The accelerator notification includes a forward accelerator notification that prompts the user to turn off the forward accelerator 51 and a reverse accelerator notification that prompts the user to turn off the reverse accelerator 52, which will be described later. Note that the accelerator notification, including the forward accelerator notification and the reverse accelerator notification, is an example of the second notification.

[0053] The control device 10 comprises a controller (control unit) 20 and a storage unit 30. The storage unit 30 is implemented by a storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), or flash memory. Various programs, including a control program, are pre-stored in this storage unit 30.

[0054] The controller 20 corresponds to what is commonly known as a processor. The controller 20 can be implemented using a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), etc. The controller 20 executes various programs stored in the memory unit 30, using RAM as the working area. The controller 20 can also be implemented using an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0055] The controller 20 controls vehicle A based on the outputs from various sensors. For example, the controller 20 controls the drive motor 80 and other components based on the outputs from the accelerator sensor 40 and the reverse switch 41.

[0056] Specifically, when user B wants vehicle A to move forward, they operate the forward accelerator 51 (accelerator 50). The controller 20 detects the amount of operation of the forward accelerator 51 based on the output from the accelerator sensor 40. The controller 20 sets a target speed for vehicle A according to the detected forward accelerator 51 and calculates the target rotational speed of the drive motor 80 from the target speed. More specifically, the controller 20 calculates the rotational speed of the drive motor 80 that will result in the set target speed as the target rotational speed. The controller 20 outputs an instruction signal for the calculated target rotational speed to the inverter 46 and controls the drive motor 80 so that its actual rotational speed becomes the target rotational speed. As a result, the drive motor 80 generates a driving force that drives the wheels 70 forward, and this driving force causes the wheels 70 to rotate forward, driving vehicle A forward.

[0057] Furthermore, if user B wishes to drive vehicle A in the reverse direction, they operate the reverse accelerator 52 (accelerator 50). When the controller 20 receives an ON signal from the reverse switch 41 and detects the operation of the reverse accelerator 52, it calculates the target rotational speed of the drive motor 80 so that the vehicle A reaches a preset target speed. The controller 20 outputs an instruction signal for the calculated target rotational speed to the inverter 46 and controls the drive motor 80 so that its actual rotational speed becomes the target rotational speed. As a result, the drive motor 80 generates a driving force that drives the wheels 70 in the reverse direction, and this driving force causes the wheels 70 to rotate in the reverse direction, making vehicle A move in reverse.

[0058] Furthermore, user B operates the brake 60 when they wish to brake vehicle A. When the controller 20 receives an ON signal from the brake switch 42 and detects the operation of the brake 60, it performs deceleration control by reducing the target rotational speed of the drive motor 80 to slow down the drive motor 80, thereby braking vehicle A. Although the above describes an example in which vehicle A is braked by the drive motor 80, it is not limited to this, and for example, vehicle A may also be equipped with friction brakes, and braking of vehicle A may be performed by activating the friction brakes in response to the operation of the brake 60.

[0059] Furthermore, the controller 20 may control the drive motors 80 based on the output from the steering angle sensor 43. Specifically, the controller 20 detects the steering angle of the steering 11 based on the output from the steering angle sensor 43. The controller 20 sets the target rotational speeds of the drive motors 80 corresponding to the left and right wheels 70 to be different from each other according to the detected steering angle of the steering 11. For example, the controller 20 may make the target rotational speed of the drive motor 80 on the inner wheel side smaller than the target rotational speed of the drive motor 80 on the outer wheel side, thereby making it easier for vehicle A to turn and improving the turning ability of vehicle A.

[0060] The controller 20 may directly control the driving motor 80, or it may control the driving motor 80 via a motor controller that individually controls multiple driving motors 80.

[0061] The controller 20 controls the electromagnetic brake 45 based on the outputs from the accelerator sensor 40, the reverse switch 41, the brake switch 42, and the vehicle speed sensor 44. As described above, the controller 20 controls the electromagnetic brake 45 according to the on / off state of the accelerator operation determined based on the amount of operation of the forward accelerator 51 detected by the accelerator sensor 40, the on / off state of the reverse accelerator 52 detected by the reverse switch 41, and the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 44 (see Figure 3).

[0062] Furthermore, the controller 20 activates the electromagnetic brake 45 when the control state in which the electromagnetic brake 45 is released is the "driving state" and the above-mentioned operating conditions are met.

[0063] If, while the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, user B continues to operate the accelerator 50, including the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52, and the accelerator remains in the "on" state, the control state will remain in the "cannot be released" state and will not transition to the "can be released" state, and the electromagnetic brake 45 will not be released. In this embodiment, user B is notified that the electromagnetic brake 45 is not released, so that user B realizes that there is a problem with their operation.

[0064] Here, the process of activating the electromagnetic brake 45 when the operating conditions are met, and the process of notifying user B, etc., will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figures 4 to 6 are time charts for explaining the processes executed by the control device 10, etc. Figure 4 shows an example in which operating condition 1 is met. Figure 5 shows an example in which operating condition 2 is met, and Figure 6 shows an example in which operating condition 3 is met.

[0065] Figures 4-6 show, from top to bottom, the vehicle speed, the control state related to the release of the electromagnetic brake 45, the operation / release state of the electromagnetic brake 45, the state of the forward accelerator 51, the state of the reverse accelerator 52, the state of the brake 60, the state of the forward accelerator notification, the state of the reverse accelerator notification, and the operation notification state.

[0066] First, let's explain Figure 4. Figure 4 shows an example where operating condition 1, "the accelerator 50 and the brake 60 are operated," is met. Here, we show an example where the forward accelerator 51 and the brake 60 are operated.

[0067] As shown in Figure 4, at time T10, vehicle A is in a forward-moving state. Specifically, the forward accelerator 51 is in the ON position, the electromagnetic brake 45 is released, and the control state is set to the "moving state".

[0068] Next, at time T11, the brake 60 is operated by user B and turns on. That is, the forward accelerator 51 and the brake 60 are operated simultaneously, and the controller 20 determines that operating condition 1 has been met. When operating condition 1 is met, the controller 20 outputs an operation notification (warning) via the output unit 47 (see Figure 2) to notify user B that operating condition 1 has been met and that vehicle A will be brought to a stop state, i.e., that the electromagnetic brake 45 will be activated. In this way, the controller 20 according to this embodiment provides an operation notification to user B when an operating condition (in this case, operating condition 1) is met. Note that the operation notification is an example of the first notification.

[0069] Figure 7 shows an example of an operation notification. As shown in Figure 7, the display unit 47a of the output unit 47 displays an operation notification indicating that the forward accelerator 51 and the brake 60 have been operated, that vehicle A has stopped and the electromagnetic brake 45 has been activated. In Figure 7, an example is shown in which the cause of the warning and the vehicle action (failsafe action) at the time of the warning are displayed, but in addition to these, a method for resolving the warning may also be displayed. The method for resolving the warning may be, for example, "Release either the forward accelerator or the brake." It is not necessary for all of the cause of the warning, the vehicle action (failsafe action) at the time of the warning, and the method for resolving the warning to be displayed; a configuration in which at least one of these is displayed is also acceptable.

[0070] Let's continue the explanation of Figure 4. When operating condition 1 is met, the controller 20 controls the deceleration of the driving motor 80 to stop vehicle A. When the vehicle speed becomes 0 (km / h) or below the operating threshold at time T12, the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, and the control state at this time becomes "release impossible". Thus, in this embodiment, when vehicle A is in motion, the controller 20 decelerates vehicle A and activates the electromagnetic brake 45 when the operating condition (in this case, operating condition 1) is met.

[0071] Next, at time T13, the brake 60 is turned off and not operated by user B. In other words, only the forward accelerator 51 is operated, and the controller 20 determines that operating condition 1 is no longer met.

[0072] When the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated and the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) is in the ON position, the controller 20 notifies user B (see time T14). More specifically, the controller 20 notifies user B to turn off the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51), that is, it notifies user B to turn off the accelerator operation (accelerator notification). In this specification, the notification prompting the user to turn off the forward accelerator 51 is referred to as the "forward accelerator notification". Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of a forward accelerator notification. As shown in Figure 8, the display unit 47a of the output unit 47 displays a forward accelerator notification prompting the user to release the forward accelerator 51.

[0073] Furthermore, the controller 20 notifies user B if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) remains in the ON state for a predetermined period of time (in this case, if it remains in the ON state for the period from time T13 to T14) while the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated. Specifically, the controller 20 notifies user B if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) remains in the ON state for a predetermined period of time after the operating condition 1 changes from being met to not being met. In other words, the controller 20 performs an on-delay process to intentionally delay the notification.

[0074] This makes it possible to suppress notification flickering, for example, when the forward accelerator 51 is turned off immediately after the brake 60 is turned off. In other words, without on-delay processing, the forward accelerator notification is displayed instantaneously during the short time between the brake 60 being turned off and the forward accelerator 51 being turned off, but by performing on-delay processing, the forward accelerator notification is not displayed, and notification flickering can be suppressed.

[0075] Next, at time T15, the controller 20 stops the operation notification. That is, after issuing an operation notification, if the brake 60 is turned off and operation condition 1 is not met, and this off state continues for a predetermined period (in this case, if it continues for the period from time T13 to T15), the controller 20 stops the operation notification. In this way, after starting the operation notification, the controller 20 stops the operation notification if the state of operation condition (in this case, operation condition 1) changes from being met to not being met, and this state of not being met continues for a predetermined period. In other words, the controller 20 performs an off-delay process to intentionally delay the stopping of the operation notification. Furthermore, the period for performing the off-delay process (times T13 to T15) is set to be longer than the period for performing the on-delay process (times T13 to T14). In addition, forward accelerator notifications and reverse accelerator notifications are set to have a higher notification priority than operation notifications.

[0076] This prevents a gap in the display of both the operation notification and the forward accelerator notification. In other words, without off-delay processing, the operation notification stops when the brake 60 is turned off and operation condition 1 is no longer met, and then the forward accelerator notification is displayed due to on-delay processing. In this case, a gap occurs in the display of no notification to user B from the time the operation notification stops until the forward accelerator notification is displayed, which may lead user B to believe that there is no problem with their operation. Therefore, by performing off-delay processing for the operation notification, it becomes possible to display the forward accelerator notification immediately after the operation notification, thereby preventing the aforementioned gap in the display.

[0077] Here, we will explain the priority order of notifications for forward accelerator notifications, reverse accelerator notifications, and operation notifications. For example, in a notification configuration (output unit 47) where only one type of notification can be sent at a time, the controller 20 will display only the notification with the highest priority. Also, in a configuration where the notification content is switched at predetermined intervals, the controller 20 will display the notification with the highest priority first, or control the notification so that it is displayed for a longer period than the notification with the lowest priority. Furthermore, in a notification configuration where multiple types of notifications can be sent at a time, the controller 20 will control the notification so that the notification with the highest priority is more prominent than the notification with the lowest priority. For example, the controller 20 will control the display position, display size, display color, etc., according to the priority.

[0078] Next, at time T16, the forward accelerator 51 is turned off and not operated by user B. As a result, the controller 20 sets the control state of the electromagnetic brake 45 to "releaseable".

[0079] Next, at time T17, the controller 20 stops the forward accelerator notification. That is, after issuing a forward accelerator notification, if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) is in the off state and this off state continues for a predetermined period (in this case, if it continues for the period from time T16 to T17), the controller 20 stops the forward accelerator notification. In other words, the controller 20 performs an off-delay process to intentionally delay the stopping of the forward accelerator notification.

[0080] This makes it possible to suppress flickering of the notification, for example, when the forward accelerator 51 is turned off immediately after the forward accelerator notification is displayed. In other words, without the off-delay process, the forward accelerator notification is displayed instantaneously during the short time before the forward accelerator 51 is turned off, and user B may not be able to grasp the displayed content. In this embodiment, by performing the off-delay process, the forward accelerator notification is displayed for a certain period of time or longer, and flickering of the notification can be suppressed.

[0081] In the example shown in Figure 4, the on-delay time (times T13-T14) and the off-delay time (times T16-T17) for the forward accelerator notification are set to be the same length (time), but this is not the only option. For example, the off-delay time may be set to be longer than the on-delay time. Figure 4 illustrates a pattern where two types of notifications, operation notification and forward accelerator notification, occur simultaneously, but the above-described time settings are also effective in patterns where three types of notifications occur simultaneously, or when a notification state that has been resolved reappears during another notification.

[0082] Next, at time T18, the forward accelerator 51 is operated by user B and turned ON. The controller 20 releases the electromagnetic brake 45, the control state becomes "driving state", and controls the driving motor 80 to move vehicle A forward.

[0083] Next, Figure 5 will be explained. Figure 5 shows an example where operating condition 2, "the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52 are operated," is met. As shown in Figure 5, at time T20, vehicle A is in a forward driving state. Specifically, the forward accelerator 51 is in the ON state, the electromagnetic brake 45 is released, and the control state is set to the "driving state."

[0084] Next, at time T21, the reverse accelerator 52 is operated by user B and turned ON. That is, the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52 are operated simultaneously, and the controller 20 determines that operating condition 2 has been met. When operating condition 2 is met, the controller 20 outputs an operation notification (warning) via the output unit 47 (see Figure 2) to notify user B that operating condition 2 has been met and that vehicle A will be brought to a stop state, i.e., that the electromagnetic brake 45 will be activated.

[0085] Figure 9 shows an example of an operation notification. As shown in Figure 9, the display unit 47a of the output unit 47 displays an operation notification indicating that the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52 have been operated, and that vehicle A has stopped and the electromagnetic brake 45 has been activated. In addition to the example in Figure 9 which shows the cause of the warning and the vehicle's operation at the time of the warning, a method for resolving the warning, such as "Release either the forward accelerator or the reverse accelerator," may also be displayed.

[0086] Let's continue the explanation of Figure 5. When operating condition 2 is met, the controller 20 controls the deceleration of the driving motor 80 to stop vehicle A. When the vehicle speed becomes 0 (km / h) or below the operating threshold at time T22, the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, and the control state at this time becomes "release impossible".

[0087] Next, at time T23, the forward accelerator 51 is turned off and not operated by user B. That is, only the reverse accelerator 52 is operated, and the controller 20 determines that operating condition 2 is no longer met.

[0088] When the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated and the accelerator 50 (in this case, the reverse accelerator 52) is in the ON position, the controller 20 notifies user B (see time T24). Specifically, the controller 20 notifies user B to turn off the accelerator 50 (in this case, the reverse accelerator 52) (accelerator notification). In this specification, the notification prompting the user to turn off the reverse accelerator 52 is referred to as the "reverse accelerator notification". Figure 10 shows an example of the reverse accelerator notification. As shown in Figure 10, the display unit 47a of the output unit 47 displays the reverse accelerator notification prompting the user to release the reverse accelerator 52.

[0089] Furthermore, the controller 20 notifies user B if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the reverse accelerator 52) remains in the ON state for a predetermined period of time (in this case, if it remains in the ON state for the period from time T23 to T24) while the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated. Specifically, the controller 20 notifies user B if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the reverse accelerator 52) remains in the ON state for a predetermined period of time after the operating condition 2 changes from being met to not being met. In other words, the controller 20 performs an on-delay process to intentionally delay the notification.

[0090] This makes it possible to suppress notification flickering, for example, when the reverse accelerator 52 is turned off immediately after the forward accelerator 51 is turned off. In other words, without on-delay processing, the reverse accelerator notification is displayed instantaneously during the short time between the forward accelerator 51 being turned off and the reverse accelerator 52 being turned off, but by performing on-delay processing, the reverse accelerator notification is not displayed, and notification flickering can be suppressed.

[0091] Next, at time T25, the controller 20 stops the operation notification. That is, after issuing the operation notification, if the forward accelerator 51 is turned off and operation condition 2 is not met, and this off state continues for a predetermined period (in this case, if it continues for the period from time T23 to T25), the controller 20 stops the operation notification. In other words, the controller 20 performs an off-delay process to intentionally delay the stopping of the operation notification. This off-delay process prevents a blank period in which neither the operation notification nor the reverse accelerator notification is displayed.

[0092] Next, at time T26, the reverse accelerator 52 is turned off and not operated by user B. As a result, the controller 20 sets the control state of the electromagnetic brake 45 to "releaseable".

[0093] Next, at time T27, the controller 20 stops the reverse accelerator notification. That is, after issuing the reverse accelerator notification, if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the reverse accelerator 52) is in the off state and this off state continues for a predetermined period (in this case, if it continues for the period from time T26 to T27), the controller 20 stops the reverse accelerator notification. In other words, the controller 20 performs an off-delay process to intentionally delay the stopping of the reverse accelerator notification.

[0094] This makes it possible to suppress flickering of the notification, for example, when the reverse accelerator 52 is turned off immediately after the reverse accelerator notification is displayed. In other words, without the off-delay process, the reverse accelerator notification is displayed instantaneously during the short time until the reverse accelerator 52 is turned off, and user B may not be able to grasp the displayed content. In this embodiment, by performing the off-delay process, the reverse accelerator notification is displayed for a certain period of time or longer, and flickering of the notification can be suppressed.

[0095] Next, at time T28, the forward accelerator 51 is operated by user B and turned ON. The controller 20 releases the electromagnetic brake 45, the control state becomes "driving state", and controls the driving motor 80 to move vehicle A forward.

[0096] Next, let's explain Figure 6. Figure 6 shows an example where operating condition 3, "an abnormality has occurred in vehicle A," is met. As shown in Figure 6, at time T30, vehicle A is in a forward-moving state. Specifically, the forward accelerator 51 is in the ON position, the electromagnetic brake 45 is released, and the control state is set to "moving state."

[0097] Next, if an abnormality occurs in vehicle A at time T31, the controller 20 determines that operating condition 3 has been met. When operating condition 3 is met, the controller 20 outputs an operation notification (warning) via the output unit 47 (see Figure 2) to inform user B that operating condition 3 has been met and vehicle A will be brought to a stop, that is, that the electromagnetic brake 45 will be activated. Figure 11 shows an example of an operation notification. As shown in Figure 11, the display unit 47a of the output unit 47 displays an operation notification indicating that an abnormality has occurred in vehicle A, that vehicle A has stopped and the electromagnetic brake 45 has been activated.

[0098] When operating condition 3 is met, the controller 20 controls the deceleration of the drive motor 80 to stop vehicle A. When the vehicle speed becomes 0 (km / h) or below the operating threshold at time T32, the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, and the control state at this time becomes "release impossible".

[0099] Next, at time T33, if the abnormality is resolved and there are no more abnormalities in vehicle A, the controller 20 determines that operating condition 3 is no longer met. If the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) is in the ON position while the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, the controller 20 notifies user B (see time T34). Specifically, the controller 20 notifies user B to turn off the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) (see Figure 8).

[0100] Furthermore, the controller 20 notifies user B if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) remains in the ON state for a predetermined period of time (in this case, if it remains in the ON state for the period from time T33 to T34) while the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated. Specifically, the controller 20 notifies user B if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) remains in the ON state for a predetermined period of time after the operating condition 3 changes from being met to not being met. In other words, the controller 20 performs an on-delay process to intentionally delay the notification.

[0101] This makes it possible to suppress notification flickering, for example, when the forward accelerator 51 turns off immediately after the abnormality is resolved. In other words, without on-delay processing, the forward accelerator notification is displayed momentarily during the short time between the resolution of the abnormality and the turning off of the forward accelerator 51, but by performing on-delay processing, the forward accelerator notification is not displayed, and notification flickering can be suppressed.

[0102] Next, at time T35, the controller 20 stops the operation notification. That is, after issuing an operation notification, if the abnormality is resolved and operation condition 3 is no longer met, and the abnormality-free state continues for a predetermined period (in this case, if it continues for the period from time T33 to T35), the controller 20 stops the operation notification. In other words, the controller 20 performs an off-delay process to intentionally delay the stopping of the operation notification. This off-delay process prevents a blank period in which neither the operation notification nor the forward accelerator notification is displayed.

[0103] Next, at time T36, the forward accelerator 51 is turned off and not operated by user B. As a result, the controller 20 sets the control state of the electromagnetic brake 45 to "releaseable".

[0104] Next, at time T37, the controller 20 stops the forward accelerator notification. That is, after issuing a forward accelerator notification, if the accelerator 50 (in this case, the forward accelerator 51) is turned off and this off state continues for a predetermined period (in this case, if it continues for the period from time T36 to T37), the controller 20 stops the forward accelerator notification. In other words, the controller 20 performs an off-delay process to intentionally delay the stopping of the forward accelerator notification. This makes it possible to suppress flickering of the notification, for example, when the forward accelerator 51 is turned off immediately after the forward accelerator notification is displayed.

[0105] Next, at time T38, the forward accelerator 51 is operated by user B and turned ON. The controller 20 releases the electromagnetic brake 45, the control state becomes "driving state", and controls the driving motor 80 to move vehicle A forward.

[0106] Next, referring to Figure 12 and subsequent figures, the processes performed by the control device 10 according to this embodiment, such as activating the electromagnetic brake 45 and notifying user B, will be described. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the processes performed by the control device 10 according to this embodiment. The processes shown in Figure 12 are repeatedly performed at predetermined intervals when the power of vehicle A is turned on, but are not limited to this.

[0107] As shown in Figure 12, the controller 20 of the control device 10 determines whether the control state is "driving state" or not (step S10). That is, the controller 20 determines whether vehicle A is in motion or not. In the above example, the process of determining whether the control state is "driving state" or not was shown, but it is not limited to this, and the process may also determine whether the control state is "driving state" or "stopped state".

[0108] If the controller 20 determines that the control state is not "driving state" (step S10, No), it executes normal control (step S11). Normal control is the control performed under normal circumstances and is executed, for example, when the control state is not "driving state" or when the operating conditions are not met, as will be described later. Normal control includes various controls performed to control vehicle A, such as control to switch the electromagnetic brake 45 between activated and released in response to the operation of the accelerator 50, control to switch the control state between "cannot be released", "can be released", "driving state" and "stopped state", and control to drive the driving motor 80, etc., for driving vehicle A in the "driving state".

[0109] If the controller 20 determines that the control state is "driving state" (step S10, Yes), it determines whether the operating conditions have been met (step S12). Specifically, when the control state in which the electromagnetic brake 45 is released is "driving state", the controller 20 determines whether at least one of the operating conditions 1 to 3 has been met.

[0110] If the controller 20 determines that the operating conditions are not met (step S12, No), it proceeds to step S11 and performs normal control. On the other hand, if the controller 20 determines that the operating conditions are met (step S12, Yes), it changes the control state to the "cannot be released" state (step S13). That is, the controller 20 stops vehicle A and activates the electromagnetic brake 45.

[0111] Next, the controller 20 performs a notification process for user B (step S14). This notification process will be explained with reference to Figure 13. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a notification process performed by the control device 10 according to this embodiment.

[0112] As shown in Figure 13, the controller 20 executes an operation notification (step S100). Specifically, if operation condition 1 is met in step S12, the controller 20 outputs an operation notification to inform user B that operation condition 1 has been met and the electromagnetic brake 45 will be activated (see Figure 7). Also, if operation condition 2 is met in step S12, the controller 20 outputs an operation notification to inform user B that operation condition 2 has been met and the electromagnetic brake 45 will be activated (see Figure 9). Also, if operation condition 3 is met in step S12, the controller 20 outputs an operation notification to inform user B that operation condition 3 has been met and the electromagnetic brake 45 will be activated (see Figure 11).

[0113] Next, the controller 20 determines whether the operating conditions remain met (step S101). If the controller 20 determines that the operating conditions remain met (step S101, Yes), it returns to step S100 and continues to output the operating notification.

[0114] If the controller 20 determines that the operating conditions are no longer met (step S101, No), that is, if it determines that the operating conditions are no longer met, it executes a process to stop the operation notification (step S102). In addition, as described above, an off-delay process is performed in the operation notification stop process to intentionally delay the stopping of the operation notification.

[0115] Next, the controller 20 determines whether the accelerator 50, including the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52, is in the ON state (step S103). That is, the controller 20 determines whether the accelerator operation is in the ON state. If the controller 20 determines that the accelerator 50 is in the ON state (step S103, Yes), it determines whether the ON accelerator 50 is the forward accelerator 51 (step S104).

[0116] If the controller 20 determines that the ON accelerator 50 is the forward accelerator 51 (step S104, Yes), it executes the forward accelerator notification start process (step S105) and outputs the forward accelerator notification (see Figure 8). In the forward accelerator notification start process, as described above, an on-delay process is performed to intentionally delay the start of the forward accelerator notification.

[0117] Next, the controller 20 determines whether the forward accelerator 51 has been turned off (step S106). If the controller 20 determines that the forward accelerator 51 has not been turned off (step S106, No), it repeats the process in step S106 and continues to output the forward accelerator notification.

[0118] If the controller 20 determines that the forward accelerator 51 is in the off state (step S106, Yes), it changes the control state to the "release available" state (step S107). Next, the controller 20 performs the process of stopping the forward accelerator notification (step S108). In the process of stopping the forward accelerator notification, as described above, an off-delay process is performed to intentionally delay the stopping of the forward accelerator notification.

[0119] On the other hand, if the controller 20 determines that the ON accelerator 50 is not the forward accelerator 51 (step S104, No), that is, if the ON accelerator 50 is the reverse accelerator 52, it executes the process to start the reverse accelerator notification (step S109). Specifically, the controller 20 outputs a reverse accelerator notification (see Figure 10). In the process to start the reverse accelerator notification, as described above, an on-delay process is performed to intentionally delay the start of the reverse accelerator notification.

[0120] Next, the controller 20 determines whether the reverse accelerator 52 has been turned off (step S110). If the controller 20 determines that the reverse accelerator 52 has not been turned off (step S110, No), it repeats the process in step S110 and continues to output the reverse accelerator notification.

[0121] If the controller 20 determines that the reverse accelerator 52 is in the off state (step S110, Yes), it changes the control state to the "release available" state (step S111). Next, the controller 20 performs the process of stopping the reverse accelerator notification (step S112). In the process of stopping the reverse accelerator notification, as described above, an off-delay process is performed to intentionally delay the stopping of the reverse accelerator notification.

[0122] If the controller 20 determines that the accelerator 50, including the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52, is not in the ON state (step S103, No), that is, if the accelerator 50 is in the OFF state, it transitions the control state to the "release available" state (step S113) and terminates the process.

[0123] As described above, the control device 10 according to this embodiment controls a vehicle A equipped with an electromagnetic brake 45 that operates when the vehicle is stopped. The control device 10 includes a controller 20 that releases the electromagnetic brake 45 when the user B's accelerator operation changes from the off state to the on state while the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated. The controller 20 activates the electromagnetic brake 45 when the operating condition (stopping condition) is met while the vehicle A is in motion. The controller 20 notifies user B when the accelerator operation is on while the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated.

[0124] In this way, the controller 20 activates the electromagnetic brake when the operating conditions (stopping conditions) are met while vehicle A is in motion, and if the accelerator is pressed while the electromagnetic brake 45 is activated, it notifies user B. This notifies user B that the electromagnetic brake 45 of vehicle A is not released, making user B aware that there is a problem with their operation.

[0125] Furthermore, the controller 20 notifies user B to turn off the accelerator. In this embodiment, by notifying user B to turn off the accelerator, it becomes possible to make user B aware that in order to release the electromagnetic brake 45, it is necessary to turn off the accelerator 50 once and then on again.

[0126] Furthermore, the controller 20 issues a first notification (operation notification) to the user when the operating condition (stopping condition) is met, and a second notification (accelerator notification) to the user when the accelerator is in the ON position after the operating condition has changed from being met to not being met. This makes it possible for user B to recognize that the operating condition is met and that the accelerator is in the ON position after the operating condition has changed to not being met.

[0127] Furthermore, when the operating conditions (stopping conditions) are met while vehicle A is in motion, the controller 20 decelerates vehicle A and activates the electromagnetic brake 45. In this way, by decelerating vehicle A and activating the electromagnetic brake 45, the vehicle A can be stopped more reliably by the activation of the electromagnetic brake 45, thereby ensuring safety.

[0128] Furthermore, accelerator operation includes forward accelerator operation to move vehicle A forward and reverse accelerator operation to move vehicle A backward. The operating condition (stopping condition) includes the state in which both the forward accelerator operation and the reverse accelerator operation are turned on simultaneously (operating condition 2). As a result, in this embodiment, if an inappropriate operation occurs, such as when the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52 are operated by user B, it becomes possible to stop vehicle A and activate the electromagnetic brake 45.

[0129] Furthermore, the operating conditions (stopping conditions) include the simultaneous activation of the accelerator and brake (operating condition 1). This makes it possible to stop vehicle A and activate the electromagnetic brake 45 if an inappropriate operation occurs, such as when the accelerator 50 (including the forward accelerator 51 and the reverse accelerator 52) and the brake 60 are operated by user B.

[0130] Furthermore, the operating conditions (stopping conditions) include the occurrence of an abnormality in vehicle A (operating condition 3). This makes it possible to stop vehicle A and activate the electromagnetic brake 45 when an abnormality occurs in vehicle A in this embodiment.

[0131] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] 10 Control device 20 controllers 40 Accelerator sensor 41 Reverse switch 42 Brake switch 45 Electromagnetic brake 50 Accelerator 51 Forward accelerator 52 Reverse accelerator 60 Brake

Claims

1. A control device for a vehicle equipped with an electromagnetic brake that is activated when the vehicle is stopped, The system includes a controller that releases the electromagnetic brake when the user's accelerator operation changes from the off state to the on state while the electromagnetic brake is activated. The aforementioned controller, If the stopping conditions are met while the vehicle is in motion, the electromagnetic brake will be activated. When the electromagnetic brake is activated and the accelerator is in the ON position, the user is notified. Control device.

2. The aforementioned controller, The user is notified to turn off the accelerator operation. The control device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned controller, When the aforementioned stopping conditions are met, the first notification is given to the user. After the aforementioned stopping condition changes from being met to not being met, if the accelerator is still in the ON position, a second notification is given to the user. The control device according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned controller, If the aforementioned stopping condition is met while the vehicle is in motion, the vehicle is decelerated and the electromagnetic brake is activated. The control device according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned accelerator operation is, This includes forward acceleration operation to move the vehicle forward and reverse acceleration operation to move the vehicle backward. The aforementioned stopping conditions are: This includes the state in which the forward accelerator operation and the reverse accelerator operation are turned on simultaneously. The control device according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned stopping conditions are: This includes the simultaneous activation of the accelerator and brake functions. The control device according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned stopping conditions are: Including the occurrence of an abnormality in the aforementioned vehicle, The control device according to claim 1.

8. The aforementioned controller, If the state in which the aforementioned stopping condition is met changes to a state in which it is not met, and the accelerator operation remains in the ON state for a predetermined period of time, the aforementioned notification is given to the user. The control device according to claim 1.

9. The aforementioned controller, After the first notification is initiated, if the state in which the stopping condition is met changes to a state in which it is not met, and this state in which it is not met continues for a predetermined period of time, the first notification will be stopped. The control device according to claim 3.

10. A control program for a vehicle equipped with an electromagnetic brake that operates when the vehicle is stopped, A procedure for releasing the electromagnetic brake when the user's accelerator operation changes from the off state to the on state while the electromagnetic brake is activated, The procedure for activating the electromagnetic brake when the stopping conditions are met while the vehicle is in motion, When the electromagnetic brake is activated and the accelerator is in the ON position, a procedure for notifying the user is provided. A control program that causes a computer to execute a command.

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