Vehicle control device and vehicle guidance system

Abstract

When providing prescribed information regarding vehicles, the aim is to provide the prescribed information at an appropriate time while preventing users from being bothered by the frequent presentation of such information. [Solution] The vehicle control device 100b includes an engine ECU 5 that controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle or by operation of the IG switch 6, and an on-board unit 2 that automatically provides predetermined guidance to the user after the power of the vehicle 1 has been controlled to be turned on. The predetermined guidance is repeated at least at predetermined intervals, and the on-board unit 2 provides the predetermined guidance on the condition that the engine ECU 5 controls the vehicle power to be turned on by operation of the IG switch 6 after the predetermined period has elapsed, while not providing the predetermined guidance on the condition that the engine ECU 5 controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle after the predetermined period has elapsed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device for guiding a user and a vehicle guidance system including the vehicle control device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a system for guiding a user such as a vehicle occupant about the vehicle. For example, in the system described in Patent Document 1, information such as the driving distance of the vehicle and the replacement history of parts is collected, and based on this, the scheduled date for the next inspection and replacement is calculated. The calculation result is notified to the user as a reminder of the inspection.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, such inspection / replacement guidance can be performed, for example, by displaying it on an in-vehicle display when the vehicle power is turned on. However, if the inspection / replacement guidance is performed every time the vehicle power is turned on, it may cause annoyance to the user. Therefore, it is conceivable to perform the inspection / replacement guidance after a predetermined number of days have passed. However, when using such a guidance method, for example, when the vehicle power is turned on by a remote operation such as a remote switch, the inspection / replacement guidance is performed when there is no occupant in the vehicle. Then, the next guidance will be performed after another predetermined number of days have passed, and there may arise a problem that the timing for the user to receive the guidance is delayed.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to realize a vehicle control device and a vehicle guidance system that can provide predetermined guidance to a vehicle user at an appropriate time, while preventing the user from being annoyed by the frequent provision of such guidance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The vehicle control device of the present invention, provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, includes a vehicle power control unit that controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle or by operation of an on-board switch, and a guidance unit that automatically provides predetermined guidance to the user after the vehicle power has been controlled to be turned on, wherein the predetermined guidance is repeated at least at predetermined intervals, and the guidance unit provides the predetermined guidance on the condition that the vehicle power control unit controls the vehicle power to be turned on by operation of the on-board switch after the predetermined period has elapsed, while not providing the predetermined guidance on the condition that the vehicle power control unit controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle after the predetermined period has elapsed.

[0007] The vehicle control device of the present invention automatically provides predetermined guidance to the user after the vehicle's power is turned on, and this guidance is repeated at least with a predetermined interval between each instance. In this way, the vehicle control device of the present invention can prevent user inconvenience caused by the predetermined guidance being given each time the vehicle's power is turned on. Furthermore, the guidance unit does not provide the predetermined guidance if, after a predetermined period has elapsed, the vehicle power control unit has turned on the vehicle power in response to a request from outside the vehicle. In other words, the vehicle control device of the present invention does not provide the predetermined guidance when the vehicle power is turned on in response to a request from outside the vehicle, meaning when there are no occupants in the vehicle. This prevents delays in the user receiving the predetermined guidance, and as a result, the predetermined guidance can be provided to the user at an appropriate time.

[0008] (2) The vehicle guidance system of the present invention includes a vehicle having a vehicle power control unit that controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle or by operation of an on-board switch, a storage unit that stores predetermined vehicle identification information, a guidance unit that automatically provides predetermined guidance after the vehicle power is controlled to be turned on by the vehicle power control unit, and a communication unit, and an external device that manages guidance information that can identify the predetermined guidance and the predetermined vehicle identification information in association, wherein the communication unit of the vehicle is capable of communicating with the external device and the guidance unit, the external device is capable of transmitting the guidance information, which is managed in association with the predetermined vehicle identification information received from the storage unit via the communication unit, to the guidance unit via the communication unit, the predetermined guidance is performed repeatedly at least at predetermined intervals, and the guidance unit provides the predetermined guidance based on the guidance information transmitted from the external device, provided that the vehicle power control unit controls the vehicle power to be turned on by operation of the on-board switch after the predetermined period has elapsed, while not providing the predetermined guidance, provided that the vehicle power control unit controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle after the predetermined period has elapsed. It is characterized by the following.

[0009] In this way, the vehicle guidance system of the present invention automatically provides predetermined guidance to the user after the vehicle's power is controlled to be turned on. Since this predetermined guidance is repeated at least after a predetermined period of time, it is possible to prevent inconvenience to the user caused by the predetermined guidance being given every time the vehicle's power is controlled to be turned on. Furthermore, the guidance unit does not provide the predetermined guidance if the vehicle power control unit controls the vehicle's power to be turned on in response to a request from outside the vehicle after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. As a result, the vehicle guidance system of the present invention can prevent delays in the timing of the user receiving the predetermined guidance, and consequently, can provide the user with the predetermined guidance at an appropriate time. In addition, since the external device manages the guidance information and predetermined vehicle identification information in association, the vehicle guidance system of the present invention can manage the guidance information of multiple vehicles collectively using the external device.

[0010] (3) The specified period should be calculated from the date after the specified notice has been given.

[0011] In this way, the vehicle control device of the present invention can provide predetermined guidance at the appropriate timing while avoiding the inconvenience to the user caused by frequent predetermined guidance.

[0012] (4) The aforementioned notice should be given only after the aforementioned period has elapsed.

[0013] In this way, the vehicle control device of the present invention can provide predetermined guidance at an effective timing compared to the case where predetermined guidance is continuously provided after a predetermined period has elapsed.

[0014] (5) The prescribed notification should be repeated at least a predetermined interval after the prescribed notification execution conditions have been met.

[0015] In this way, the vehicle control device of the present invention can prevent the inconvenience to the user caused by the predetermined guidance being given every time a predetermined period has elapsed, even though there is no need to provide the predetermined guidance.

[0016] (6) The aforementioned notice should be a notice for vehicle inspection.

[0017] In this way, the vehicle control device of the present invention can provide vehicle inspection guidance at an appropriate time while preventing the inconvenience to users caused by frequent vehicle inspection guidance.

[0018] (7) The external device in the vehicle guidance system of the present invention enables the guidance unit to acquire the guidance information at least in response to a request from the guidance unit, and the guidance unit requests the transmission of the guidance information from the external device on the condition that the vehicle power control unit turns on the vehicle power by operating the on-board switch, while refraining from requesting the transmission of the guidance information from the external device on the condition that the vehicle power control unit turns on the vehicle power by operating the on-board switch.

[0019] In this way, the external device does not need to determine whether or not to transmit guidance information to the guidance unit, as it does not need to determine the trigger for turning on the vehicle power (an external request or operation of an in-vehicle switch). Therefore, the vehicle guidance system of the present invention can reduce the processing burden on the external device for performing predetermined guidance.

[0020] (8) The external device in the vehicle guidance system of the present invention includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the predetermined period has elapsed, and when the guidance unit requests the transmission of the guidance information, the external device transmits the guidance information to the guidance unit on the condition that the determination unit determines that the predetermined period has elapsed.

[0021] By having an external device determine whether or not a predetermined period has elapsed, the vehicle guidance system of the present invention can reduce the processing burden on the vehicle side for predetermined guidance, and the external device can centrally manage information related to the vehicle (vehicle identification information, guidance information, and information related to the predetermined period). [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, when providing predetermined guidance to a vehicle user, it is possible to realize a vehicle control device and a vehicle guidance system that can provide such guidance at an appropriate time while preventing the user from becoming annoyed by the guidance being given too frequently. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0023] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of a vehicle guidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the in-vehicle device in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the external device in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing an example of the guidance information acquisition request process executed by the in-vehicle device in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing an example of the guidance information transmission process executed by the management server in FIG. 1.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] Hereinafter, a vehicle guidance system 100a according to an embodiment of the present invention and a vehicle control device 100b included in the system 100a will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0025] The vehicle guidance system 100a of the present embodiment is a system that gives a predetermined guidance to the owner of the vehicle 1, and as shown in FIG. 1, includes the vehicle 1 and the management server 7. Here, examples of the predetermined guidance include, for example, guidance on vehicle inspection (so-called vehicle inspection), guidance on renewal of vehicle insurance, and guidance on replacement of parts. Hereinafter, the case where the predetermined guidance is guidance on vehicle inspection will be described as an example. Also, hereinafter, after separately describing the configurations of the vehicle 1 and the management server 7 that constitute the vehicle guidance system 100a with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the main processing flow regarding the vehicle inspection guidance realized by combining these will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0026] (Configuration of Vehicle) In this embodiment, the case where vehicle 1 is an engine-powered vehicle will be described as an example. Vehicle 1 is configured to be able to start the engine either by a request from outside the vehicle or by the IG switch 6 (ignition switch). Vehicle 1 includes an on-board unit 2, a communication device 3, a body ECU 4, an engine ECU 5, and an IG switch 6. The vehicle control device 100b of the present invention includes the above-mentioned on-board unit 2, communication device 3, body ECU 4, and engine ECU 5 that are provided in vehicle 1.

[0027] The engine ECU 5 controls the engine start based on the engine start request from the body ECU 4.

[0028] The body ECU 4 sends an engine start request signal to the engine ECU 5 when the IG switch 6 is pressed (turned on). The body ECU 4 also sends an engine start request signal to the engine ECU 5 when it receives an engine start request signal from the management server 7 via the communication device 3. Upon receiving these engine start request signals, the engine ECU 5 performs engine start control.

[0029] Furthermore, the body ECU 4 stores information (IGON trigger information) in its own memory (for example, RAM (Random Access Memory)) that allows it to identify whether the engine was started by the driver's IG switch 6 or by receiving a request signal from the management server 7.

[0030] The engine ECU 5 and body ECU 4 are each composed of a microcomputer having a CPU that performs various calculations and a memory that stores various control programs and data. The engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, and onboard unit 2 are connected via CAN (Controller Area Network), which is the in-vehicle network of vehicle 1, enabling them to send and receive information from each other.

[0031] Communication device 3 communicates wirelessly between vehicle 1 and management server 7. When the engine is started, communication device 3 transmits vehicle identification information (e.g., VIN: Vehicle Identification Number) and signals requesting information about vehicle 1 (signals requesting vehicle inspection information (guidance information)) from the in-vehicle unit 2 to the management server 7. When communication device 3 receives guidance information from the management server 7, it transmits that information to the in-vehicle unit 2. When communication device 3 receives an engine start request signal from the management server 7, it transmits that signal to the body ECU 4. Communication device 3 can be composed of, for example, a device with communication functions such as a DCM (Data Communication Module).

[0032] When the vehicle 1 is powered on, the in-vehicle unit 2 transmits various information (vehicle identification information, a signal requesting the acquisition of information regarding vehicle inspections: a guidance information request signal) to the management server 7 via the communication device 3. Also, when the in-vehicle unit 2 receives guidance information from the management server 7 via the communication device 3, it displays the vehicle inspection guidance screen on the display unit 2b. As shown in Figure 2, the in-vehicle unit 2 comprises an in-vehicle unit-side control unit 2a, a display unit 2b, and an in-vehicle unit-side storage unit 2c.

[0033] The in-vehicle unit control unit 2a controls the transmission of guidance information request signals to the management server 7, and controls the display unit 2b to display vehicle inspection information based on the guidance information received from the management server 7. The in-vehicle unit control unit 2a includes an IGON trigger determination unit 2a1 and a display control unit 2a2.

[0034] The IGON trigger determination unit 2a1 determines, based on the IGON trigger information transmitted from the body ECU 4 when the power to the vehicle 1 is turned on (when the engine is started), whether the trigger for turning on the power to the vehicle 1 was the operation of the IG switch 6 installed inside the vehicle, or the reception of an engine start request signal from the management server 7, that is, a request from outside the vehicle.

[0035] When the power to the vehicle 1 is turned on, the in-vehicle unit control unit 2a transmits vehicle identification information to the management server 7 via the communication device 3, regardless of the type of trigger. Furthermore, if the IGON trigger determination unit 2a1 determines that the power to the vehicle 1 was triggered by the IG switch 6 being turned on, the in-vehicle unit control unit 2a transmits a guidance information request signal to the management server 7 via the communication device 3 along with the vehicle identification information.

[0036] On the other hand, the in-vehicle unit control unit 2a does not send a guidance information request signal to the management server 7 if the IGON trigger determination unit 2a1 determines that the vehicle 1 was powered on by receiving an engine start request signal from the management server 7. In other words, if the vehicle 1 was powered on by a request from outside the vehicle, it does not request to acquire guidance information (guidance is prohibited).

[0037] Vehicle identification information is pre-stored in the on-board unit 2's storage unit 2c, which consists of ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). Regarding the acquisition of vehicle identification information by the on-board unit control unit 2a, it is not limited to reading from the on-board unit storage unit 2c; for example, it may be acquired each time from an ECU (e.g., body ECU 4) that holds the vehicle identification information.

[0038] The display control unit 2a2 controls the display unit 2b to display a vehicle inspection guidance screen when it receives guidance information from the management server 7 via the communication device 3. Specifically, the display control unit 2a2 displays the vehicle inspection guidance on the display unit 2b at the time it receives guidance information from the management server 7, provided that the vehicle 1 is running (i.e., the in-vehicle unit 2 is running). In this embodiment, the vehicle inspection guidance is displayed on the display screen of the display unit 2b for a predetermined time and then erased. In other words, the display of the vehicle inspection guidance is not continuous but can be limited.

[0039] Furthermore, the timing of the vehicle inspection notice display is not limited to immediately after startup. For example, the vehicle inspection notice may be displayed at an appropriate time after vehicle 1 has started up. Also, the vehicle inspection notice may be displayed multiple times, such as immediately after vehicle 1 has started up and at an appropriate time thereafter. Additionally, the vehicle inspection notice may be displayed when vehicle 1 first stops after it has started up. Also, the vehicle inspection notice may be displayed when vehicle 1 stops for the second time after it has started up.

[0040] The display unit 2b has a display screen that shows vehicle inspection information, and can be, for example, an LCD or an OLED display. The display unit 2b can also be a touch panel.

[0041] As the in-vehicle unit 2, for example, a DA (display audio) with a display can be used.

[0042] (Management server configuration) Next, the configuration of the management server 7 will be described. The management server 7 centrally manages information related to vehicle 1 and transmits information regarding vehicle inspections (guidance information) to vehicle 1 in response to requests from vehicle 1. As shown in Figure 3, the management server 7 comprises a server-side control unit 7a, a server-side communication unit 7b, and a server-side storage unit 7c.

[0043] When the server-side control unit 7a receives a signal (guidance information request signal) from the in-vehicle unit 2 requesting the acquisition of vehicle identification information along with information regarding vehicle inspections (guidance information), it decides whether or not to transmit the guidance information to the vehicle 1. If it decides to transmit the information, it controls the transmission of the guidance information to the vehicle 1 via the server-side communication unit 7b. In this embodiment, when the server-side control unit 7a receives a guidance information request signal, it will not transmit the guidance information to the vehicle 1 unless the date of receipt has passed at least a specified period before the next scheduled vehicle inspection date (vehicle inspection deadline). Furthermore, if the date of receipt of the guidance information request signal has passed a specified period before the next scheduled vehicle inspection date, the server-side control unit 7a changes the method for deciding whether or not to transmit the guidance information depending on whether it is the first time or subsequent transmissions.

[0044] Specifically, if the server-side control unit 7a receives a guidance information request signal after a specified period has elapsed since the next scheduled vehicle inspection date, and has not sent any guidance information since that specified period has elapsed, it will send guidance information to vehicle 1 in response to the guidance information request signal. On the other hand, if the server-side control unit 7a receives a guidance information request signal after a specified period has elapsed since the next scheduled vehicle inspection date, and has already sent guidance information at least once since that specified period has elapsed, it will decide to send guidance information if a predetermined period has elapsed since the previous guidance information was sent. Furthermore, if a vehicle inspection is performed, the server-side control unit 7a will overwrite the previous vehicle inspection date stored in the vehicle information database 7c1, which is linked to vehicle 1 (vehicle identification information), with the new vehicle inspection date.

[0045] In other words, in this embodiment, the vehicle inspection notice is sent after a specific period has passed before the next scheduled vehicle inspection date, and thereafter it is repeated at least every predetermined period until a new vehicle inspection is performed. The decision of whether or not to send the notice information by the server-side control unit 7a will be explained in detail later with reference to the flowchart in Figure 5.

[0046] The server-side storage unit 7c stores various control programs and also stores a vehicle information database 7c1 that stores various vehicle information. The vehicle information database 7c1 stores information about multiple vehicles. For example, for each vehicle, the vehicle information database 7c1 stores at least vehicle identification information, guidance information, the date of the previous vehicle inspection, information that can identify the registered communication terminal device 8, and a predetermined period management timer, all associated with it. The predetermined period management timer is a timer that counts the period (time) that has elapsed since the previous guidance information was transmitted, and is cleared to "0" when guidance information is transmitted. Clearing the predetermined period management timer can be performed, for example, by the server-side control unit 7a.

[0047] The server-side communication unit 7b performs wireless communication with the communication equipment 3 of the vehicle 1 and with the communication terminal device 8 held by the user. The server-side communication unit 7b receives vehicle identification information and guidance information request signals from the vehicle 1. The server-side communication unit 7b also transmits guidance information to the vehicle 1 according to the guidance information transmission decision result of the server-side control unit 7a.

[0048] In this embodiment, an application installed on the communication terminal device 8 allows the engine of vehicle 1 to be started (the power of vehicle 1 to be turned on) via the management server 7 from the communication terminal device 8. In this case, when a user requests to start the engine using the communication terminal device 8, an engine start request signal is sent from the communication terminal device 8 to the management server 7. When the server-side communication unit 7b receives the engine start request signal, the server-side control unit 7a controls the transmission of the engine start request signal to the vehicle 1 to which the communication terminal device 8 is registered. Vehicle 1 performs engine start control in response to this signal. That is, vehicle 1 starts its engine in response to a request from outside the vehicle (communication terminal device 8).

[0049] (Request processing for obtaining guidance information) Next, an example of a guidance information acquisition request process, which primarily uses the in-vehicle device 2 to request the acquisition of vehicle inspection guidance information, will be explained with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the guidance information acquisition request process.

[0050] First, in step S1, the on-board unit control unit 2a of the on-board unit 2 determines whether the engine has started (whether the power to the vehicle 1 has been controlled to be turned on). If it is determined that the engine has started (YES in step S1), the on-board unit control unit 2a obtains IGON trigger information from the body ECU 4 (step S2) and proceeds to step S3. On the other hand, if it is determined that the engine has not started (NO in step S1), the process is terminated.

[0051] In step S3, the IGON trigger determination unit 2a1 determines, based on the acquired IGON trigger information, whether or not the engine was started by turning on the IG switch 6 located inside the vehicle.

[0052] In step S3, if the IGON trigger determination unit 2a1 determines that the engine was started by turning on the IG switch 6 (YES in step S3), the in-vehicle unit control unit 2a sends a guidance information request signal to the management server 7 via the communication device 3 (step S4), and terminates the process.

[0053] In step S3, if the IGON trigger determination unit 2a1 determines that the engine start was initiated by a request from outside the vehicle (NO in step S3), the process is terminated without sending a guidance information request signal to the management server 7. In this case, no vehicle inspection guidance is provided.

[0054] (Information transmission process) Next, the guidance information transmission process, which includes the decision process of whether or not to transmit guidance information when the management server 7 receives a guidance information request signal from the in-vehicle device 2, will be explained with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the guidance information transmission process flow.

[0055] First, when the server-side control unit 7a receives vehicle identification information transmitted from the in-vehicle unit 2 in conjunction with the starting of the vehicle's engine (power on), it determines whether or not it has received a guidance information request signal transmitted together with the vehicle identification information (step S10).

[0056] When the server-side control unit 7a receives a guidance information request signal transmitted from the in-vehicle unit 2 along with vehicle identification information (YES in step S10), it determines whether the date on which the signal was received has passed a specific period before the next scheduled vehicle inspection date (vehicle inspection deadline) for vehicle 1 (step S11). Specifically, when the server-side control unit 7a receives a guidance information request signal, it refers to the vehicle information database 7c1 in the server-side storage unit 7c, extracts a vehicle identification number from multiple vehicle identification information that matches the vehicle identification number transmitted along with the guidance information request signal, and obtains the previous vehicle inspection date stored in association with the matching vehicle identification information. Based on the obtained previous vehicle inspection date for vehicle 1, the server-side control unit 7a determines whether the date on which the guidance information request signal was received has passed a specific period before the next scheduled vehicle inspection date. The specific period can be, for example, one month. In this case, the server-side control unit 7a calculates the next scheduled vehicle inspection date from the previous vehicle inspection date for vehicle 1, and then determines whether the date on which the guidance information request signal was received has passed one month before that scheduled vehicle inspection date. Furthermore, the specified period can be set as appropriate, not limited to one month.

[0057] On the other hand, if the server-side control unit 7a has not received a guidance information request signal from the in-vehicle unit 2 (NO in step S10), it waits until it receives a guidance information request signal.

[0058] Furthermore, in step S11, if it is determined that the date on which the guidance information request signal was received has passed a specific period before the next scheduled vehicle inspection date (YES in step S11), the server-side control unit 7a determines whether or not this is the first time the guidance information has been sent (step S12). Whether or not this is the first time the guidance information has been sent can be managed, for example, by providing an area in the RAM of the management server 7 to store a first-time guidance information transmission flag and turning the flag ON or OFF.

[0059] In step S11, if it is determined that the date on which the guidance information request signal was received has not passed the specified period before the next scheduled vehicle inspection date (NO in step S11), the server-side control unit 7a terminates the process without sending guidance information to vehicle 1. In this case, since the in-vehicle unit 2 does not receive guidance information, it does not provide guidance for the vehicle inspection.

[0060] In step S12, if it is determined that this is the first time the guidance information has been sent (YES in step S12), the server-side control unit 7a transmits the guidance information to the in-vehicle unit 2 via the communication device 3 (step S13), and terminates the process. The in-vehicle unit 2 displays the vehicle inspection guidance on the display unit 2b based on the received guidance information.

[0061] On the other hand, if step S12 determines that the transmission of guidance information is not the first time (NO in step S12), the server-side control unit 7a determines whether a predetermined period has elapsed since the previous transmission of guidance information (step S14). The determination of whether a predetermined period has elapsed can be made by the server-side control unit 7a checking the predetermined period management timer stored in the vehicle information database 7c1, which is linked to the vehicle identification information of vehicle 1. The predetermined period may be managed in terms of days, such as 7 days, or in terms of time, such as 100 hours.

[0062] In step S14, if it is determined that a predetermined period has elapsed since the previous transmission of guidance information (YES in step S14), the server-side control unit 7a transmits the guidance information to the vehicle 1 (communication device 3 → in-vehicle unit 2) via the server-side communication unit 7b (step S13), and terminates the process. In this case, the in-vehicle unit 2 displays the vehicle inspection guidance on the display unit 2b based on the received guidance information.

[0063] In step S14, if it is determined that a predetermined period has not elapsed since the previous transmission of guidance information (NO in step S14), the server-side control unit 7a terminates the process without transmitting the guidance information to the vehicle 1 via the server-side communication unit 7b. In this case, the in-vehicle unit 2 does not receive the guidance information and therefore does not display the vehicle inspection guidance on the display unit 2b.

[0064] (Mechanism of Action and Effects) The above describes one embodiment of the vehicle control device 100b and vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention. Next, the effects and advantages realized by the vehicle control device 100b and vehicle guidance system 100a of this embodiment will be described below.

[0065] The vehicle control device 100b and vehicle guidance system 100a described above have the following characteristic configurations. Therefore, the vehicle control device 100b and vehicle guidance system 100a can achieve the following unique effects that cannot be achieved with conventional technology.

[0066] (a) The vehicle control device 100b of the present invention includes a vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication equipment 3) that controls the vehicle power to be turned on (engine started) in response to a request from outside the vehicle (engine start request operation from a communication terminal device 8) or operation of an on-board switch (IG switch 6), and a guidance unit (on-board unit 2) that automatically provides predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) to the user after the power of the vehicle 1 has been controlled to be turned on, wherein the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) is repeated at least at predetermined intervals, and the guidance unit (on-board unit 2) is the predetermined The system is characterized in that, after a certain period has elapsed, the vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3) controls the vehicle power to be turned on by operating the in-vehicle switch (IG switch 6), and only then does the predetermined notification (vehicle inspection notification) not occur, provided that after a certain period has elapsed, the vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3) controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle (engine start request operation from the communication terminal device 8).

[0067] The vehicle control device 100b of the present invention, configured in this manner, automatically provides the user with a predetermined notification (vehicle inspection notification) after the vehicle 1's power is turned on (engine starts), and this predetermined notification (vehicle inspection notification) is repeated at least at predetermined intervals. In this way, the vehicle control device of the present invention can prevent inconvenience to the user caused by the predetermined notification being given each time the vehicle's power is turned on. Furthermore, the notification unit does not provide the predetermined notification if, after a predetermined period has elapsed, the vehicle power control unit has turned on the vehicle power in response to a request from outside the vehicle. In other words, the vehicle control device of the present invention does not provide the predetermined notification when the vehicle power is turned on in response to a request from outside the vehicle, meaning when there are no occupants in the vehicle cabin. This prevents delays in the timing of the user receiving the predetermined notification, and as a result, the predetermined notification can be provided to the user at an appropriate time.

[0068] (b) The vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention includes a vehicle 1 having a vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3) that controls the vehicle power to be turned on (engine started) in response to a request from outside the vehicle (engine start request operation from a communication terminal device 8) or operation of an on-board switch (IG switch 6), a storage unit (on-board unit side storage unit 2c) that stores predetermined vehicle identification information, a guidance unit (on-board unit 2) that automatically provides predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) after the vehicle power has been controlled to be turned on by the vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3), and a communication unit (communication device 3), and an external device (management server 7) that manages guidance information that can identify the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) and the predetermined vehicle identification information in association, wherein the communication unit of the vehicle is capable of communicating with the external device and the guidance unit, and the external device receives from the storage unit (on-board unit side storage unit 2c) via the communication unit (communication device 3) The system is characterized in that the guidance information, which is managed in association with the predetermined vehicle identification information, can be transmitted to the guidance unit (in-vehicle unit 2) via the communication unit (communication device 3), the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) is repeated at least at predetermined intervals, and the guidance unit (in-vehicle unit 2) provides the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) based on the guidance information transmitted from the external device (management server 7), provided that the vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3) controls the vehicle power to be turned on by operating the in-vehicle switch (IG switch 6) after the predetermined period has elapsed, while the guidance unit (in-vehicle unit 2) does not provide the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance), provided that the vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3) controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle (engine start request operation from communication terminal device 8) after the predetermined period has elapsed.

[0069] In this way, the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention automatically provides the user with predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) after the power of the vehicle 1 is controlled to be turned on. Since this predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) is repeated at least with a predetermined period of time in between, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience to the user caused by receiving the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) every time the power of the vehicle 1 is controlled to be turned on. Furthermore, the guidance unit (in-vehicle unit 2) does not provide the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, provided that the vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3) controls the vehicle power to be turned on in response to a request from outside the vehicle (engine start request operation from the communication terminal device 8). As a result, the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention can prevent the timing of the user receiving the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) from being delayed, and as a result, the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) can be provided to the user at an appropriate time. Furthermore, since the external device (management server 7) manages the guidance information and predetermined vehicle identification information in a linked manner (vehicle information database 7c1), the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention can centrally manage the guidance information of multiple vehicles using the external device (management server 7). In addition, the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention is configured not to provide predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) unless guidance information is obtained from the external device (management server 7). In this way, by having the external device (management server 7) decide whether or not to provide predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance), the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention can reduce the control load on the vehicle 1 when providing predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance).

[0070] (c) The specified period should be calculated from the date after the specified notice has been given.

[0071] In this way, the vehicle control device 100b of the present invention can avoid the inconvenience to the user of frequently receiving predetermined notifications (vehicle inspection notifications) and can provide predetermined notifications (vehicle inspection notifications) at the appropriate time.

[0072] (d) The aforementioned prescribed notice (vehicle inspection notice) should be given only after the aforementioned prescribed period has elapsed.

[0073] In this way, the vehicle control device 100b of the present invention can provide the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) at an effective timing compared to the case where the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) is provided continuously after a predetermined period has elapsed.

[0074] (e) The aforementioned prescribed notice (vehicle inspection notice) should be repeated at least a prescribed interval after the prescribed conditions for giving the notice (for example, one month before the vehicle inspection deadline) have been met.

[0075] In this way, the vehicle control device 100b of the present invention can prevent the inconvenience caused to the user by issuing a predetermined notice (vehicle inspection notice) every time a predetermined period has elapsed, even though there is no need to issue such a notice.

[0076] (f) The aforementioned notice may be a notice for vehicle inspection.

[0077] In this way, the vehicle control device 100b of the present invention can provide inspection guidance for vehicle 1 at an appropriate time while preventing the inconvenience to the user caused by frequent vehicle inspection guidance.

[0078] (g) In the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention, the external device (management server 7) enables the guidance unit (onboard unit 2) to acquire the guidance information in response to a request from the guidance unit (onboard unit 2). The guidance unit (onboard unit 2) requests the transmission of the guidance information from the external device (management server 7) on the condition that the vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3) controls the vehicle power to be turned on (engine started) by operating the onboard switch (IG switch 6), while refraining from requesting the transmission of the guidance information from the external device (management server 7) on the condition that the vehicle power control unit (engine ECU 5, body ECU 4, communication device 3) controls the vehicle power to be turned on (engine started) by operating the onboard switch (IG switch 6).

[0079] In this way, the external device (management server 7) does not need to determine whether or not to send guidance information to the guidance unit, as it does not need to determine the trigger for turning on the vehicle power (starting the engine) (an external request or operation of an on-board switch (IG switch 6)). Therefore, the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention can reduce the processing burden on the external device (management server 7) for providing predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance).

[0080] (h) The external device in the vehicle guidance system of the present invention includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the predetermined period has elapsed, and when the guidance unit requests the transmission of the guidance information, the external device transmits the guidance information to the guidance unit on the condition that the determination unit determines that the predetermined period has elapsed.

[0081] By having an external device (management server 7) determine whether or not a predetermined period has elapsed, the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention can reduce the processing burden on the vehicle 1 for the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance), and the external device (management server 7) can centrally manage information related to the vehicle 1 (vehicle identification information, guidance information, and information related to the predetermined period).

[0082] The above describes the effects and advantages of the vehicle guidance system 100a and vehicle control device 100b according to the embodiments of the present invention. However, the vehicle guidance system 100a and vehicle control device 100b of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made. That is, the vehicle guidance system 100a and vehicle control device 100b described above are merely examples of one embodiment, and the configuration can be changed, omitted, or added as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In other words, the vehicle guidance system 100a and vehicle control device 100b may not have some or all of the configurations described in (a) to (h) above, or may have other configurations, or may be implemented with configurations different from those exemplified in the above embodiments, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0083] For example, the above embodiment describes a case where the display of a predetermined guidance is automatically erased after a predetermined time has elapsed, but the display method of the predetermined guidance is not limited to this. For example, the predetermined guidance may be in a pop-up format, and the pop-up may be displayed each time the vehicle 1 is started by turning on the IG switch 6 until the user presses "OK" after the display. However, the following problems may arise with this display method. That is, since there is often more than one driver in the vehicle 1, if another driver gets in and presses "OK", for example, if the predetermined guidance is a vehicle inspection guidance, the driver who takes the vehicle 1 to the service factory for inspection may lose the opportunity to receive the predetermined guidance. Therefore, in order to prevent such problems from occurring, it is preferable to have a display method that can reliably provide the predetermined guidance to the appropriate driver who should receive it. In this case, for example, it is possible to configure the system to determine whether the IG switch 6 was turned on by the main driver, and to display the predetermined guidance only if it has been confirmed that the IG switch 6 was turned on by that driver.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the date of the previous vehicle inspection is associated with the vehicle identification information and stored in the server-side storage unit 7c, but this is not the only option. For example, the next scheduled vehicle inspection date can be associated with the vehicle identification information of vehicle 1 instead of the date of the previous vehicle inspection and stored in the server-side storage unit 7c. Alternatively, a date a specific period prior to the next scheduled vehicle inspection date can be associated with the vehicle identification information of vehicle 1 and stored in the server-side storage unit 7c. In this way, the server-side control unit 7a can eliminate the need to calculate the date a specific period prior to the next scheduled vehicle inspection date.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the method of starting the engine from outside the vehicle was explained as an engine start operation using the communication terminal device 8, but the system is not limited to this. For example, as another method of starting the engine from outside the vehicle, it is also possible to start the engine by turning on the engine start switch, such as the keyless remote control of the vehicle 1. In this case, the system can be configured to allow engine starting by the keyless remote control in place of, or in conjunction with, engine starting by the communication terminal device 8. In this case, the body ECU 4 should store in memory IGON trigger information that can at least determine whether the engine start is due to the turning on of the IG switch 6 (onboard switch) or a request from outside the vehicle.

[0086] Furthermore, the vehicle guidance system 100a of the present invention can also be implemented within the vehicle 1. That is, the vehicle 1 can be equipped with a function or device that replaces the management server 7, and this replacement device can manage information related to the predetermined guidance, the specific period for which the predetermined guidance will begin, and the predetermined period for subsequent guidance.

[0087] Furthermore, in the above-described vehicle guidance system 100a, the external device (management server 7) transmits guidance information (vehicle inspection guidance) to the guidance unit (in-vehicle unit 2) only on the condition that there is at least a request from the guidance unit (in-vehicle unit 2). However, for example, the external device (management server 7) can also be configured to, when there is a request from the guidance unit (in-vehicle unit 2), determine whether the specified period for starting the predetermined guidance (vehicle inspection guidance) has elapsed, and whether the predetermined period for the second and subsequent guidance has elapsed, and based on these determination results, grant access to obtain guidance information from the in-vehicle unit 2.

[0088] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to cases where vehicle 1 is an engine-powered vehicle, but can be applied to various types of vehicles such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles.

[0089] The above describes embodiments and modifications of the vehicle guidance system 100a and vehicle control device 100b according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to those exemplified in the embodiments and modifications described above, and it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments may exist in the spirit and nature of the teachings, without departing from the scope of the claims. [Industrial applicability]

[0090] The present invention is suitably applicable to vehicle control devices in general that include a control unit for controlling the on / off state of a semiconductor switch connected to a predetermined load circuit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0091] 1: Vehicle 2: On-board equipment (guidance unit, vehicle power control unit) 2c: On-board device storage unit (storage unit) 3: Communication equipment (Communication Department) 4: Body ECU (Vehicle Power Control Unit) 5: Engine ECU (Vehicle Power Control Unit) 6: IG switch (vehicle-mounted switch) 7: Management server (external device) 100a: Vehicle guidance system 100b: Vehicle control device

Claims

1. A vehicle power control unit that controls the vehicle's power supply to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle or by operating an in-vehicle switch, Includes a guidance unit that automatically provides predetermined guidance to the user after the vehicle's power is controlled to be turned on, The aforementioned prescribed notice will be given repeatedly at least at predetermined intervals, The aforementioned guide section is After the predetermined period has elapsed, the predetermined guidance is provided, provided that the vehicle power control unit turns on the vehicle power by operating the in-vehicle switch, After the predetermined period has elapsed, provided that the vehicle power control unit controls the vehicle power to be turned on in response to a request from outside the vehicle, the predetermined guidance will not be provided. A vehicle control device characterized by the following features.

2. A vehicle having a vehicle power control unit that controls the vehicle power to be turned on by a request from outside the vehicle or by operation of an in-vehicle switch, a storage unit that stores predetermined vehicle identification information, a guidance unit that automatically provides predetermined guidance after the vehicle power is controlled to be turned on by the vehicle power control unit, and a communication unit, Includes an external device that manages a link between the specified guidance information and the specified vehicle identification information, The communication unit of the vehicle is capable of communicating with the external device and the guide unit. The external device is capable of transmitting the guidance information, which is managed in association with the predetermined vehicle identification information received from the storage unit via the communication unit, to the guidance unit via the communication unit. The aforementioned prescribed notice will be given repeatedly at least at predetermined intervals, The aforementioned guide section is After the predetermined period has elapsed, provided that the vehicle power control unit turns on the vehicle power by operating the in-vehicle switch, the predetermined guidance is provided based on the guidance information transmitted from the external device, After the predetermined period has elapsed, provided that the vehicle power control unit controls the vehicle power to be turned on in response to a request from outside the vehicle, the predetermined guidance will not be provided. A vehicle guidance system characterized by the following features.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined period is calculated from the time after the predetermined guidance has been given.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned predetermined guidance is provided only after the aforementioned predetermined period has elapsed.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined guidance is repeated at least a predetermined interval after the predetermined guidance execution conditions have been met.

6. The external device enables the guide unit to acquire the guide information in response to a request from the guide unit. The aforementioned guide section is On the condition that the vehicle power control unit turns on the vehicle power in response to the operation of the vehicle switch, it requests the external device to transmit the guidance information, The vehicle guidance system according to claim 2, characterized in that, on the condition that the vehicle power control unit controls the vehicle power to be turned on by the operation of the in-vehicle switch, it does not request the transmission of the guidance information to the external device.

7. The external device includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the predetermined period has elapsed. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 6, characterized in that when the external device receives a request from the guidance unit to transmit the guidance information, it is determined by the determination that the predetermined period has elapsed, and the external device transmits the guidance information to the guidance unit.

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