Vehicle control device

Abstract

To achieve both cost reduction and improvement in user convenience.SOLUTION: By an operation of a customization setting screen of a meter ECU, when an answer-back function is nullified (NO in Step S5), when an operation command of a power back door is detected by a body ECU (YES in Steps S1, S2, NO in Step S3, YES in Step S7), the nullified answer-back function is made to be valid, and by the body ECU, control is performed by a notification mode based on a customization setting value when the answer-back function where a hazard lamp and a buzzer are held in a memory is valid (Step S6).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device having an answerback function that notifies operations related to multiple vehicle doors in a predetermined notification manner by an alarm means, and including a customization means for a user to enable or disable the answerback function. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, some vehicle control devices have an answerback function that notifies a user in a predetermined notification manner of the operation status of a vehicle door in response to a control signal wirelessly transmitted from a portable device carried by the user (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The notification method for this answerback function is generally to lock and unlock the driver's door, passenger door, etc. by means of notification means such as flashing hazard lights or sounding a buzzer. In this case, the answerback function is shared by all applicable doors, so the notification method is the same. However, if the answerback function can be customized by the user to be "enabled" or "disabled," for example, the answerback function will work when it is set to "enabled," and will not work when it is set to "disabled."

[0004] Furthermore, when the power sliding door or power tailgate is operated, the hazard lights may be turned on or a buzzer may be sounded to alert those in the vicinity. In this case, the same notification method as the answer back function described above may be used to alert those in the vicinity when the power sliding door or power tailgate is operated.

[0005] By the way, the reason why the answerback function can be customized to be "enabled" or "disabled" by the user is that the user may feel annoyed by the neighbors if the hazard lights flash or the buzzer sounds as the notification mode of the answerback function at night, especially late at night. ToThis is because there is a need among users to be able to set the answerback mechanism to "disabled" when they feel annoyed by the situation.

[0006] In addition, since the driver's door is locked and unlocked frequently, whereas the power back door is opened and closed very infrequently, for users who feel that it would be a nuisance to their neighbors if the answer-back function were to notify them every time the driver's door is locked or unlocked at night or late at night, they are unlikely to feel that it would be a nuisance to their neighbors if the infrequent operation of the power back door were to be notified in the same manner as the answer-back function. Therefore, such users usually want to "disable" the answer-back function associated with locking and unlocking the driver's door at night or late at night to avoid causing a nuisance to their neighbors. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-148146 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Meanwhile, in view of the actual conditions of such user usage patterns, further cost reduction is desired.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to achieve both cost reduction and improved user convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle control device having an answerback function that notifies an operation related to a plurality of vehicle doors in a predetermined notification manner by a notification means, and a customization means for a user to set the enablement and disablement of the answerback function. The predetermined notification manner of the answerback function is Car doors excluding certain car doors and notifying the driver of the operation of the specific vehicle door. A a detection means for detecting an operation command for the specific vehicle door by a user when the answerback function is disabled by the customization means, and a control means for enabling the disabled answerback function and controlling the notification means to notify the operation of the specific vehicle door in the predetermined notification mode when the detection means detects an operation command for the specific vehicle door in a state in which the answerback function is disabled by the customization means, the notification means being used in common for notifying an operation of the specific vehicle door and for notifying an operation of the specific vehicle door in the predetermined notification mode. of It is characterized by being equipped with

[0011] According to this configuration, when one answerback function is shared for notifying operations related to doors other than a specific vehicle door among a plurality of vehicle doors, and for notifying operations related to the specific vehicle door, when the answerback function is disabled by the customization means and an operation command related to the specific vehicle door, which is a power back door, is detected by the detection means, the disabled answerback function is enabled, and the notification means is controlled by the control means to notify the operation of the specific vehicle door in a predetermined notification manner, thereby preventing increased costs due to the complexity of the processing program, as would occur if a dedicated answerback function were provided for a specific vehicle door, and the inexpensive and simple configuration prevents the risk of a person bumping into the specific vehicle door as it begins to operate. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, the predetermined notification mode of the answerback function is a plurality of vehicle doors. Car doors excluding certain car doors Notification of actions related to , special When the answerback function is shared with the notification of operations related to a specific vehicle door, when the answerback function is disabled by the customization means and the detection means detects an operation command for the specific vehicle door, the disabled answerback function is enabled, and the control means controls the notification means to notify the operation of the specific vehicle door in a predetermined notification manner, thereby preventing increased costs due to the complexity of the processing program, as would occur if a dedicated answerback function were provided for a specific vehicle door, and the inexpensive and simple configuration can prevent the risk of a person bumping into a specific vehicle door as it begins to operate. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a vehicle control device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] An embodiment of a vehicle control device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

[0015] The vehicle control device in this embodiment is equipped with a power back door that can be opened and closed electrically, and is equipped with an answerback function that notifies the driver's door, passenger door, power sliding door next to the rear seat, and the locking / unlocking of the power back door and the automatic opening and closing of the doors in the same notification manner by flashing hazard lights and sounding a buzzer, which are notification means. When the user selects the answerback function as "enabled," , nothing The vehicle has specifications that can be customized to "effectively" open and close, and the hazard lights flash and the buzzer sounds to alert the driver when a specific vehicle door, such as a power tailgate, is automatically opened or closed. The vehicle is equipped with a notification mode that is the same as the answer back function as a notification mode for such alerting the driver.

[0016] In this case, it is possible to set the notification mode during automatic opening and closing of a specific vehicle door, such as a power tailgate, separately from that for other vehicle doors. However, this would require processing and judgment functions such as setting a separate customization ID to execute the same type of answerback function, which would complicate the processing program and increase costs. Therefore, as described above, there is an advantage in sharing the notification mode of the answerback function for the notification mode during automatic opening and closing of a specific vehicle door, such as a power tailgate.

[0017] In vehicles where the notification mode is shared in this way, the user can set the answerback function to "enabled" , nothing Since the answerback function can be customized to be set to "enabled," in principle, when the answerback function is customized to be set to "enabled," a notification will be issued in a predetermined notification manner of the answerback function, and when the answerback function is customized to be set to "disabled," the notification will not be issued in a predetermined notification manner of the answerback function, and the automatic opening and closing operation of the power tailgate, which is a specific vehicle door, will not be notified.

[0018] However, if the answerback function's notification mode is used for the automatic opening and closing operation of a specific vehicle door such as the power tailgate, for example, if there is a family member with hearing impairment among the multiple people using the vehicle, and the answerback function is "disabled," the hearing-impaired family member standing near the power tailgate when it operates will not know that the power tailgate has started to operate, and will bump into the door without noticing that the power tailgate is opening and closing. This is a feature of the present invention, which is to eliminate such inconveniences.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle control device 1 in this embodiment includes a body ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 2, which is supplied with power from a battery 3, receives signals from a power switch 4 such as an IG switch and an ACC switch, receives a request switch signal 5 based on the operation of a door switch for locking / unlocking the doors provided near the door handle, receives a wireless lock / unlock signal 6 for locking / unlocking all the doors by key operation of a portable device (not shown) carried by a user, receives an automatic back door opening signal / automatic closing signal by operation of a back door opener switch 7 provided on a power back door, and receives door lock / unlock signals 8 detected by respective detection sensors provided on each door. If the signal from the power switch 4 is an IG switch on signal, the body ECU 2 determines that "there is vehicle speed" due to the vehicle moving, and if the signal from the power switch 4 is an ACC switch on signal, the body ECU 2 determines that "there is no vehicle speed" due to the vehicle stopping.

[0020] Furthermore, the body ECU 2 transmits and receives data to and from a power back door ECU (hereinafter referred to as PBDECU) 9 and a meter ECU 10 via CAN (Controller Area Network) communication. For example, when a user makes a predetermined movement such as inserting a foot under the rear of the vehicle, a kick sensor connected to the PBDECU 9 reacts to the movement and operates, outputting a detection signal for automatically opening and automatically closing the power back door from the kick sensor, and a kick sensor signal corresponding to the detection signal is sent from the PBDECU 9 to the CAN communication bus 11 and received by the body ECU 2, and the body ECU 2 controls the automatic opening and automatic closing of the power back door. Here, the detection of the automatic opening and automatic closing signals of the back door based on the operation of the back door opener switch 7 by the body ECU 2 and the detection function of the signals from the kick sensor and the PBDECU 9 correspond to the "detection means" in the present invention.

[0021] On the other hand, the meter EUC 10 has a function as a customization means for a user to set "enable" or "disable" of the answerback function that notifies the operation of a plurality of vehicle doors in a predetermined notification manner, and stores customization setting values ​​in advance in the memory 10a, which is a storage means, as shown in Fig. 2. That is, when the user operates the customization setting screen displayed on the meter by performing an operation to display the customization setting screen of the answerback function on the meter consisting of an LCD, the meter EUC 10 generates a customization setting signal for blinking the hazard lamps as the notification means if the user selects "enable" and "disable", and generates a customization setting signal for non-operation of the hazard lamps as the notification means if the user selects "enable", and generates a customization setting signal for sounding the buzzer at a sound pressure level selected by the user from steps 1 to 6 if the user selects "enable", and generates a customization setting signal for the sound pressure level of the buzzer as the notification means if the user selects "enable", and generates a customization setting signal for the sound pressure level of the buzzer if the user selects "disable". These customization setting signals are then sent from the meter ECU 10 to the CAN communication bus 11 and received by the body ECU 2. The customization setting values ​​based on the customization setting signals from the meter ECU 10 are then stored in the memory 2a, which is the storage means of the body ECU 2.

[0022] When a user performs an unlock operation to unlock a door, the body ECU 2 receives a request switch signal 5 and a wireless lock signal 6 based on the unlock operation. The body ECU 2, upon receiving either of these signals, determines that there is a command to unlock the door and outputs a door unlock control signal 13 for unlocking (unlocking) to a door actuator (not shown). When a user performs a lock operation to lock a door, the body ECU 2 receives a request switch signal 5 and a wireless unlock signal 6 based on the lock operation, as in the case of an unlock operation. The body ECU 2, upon receiving either of these signals, determines that there is a command to lock the door and outputs a door lock control signal 14 for locking (locking) to the door actuator. When the body ECU 2 receives an automatic opening signal / automatic closing signal of the power back door due to the operation of the door opener switch 7 or a kick sensor signal from the PBDECU 9 for automatic opening / automatic closing of the power back door, it outputs an opening command signal / closing command signal for automatically opening / automatically closing the power back door, and the PBDECU 9 receives this signal.

[0023] Also, the body ECU 2 outputs the door unlock control signal 13 and the door lock control signal 14, and at the same time, when the enable / disable of the customized setting value (see FIG. 2) stored in the memory is set to "enabled" based on the user's setting operation, the body ECU 2 executes an answerback function, blinks the hazard lamps 15 for a predetermined time at a predetermined cycle based on the customized setting value of "enabled", and sounds the buzzer 16 for a predetermined number of times at a predetermined interval at the sound pressure level of the customized setting value of "enabled", thereby executing an alert in the alert mode of the answerback function. Note that this answerback function is not executed when the signal of the power switch 4 is an IG switch-on signal and it is determined that the vehicle is moving and there is a vehicle speed, but is executed when the signal is an ACC switch-on signal and it is determined that the vehicle is stopped and there is no vehicle speed.

[0024] On the other hand, when the enable / disable of the customization setting stored in the memory is set to "disabled," even if the body ECU 2 outputs the door unlock control signal 13 and the door lock control signal 14, the body ECU 2 does not execute the alert in the alert mode of the answerback function, the hazard lamps 15 remain inactive, and the buzzer 16 does not sound.

[0025] Next, the most important feature of the present invention will be described. Let us assume that the power back door is a specific vehicle door among all the doors of the vehicle, and the enable / disable of the customized setting value stored in the memory is set to "disable" based on the setting operation by the user (the answerback function is disabled). When an automatic opening / closing operation command for the power back door is detected by the user, the body ECU 2 enables the answerback function that is set to "disable" and controls the hazard lamps 15 and the buzzer 16, which are the notification means, to notify the operation of the power back door in the notification mode of the answerback function based on the customized setting value stored in the memory 2a at the same time as the automatic opening of the power back door starts and immediately after the automatic closing of the power back door starts.

[0026] Such a function of detecting an automatic opening / closing operation command for the power tailgate by the body ECU 2 corresponds to the "detection means" in this invention, and the function of notifying the operation of the power tailgate by enabling the notification mode in the answerback function that is set to "disabled" only for the operation of the power tailgate corresponds to the "control means" in this invention.

[0027] Next, an operation procedure of the body ECU 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 3. In the following, "answer back" is abbreviated as "AB" and "power back door" is abbreviated as "PBD".

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, when the AB (answer back) function is not activated and the vehicle is in an inoperative state, that is, when neither the hazard lamps 15 nor the buzzer 16 are activated (step S1), the body ECU 2 judges whether or not the conditions for AB function activation are established, that is, whether or not the ACC switch-on signal of the power switch 4 is input and the vehicle speed is zero due to the vehicle being stopped (step S2). If the judgment result is NO, the process returns to step S1, and if the judgment result is YES, it is judged whether or not the door lock / unlock operation by a portable device or the like has been detected (step S3).

[0029] If the judgment result of step S3 is YES, it is judged whether or not the locking / unlocking of the doors has been completed in response to the locking / unlocking operation of the portable device or the like (step S4). If the judgment result is NO, the process returns to the above-mentioned step S1. If the judgment result is YES, it is judged whether or not the customized setting value of the AB function stored in the memory is "enabled" (step S5). If the judgment result is NO ("invalid"), the process returns to the above-mentioned step S1. If the judgment result is YES ("enabled"), the AB function is activated, the hazard lamps 15 are controlled to flash based on the customized setting value stored in the memory 2a, the buzzer 16 is sounded, and an alert is given in the alert mode of the AB (answer back) function (step S6). Then, the process returns to the start, and the processing from step S1 onwards is repeated.

[0030] Meanwhile, if the judgment result of the above step S3 is NO, the body ECU 2 detects the operation to start the automatic opening / closing of the PBD (power back door), and then judges whether or not the locking / unlocking has been completed in response to the user's locking / unlocking operation (step S7). If this judgment result is NO, the process returns to the above step S1. If the judgment result is YES, the process proceeds to step S6, where an alert is issued in the alert mode of the AB function, the hazard lamps 15 are controlled to blink based on the customized setting value stored in the memory 2a, and the buzzer 16 is sounded to notify the start of the automatic opening / closing operation of the PBD (step S6).

[0031] Here, the processing of step S7 will be described in detail. If the process passes through step S1 described above, and then steps S2 to S4 are all passed with a YES result, and then step S5 is passed with a NO result, the customized setting value of the AB function is judged to be "invalid" in the judgment of step S5, and the process returns to step S1. Thereafter, if the process passes through step S2 with a YES result, and then step S3 is judged to have not been used to lock or unlock the doors using a portable device or the like, and the process passes with a NO result, the process proceeds to step S7.

[0032] Then, in the judgment of step S7, after the body ECU 2 detects the operation start operation of the automatic opening / closing of the PBD, when it is judged that the locking / unlocking has been completed in response to the locking / unlocking operation by the user and the result is YES, the body ECU 2 enables the AB notification function so that the operation of the PBD can be notified by the AB function even if the function is set to "disabled", and simultaneously with the start of the automatic opening of the PBD and immediately after the start of the automatic closing of the PBD lock, the hazard lamps 15 and the buzzer 16 notify the operation of the PBD in a notification mode based on the customized setting value when the AB function is enabled and stored in the memory 2a. Note that when the AB function is set to "disabled", the operation of each door is not notified in the notification mode of the AB function in principle.

[0033] Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, when the answerback function is set to "disabled" by operating the customization setting screen of the meter ECU 10 functioning as customization means, and an operation command for automatically opening and automatically closing a specific vehicle door, that is, a power tailgate, is detected by the body ECU 2 functioning as detection means, the disabled answerback function is enabled, and the body ECU 2 controls the hazard lamps 15 and the buzzer 16 in an alerting manner based on the customized setting value of "enabled" for the answerback function stored in the memory 2a.

[0034] Therefore, when one answerback function is shared for notifying operations related to doors other than the power tailgate, which is a specific vehicle door, and for notifying operations related to the power tailgate, even if the answerback function is disabled, the automatic opening and automatic closing operations of the power tailgate can be notified by the notification mode of the answerback function based on the customized setting value stored in memory 2a.This does not incur increased costs due to the complexity of the processing program, as would occur if an answerback function for notifying operations related to the power tailgate, which is a specific vehicle door, were provided separately from the other vehicle doors, and the inexpensive and simple configuration can prevent the risk of a person bumping into the power tailgate as it begins to operate.

[0035] In addition, the hazard lamps 15 and the buzzer 16 are controlled in a predetermined notification manner based on the customization setting value set by operating the customization setting screen of the meter ECU 10, which functions as a customization means, so that the user can variably set the answerback notification manner to a mode that suits their preferences by changing the customization setting value.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications other than those described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0037] For example, in the above embodiment, the specific vehicle door is a power back door, but the present invention can be applied to a power sliding door to obtain the same effect. Furthermore, the present invention may be implemented by setting a door other than a power back door or a power sliding door as the specific vehicle door.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the notification mode in the answerback function may be either only blinking of the hazard lamps 15 or only sounding of the buzzer 16. The notification means is not limited to the hazard lamps 15 and the buzzer 16.

[0039] Furthermore, the customization means may be capable of setting the answerback function to "fully disabled" in addition to "enabled" and "disabled," and the control means may not perform the above-mentioned control when "fully disabled" is set. That is, when "fully disabled" is set, the body ECU 2 functioning as the control means may deactivate the hazard lamps 15 and the buzzer 16 without making an alert in the alert mode of the answerback function, even if the detection means detects an operation command for a specific vehicle door such as a power back door in a state where the answerback function is disabled by the customization means.

[0040] The present invention can be applied to a vehicle control device that is equipped with a customization means for a user to enable or disable an answerback function provided by an alarm means that notifies of operations related to multiple vehicle doors in a predetermined alarm manner pre-stored in a memory means. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 ... Vehicle control device 2 ... Body ECU (detection means, control means) 2a ...Memory (storage means) 10...Meter ECU (Customization Method) 10a...Memory (storage means) 15...Hazard lamp (alert means) 16 ... Buzzer (alert means)

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle control device having an answerback function for notifying an operation related to a plurality of vehicle doors in a predetermined notification manner by a notification means, the vehicle control device including a customization means for allowing a user to set whether the answerback function is enabled or disabled, the predetermined notification mode of the answerback function is shared for notifying an operation of vehicle doors other than a specific vehicle door among the plurality of vehicle doors and for notifying an operation of the specific vehicle door, and the notification means is controlled and executed in the predetermined notification mode based on a customization setting value set by the customization means, a detection means for detecting an operation command for the specific vehicle door by a user when the answerback function is disabled by the customization means; a control means for enabling the disabled answer-back function and controlling the notification means to notify the operation of the specific vehicle door in the predetermined notification manner when the detection means detects an operation command for the specific vehicle door in a state in which the answer-back function is disabled by the customization means; A vehicle control device comprising:

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