Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicular control device capable of omitting a service coupler to which a reset tool is connected without requiring the reset tool for reset operation for erasing a failure code and a learning value and executing reset operation without requiring connection work of the reset tool.SOLUTION: A vehicular control device includes an acceleration sensor 13 attached detachably to a vehicle 1 to detect acceleration, a control part 9 for controlling a control object 5 mounted on the vehicle on the basis of detection information including the acceleration by the acceleration sensor 13, a control information storage part 10 for storing control information acquired by control of the control part 9, a control information erasure part 11 for erasing the control information of the control information storage part 10 when prescribed reset operation is performed, and a reset operation determination part 12 for determining the need of reset operation to make the control information erasure part 11 erase the control information when the acceleration by the acceleration sensor 13 changes in accordance with a prescribed change pattern.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device. [Background technology]

[0002] This type of vehicle control device is mounted on a vehicle to control various control targets provided in the vehicle, such as the engine and motor that serve as the driving power source for the vehicle. For example, the engine is operated by driving actuators such as injectors and igniters based on detection information from sensors such as a crank angle sensor and a throttle opening sensor.

[0003] Assuming that sensors or actuators may fail for some reason, the control device is equipped with an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics: self-diagnosis function), as described in Patent Document 1, for example. A fault code is pre-set corresponding to the faulty part. For example, if an injector has a short-to-power fault, the control device detects this and turns on a warning lamp on the vehicle, while also storing a fault code corresponding to the injector's short-to-power fault. When the user recognizes the fault based on the illumination of the warning lamp and brings the vehicle to a dealer, a diagnostic tool is connected to the control device, the fault code is read, the faulty part is identified based on the fault code, and repairs are performed. After the repair is completed, the fault code stored in the control device is erased by resetting the diagnostic tool, and the warning lamp is turned off accordingly.

[0004] The control device also stores the learned values ​​acquired when controlling the controlled object. For example, the oxygen concentration in the engine's exhaust gas is detected by an O2 sensor and is used to correct the amount of fuel injected by the injector as so-called O2 feedback. At that time, the learned values ​​are acquired and stored and reflected in future fuel injection amounts. For example, if the throttle body equipped with the throttle opening sensor breaks down and is replaced, the learned values ​​up to that point become inappropriate due to individual differences in the part. In this case, a diagnostic tool is also used, and the learned values ​​stored in the vehicle control device are erased by performing a reset operation, and new learning is then started the next time O2 feedback is performed.

[0005] However, such diagnostic tools are not always available at dealerships, and for example, there are dealerships in remote areas of developing countries that do not have diagnostic tools. Such dealerships use simple reset tools, such as a switch with a connector attached to one end. When the connector is connected to the service coupler of the control device and the other end of the switch is grounded, an ON / OFF signal corresponding to the switch operation is input to the control device. By inputting a signal with a preset ON / OFF pattern, the control device can be made to perform a desired process.

[0006] For example, when a control object breaks down and replacement work is completed, the repair technician first operates the switch of the reset tool with an ON / OFF pattern set corresponding to the maintenance mode. This switches the control device to reset mode, and then operates the switch with an ON / OFF pattern set corresponding to the learned value to erase the learned value acquired and stored by controlling the replaced control object. This switch operation corresponds to the reset operation on the diagnostic tool described above, and thereby erases the target learned value. The same procedure is used to erase fault codes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-142642 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The above-described conventional method of erasing fault codes and learned values ​​using a reset tool leaves room for improvement in the following respects.

[0009] First, a reset tool is required. A reset tool that is specialized solely for erasing fault codes and learned values ​​has a simple configuration, but it must be kept on hand at the dealer as one of the devices for maintaining the vehicle. Also, since it is not used as frequently as a multi-function diagnostic tool, there is a risk of it being lost, which would make it impossible to carry out the work.

[0010] Second, a service coupler for connecting the reset tool must be installed in the control device. One side of the control device is equipped with connectors for connecting harnesses from sensors and actuators, and the number of connector ports is increasing due to the diversification of control by the control device. However, since the number of connector ports is limited, installing a service coupler reduces the number of ports accordingly.

[0011] Third, before the reset operation, it is necessary to connect the reset tool to the service coupler of the control device. Because the control device has many harnesses concentrated in it, it is necessary to connect the reset tool to the service coupler while avoiding these harnesses, which makes it a cumbersome task.

[0012] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle control device that does not require a reset tool for the reset operation to erase fault codes and learned values, thereby allowing the service coupler to which the reset tool is connected to be omitted from the control device and allowing the reset operation to be easily performed without the need to connect the reset tool. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle control device of the present invention is characterized by comprising an acceleration sensor that is detachably attached to the vehicle and detects acceleration acting on the vehicle, a control unit that controls a control object mounted on the vehicle based on detection information including the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, a control information storage unit that stores control information obtained by the control of the control unit, a control information erasure unit that erases the control information in the control information storage unit when a preset reset operation is performed, and a reset operation determination unit that executes a process to determine whether a reset operation has been performed, and when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor changes in accordance with a preset change pattern, determines that a reset operation has been performed and causes the control information erasure unit to erase the control information.

[0014] In another aspect, the acceleration sensor may be built into the housing of the vehicle control device together with the control unit, the control information storage unit, the control information erasure unit, and the reset operation determination unit.

[0015] In another aspect, the acceleration change pattern may be set based on the acceleration before the change, the acceleration after the change, and the time limit required for the change, and the reset operation determination unit may determine that a reset operation has occurred when the change in acceleration from before the change to after the change is completed within the time limit.

[0016] In another embodiment, the change pattern of acceleration may be caused by a change in the attitude of the acceleration sensor.

[0017] In another embodiment, the change pattern of acceleration may be caused by a positional displacement of the acceleration sensor.

[0018] In another aspect, the control information storage unit may store multiple pieces of control information, and when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor changes in accordance with one of different change patterns that have been set in advance corresponding to the multiple pieces of control information, the reset operation determination unit may determine that a reset operation has been performed and cause the control information erasure unit to erase the control information corresponding to the change pattern.

[0019] In another aspect, the reset operation determination unit may switch to maintenance mode and start the process of determining whether or not a reset operation has been performed when the power to the vehicle control device is turned on and the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor changes in accordance with a predetermined change pattern.

[0021] In another aspect, the vehicle may be a two-wheeled vehicle, the acceleration sensor may detect acceleration that changes in accordance with the left and right tilt of the two-wheeled vehicle, the control unit may determine that the two-wheeled vehicle will tip over and execute predetermined tip-over response control when the left and right tilt angle calculated from the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor enters a tip-over area that has been set in advance on the left and right based on the vehicle being in an upright position, and the reset operation determination unit may switch to maintenance mode when the acceleration sensor detects acceleration corresponding to the tip-over area when the power is turned on and the acceleration then changes in accordance with a predetermined change pattern.

[0022] In another aspect, the reset operation determination unit may cause the control information erasure unit to erase the control information, and then terminate the maintenance mode when the power to the vehicle control device is cut off, and the control unit may start controlling the control object when the power to the cut-off vehicle control device is turned on again.

[0023] In another aspect, the reset operation determination unit may determine that a reset operation has been performed when the acceleration changes in accordance with a change pattern and a predetermined operation is performed on the vehicle at a timing that is linked to the change in acceleration.

[0024] In another aspect, the control information storage unit may store a fault code corresponding to the faulty part detected by the self-diagnosis function of the control unit as control information, and the reset operation determination unit may cause the control information erasure unit to erase the fault code when it determines that a reset operation has been performed.

[0025] In another aspect, the control information storage unit may store the learning value acquired when the control unit controls the control object as control information, and the control information erasure unit may erase the learning value when the reset operation determination unit determines that a reset operation has been performed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, a reset tool is not required for the reset operation to erase fault codes and learned values, which means that the service coupler to which the reset tool is connected can be omitted from the control device, and the reset operation can be easily performed without the need to connect the reset tool. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a two-wheeled vehicle to which a vehicle control device of the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing the functions of the ECU. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an ECU and an acceleration sensor mounted on a vehicle, as viewed from the front. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing patterns of change in the attitude of the ECU when switching between the reset mode and the code display mode. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the change pattern of the attitude of the ECU when a reset operation is performed to erase the injector short-to-power fault code. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a change pattern of the attitude of the ECU when a reset operation is performed to erase an ISC (Idle Speed ​​Control) learning value. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing a control mode switching routine for switching the control mode. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a reset operation determination and deletion routine for resetting the fault code and the learned value. [Figure 9] 10 is a time chart showing the change in the attitude of the ECU obtained from the acceleration when the injector short-to-power fault code is erased after switching to the maintenance mode. [Figure 10] 10 is a time chart showing a change in the attitude of the ECU obtained from the acceleration when the ISC learning value is erased after switching to the maintenance mode. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of a control mode switching routine that combines a change in the attitude of the ECU and a full throttle. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing another example of a change pattern in which the position of the ECU is displaced instead of the attitude change of the ECU. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in which the present invention is embodied in a control device for a two-wheeled vehicle. A two-wheeled vehicle is a motorized bicycle or a motorcycle as defined by regulations, and in the following description, may be simply referred to as a vehicle.

[0029] [Overall configuration] As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1, an ECU (electronic control unit) 3, a vehicle control device, is detachably attached inside the front cowl 2 of the two-wheeled vehicle 1 with bolts (not shown), and this ECU 3 is composed of a memory device (ROM, RAM, etc.) that has a built-in control program, a central processing unit (CPU), a timer counter, etc.

[0030] 2, a housing 3a of the ECU 3 is provided with a connector 3b, and the connector 3b is connected to sensors 4 provided in the vehicle 1, actuators 5 corresponding to the "controlled object" of the present invention, which are also provided in the vehicle 1, a warning lamp 6 for notifying of a malfunction, and a battery for power supply (not shown), each via a harness 7. The ECU 3 operates by receiving power from the battery, and drives the actuators 5 based on detection information from the sensors 4.

[0031] For example, the vehicle 1 is equipped with an engine (not shown) as a power source for running, and the operating state of the engine is input as detection information from a crank angle sensor, a throttle opening sensor, etc. to the ECU 3. Based on this detection information, the ECU 3 executes fuel injection control and ignition timing control to drive the injector and igniter, thereby operating the engine.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the ECU 3 has a control unit 9, a control information storage unit 10, a control information erasure unit 11, and a reset operation determination unit 12. In addition to these components, an acceleration sensor 13 is built into the housing 3a of the ECU 3.

[0033] The control unit 9 is connected to the sensors 4 and actuators 5 via the connector 3b, and executes the various controls described above.

[0034] The control unit 9 also determines whether the vehicle 1 has rolled over while traveling based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 13, and when it determines that the vehicle 1 has rolled over, executes processing such as stopping the engine as rollover response control. Note that this rollover determination is executed when certain conditions are met, such as the engine being in operation and the vehicle 1 being traveling.

[0035] Details of the acceleration-based rollover determination are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-171973, and therefore only an outline will be provided. As shown in Fig. 3, the acceleration sensor 13 is a biaxial sensor having two detection axes A and B that are perpendicular to each other on a plane defined by the y axis corresponding to the up-down direction of the vehicle 1 and the x axis corresponding to the vehicle width direction. For example, the detection axes A and B each form an angle of 45° with respect to the y axis, and acceleration is detected along the detection axes A and B due to gravity acting on the acceleration sensor 13.

[0036] The magnitude of each acceleration changes depending on the left or right tilt of the vehicle 1, and the sum Cvct of the acceleration vectors Avct and Bvct is always directed downward along the vertical direction. In contrast, the angle of the y-axis changes as the vehicle 1 tilts left or right, so the tilt angle of the y-axis with respect to the sum Cvct can be considered the left or right tilt angle of the vehicle 1. Therefore, when this tilt angle enters a tipping region that has been set in advance on the left and right based on the upright posture of the vehicle 1, a determination is made that the vehicle 1 has tipped over.

[0037] Meanwhile, the control unit 9 is equipped with an OBD function (self-diagnosis function) in anticipation of a case in which the sensors 4 or the actuators 5 fail for some reason. For example, a failure could be a short-to-power failure of an injector or a disconnection failure of an ignition coil, and a failure code is pre-set corresponding to the failed part. When a failure occurs, the control unit 9 detects the situation, turns on the warning lamp 6, and stores the failure code corresponding to the failed part in the control information storage unit 10. The user recognizes the failure based on the illumination of the warning lamp 6, and the dealer or the like that sells the vehicle 1 connects a diagnostic tool 8 to the ECU 3 and reads the failure code from the control information storage unit 10. Once the failed part is identified based on the failure code and repair is completed, a reset operation is performed by the diagnostic tool 8, and the failure code in the control information storage unit 10 is erased by the control information erasure unit 11.

[0038] The control unit 9 also acquires learning values ​​while controlling the controlled object, stores these learning values ​​in the control information storage unit 10, and reflects them in subsequent control. For example, the learning values ​​are the learning values ​​used when correcting the fuel injection amount using O2 feedback, or the learning values ​​used when correcting the air volume of an ISCV (Idle Speed ​​Control Valve). When the controlled object breaks down and is replaced by a dealer, the learned values ​​up to that point become inappropriate due to individual differences in the parts. Therefore, a reset operation is performed by the diagnostic tool 8, and the learned values ​​in the control information storage unit 10 are erased by the control information erasure unit 11.

[0039] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned failure code and learning value correspond to the "control information obtained by the control of the control unit" of the present invention.

[0040] In some cases, dealers in remote areas of developing countries do not have diagnostic tools 8 and instead use simple reset tools. However, as mentioned above, this poses the problem that it is necessary to prepare the reset tool itself, and also to provide a service coupler in the ECU 3, and furthermore, to connect the reset tool during the reset operation.

[0041] [Principle of reset operation based on acceleration] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors focused on the acceleration sensor 13 provided for determining whether the vehicle 1 has rolled over. Because the acceleration sensor 13 is built into the ECU 3 mounted on the front cowl 2 of the vehicle 1, the acceleration sensor 13 changes its posture integrally with the vehicle 1, detecting acceleration corresponding to the vehicle 1's tilt to the left or right as described above. If the ECU 3 is removed from the vehicle 1 with the acceleration sensor 13 still built in, its posture can be arbitrarily changed independently of the vehicle 1, and the acceleration sensor 13 detects acceleration corresponding to the posture of the standalone ECU 3. Therefore, similar to the ON / OFF signal from the reset tool, the posture of the ECU 3 can be determined from the detected acceleration, and the fault code or learned value to be erased can be identified based on the posture change pattern. As a result, the acceleration sensor 13 can function as a substitute for the reset tool.

[0042] Based on this knowledge, in this embodiment, the reset operation is performed using the acceleration sensor 13 built into the ECU 3, and the details thereof will be described below.

[0043] The ECU 3 is installed in the front cowl 2 in the orientation shown in Fig. 3 when viewed from the front of the vehicle 1, and a harness 7 extends upward from the ECU 3 via a connector 3b. Hereinafter, the orientation of the ECU 3 will be expressed based on the direction in which the ECU 3 is located relative to the connector 3b and the harness 7. For example, the orientation of the ECU 3 in Fig. 3 will be referred to as "downward." Therefore, when the vehicle 1 equipped with the ECU 3 tilts to the left or right, the orientation of the ECU 3 changes from "downward" to "rightward" or "leftward" corresponding to the tilt direction of the vehicle 1, and acceleration is detected along the detection axes A and B of the acceleration sensor 13 accordingly.

[0044] Even in the case of a standalone ECU 3 removed from the vehicle 1, if the ECU 3 changes its attitude on a plane including the detection axes A and B, the acceleration sensor 13 can detect acceleration corresponding to the attitude, and the attitude change can be recognized based on the acceleration. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , three attitudes of the ECU 3 are defined: "rightward," "leftward," and "downward," which are 90° apart. Instead of operating a switch on the reset tool, the reset operation is performed by changing the attitude of the ECU 3 between these attitudes. The "downward" attitude corresponds to a tilt angle of 0° when the vehicle 1 equipped with the ECU 3 is upright. The "rightward" attitude corresponds to a tilt angle of 90° when the vehicle 1 has tipped leftward. The "leftward" attitude corresponds to a tilt angle of -90° when the vehicle 1 has tipped rightward.

[0045] The processing executed based on the attitude change of the ECU 3 includes not only the original processing of erasing the fault codes and learned values ​​based on the reset operation, but also incidental processing, such as switching to a reset mode to erase the fault codes, or switching to a code display mode to flash the warning lamp 6 in response to the fault code. In this embodiment, the reset mode and the code display mode correspond to the maintenance modes of the present invention. In addition, in order to recognize the processing to be executed based on the attitude change of the ECU 3, different attitude change patterns of the ECU 3 are preset corresponding to each processing. In this embodiment, the attitude change patterns of the ECU 3 correspond to the "acceleration change patterns" of the present invention.

[0046] 2 prestores the relationship between each process to be executed and the change pattern of the attitude of the ECU 3. When the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 13 is input, the reset operation determination unit 12 calculates the attitude of the ECU 3 based on the acceleration. The attitude of the ECU 3 at this time corresponds to the tilt angle calculated when determining whether the vehicle has rolled over, and the calculation process is the same as that for the tilt angle, so a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0047] When the posture of the ECU 3, which is calculated sequentially, changes according to any of the pre-stored change patterns, it is considered that a command has been issued to process the ECU 3 corresponding to that change pattern. For example, if the command is to switch to the reset mode or the code display mode, the reset operation determination unit 12 starts the mode to which the command has been issued. Also, if the command is to erase a fault code or a learned value, the reset operation determination unit 12 outputs a command to the control information erasure unit 11 to erase the corresponding fault code or learned value.

[0048] When an erasure command is input from the reset operation determination unit 12, the control information erasure unit 11 erases the fault codes and learned values ​​instructed to be erased, in the same way as when a reset operation is performed by the diagnostic tool 8.

[0049] [Example of ECU3 posture change pattern] Next, an example of the relationship between the processes executed by the ECU 3 when erasing the fault code and the learned value and the attitude change pattern of the ECU 3, and an operation procedure performed by the repair person at that time will be described.

[0050] 4 and 9 and 10, the switching operation from the normal control mode to the reset mode is conditioned on changing the posture of the ECU 3 in the order of "facing right," "facing down," and "facing left." In addition, a time limit of 5 seconds is set for "facing down" after the ignition switch is turned on, and a time limit of 10 seconds is set for "facing left" after the ignition switch is turned on.

[0051] Furthermore, the operation of switching from normal control mode to code display mode is the same as in reset mode up to "facing right" and "facing down", after which a condition of changing the attitude to "facing right" is imposed, and a time limit of 10 seconds is set. Below, we will explain using an example of a power fault as the fault and the ISC learning value as the learning value.

[0052] 5 and 9, the reset operation for erasing the fault code indicating the injector short-to-power fault is conditioned on the ECU 3 changing its orientation in the order of "downward," "rightward," and "leftward." In addition, a time limit of 5 seconds is set for the "rightward" orientation after the "downward" orientation, and a time limit of 10 seconds is set for the "leftward" orientation after the "downward" orientation.

[0053] 6 and 10, the reset operation for erasing the ISC learning value is conditioned on the ECU 3 changing its orientation in the order of "downward," "leftward," and "rightward." In addition, a time limit of 5 seconds is set for the "leftward" orientation after the orientation change to "downward," and a time limit of 10 seconds is set for the "rightward" orientation after the orientation change to "downward."

[0054] On the other hand, the reset mode and the code display mode can be ended by turning the ignition switch of the vehicle 1 OFF.

[0055] The basic procedure when a malfunction occurs is to switch to code display mode, identify the malfunctioning part based on the flashing state of the warning lamp 6, exit code display mode, repair the malfunctioning part, switch to reset mode, erase the malfunction code, and exit reset mode. If the malfunctioning part is known in advance, the procedure starts with switching to reset mode. Similarly, when erasing learned values, the procedure starts with switching to reset mode, followed by erasing the desired learned values ​​and exiting reset mode.

[0056] To switch to the code display mode or reset mode, first, the ignition switch of the vehicle 1 is kept OFF, the engine is stopped, and the ECU 3 is removed from the vehicle 1 while all harnesses 7 are still connected. Next, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the ignition switch is turned ON while the ECU 3 is held in a "right-facing" position. Then, within 5 seconds of the ON operation, the position of the ECU 3 is changed to "downward facing," and then, within 10 seconds of the ON operation, the position is changed to "right facing" in the case of the code display mode, or to "left facing" in the case of the reset mode.

[0057] When switching to reset mode, the reset operation is performed following the above operations. For example, in the reset operation to erase the fault code for a short-to-power fault, the ECU 3's orientation is changed to "downward," then to "right" within 5 seconds, and then to "left" within 10 seconds, as shown in Figure 9. In addition, in the reset operation to erase the ISC learning value, the ECU 3's orientation is changed to "downward," then to "right" within 5 seconds, and then to "left" within 10 seconds, as shown in Figure 10.

[0058] When the desired reset operation is completed, the ignition switch is turned OFF to terminate the reset mode, and the ECU 3 is installed in the vehicle 1 in the normal "downward" position, and the ignition switch is turned ON again. The same operation is used to terminate the code display mode.

[0059] [Details of ECU3 processing] Next, the process of the ECU 3 executed when the reset operation is performed will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

[0060] <Normal control mode> First, a case will be described in which the engine is started by turning the ignition switch ON and starting it as usual to run the vehicle 1 without switching to the reset mode or the code display mode.

[0061] When the ignition switch of the vehicle 1 is turned on and the power supply of the ECU 3 is turned on, the control mode switching routine shown in Fig. 7 is started at a predetermined control interval. First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the battery voltage is within a preset normal range. If the result is No (negative), normal control may not be possible, so the routine is temporarily terminated.

[0062] If the determination in step S1 is Yes (affirmative), the process proceeds to step S2, where it is determined whether the orientation of the ECU 3 is "facing right." In this case, the vehicle 1 is in an upright position, and the ECU 3 is attached to the vehicle 1 in the normal "facing downward" position. Therefore, the determination is No, and the normal control mode is executed in step S3, and the routine is temporarily terminated. Therefore, in this case, the normal control mode continues to be executed, and when, for example, the ignition switch is operated to start, fuel injection control and ignition timing control are initiated to start and operate the engine. Furthermore, while the vehicle 1 is traveling, a rollover determination of the vehicle 1 is performed based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 13.

[0063] <Switching to code display mode and displaying fault codes> Next, a case will be described in which some kind of malfunction occurs in the vehicle 1 and the malfunctioning part is identified in response to the illumination of the warning lamp 6. In detail, in this case, an operation for switching to the code display mode and an operation for terminating the mode are sequentially executed.

[0064] 4, when the ignition switch is turned ON, the ECU 3 has already been removed from the vehicle 1 and is held in an incorrect "facing right" position, so the process moves from step S1 to step S2, where a "Yes" determination is made, and the process moves to step S4. In step S4, it is determined whether 5 seconds have elapsed since the ignition switch was turned ON. If the determination is No, then in step S5 it is determined whether the position of the ECU 3 is "facing down," and if the determination is No, the process returns to step S4. In this case, the position of the ECU 3 changes from "facing right" to "facing down" within 5 seconds, so a "Yes" determination is made in step S5 and the process moves to step S6.

[0065] In step S6, it is determined whether 10 seconds have passed since the ignition switch was turned on, and if the result is No, in step S7 it is determined whether the attitude of ECU 3 is "facing right," and if the result is No, in step S8 it is determined whether the attitude of ECU 3 is "facing left," and if the result is No, the process returns to step S6. In this case, since the attitude of ECU 3 changes from "facing down" to "facing right" within 10 seconds, a "Yes" determination is made in step S7, and the process proceeds to step S9, where the code display mode is executed.

[0066] While the code display mode is being executed, the warning lamp 6 corresponding to the fault code read from the control information storage unit 10 flashes. When the ignition switch is turned OFF to end the code display mode, the power is cut off and the routine in Figure 7 is no longer executed, so the code display mode ends and the flashing of the warning lamp 6 also stops.

[0067] As in the case where a No judgment is made in step S2, if a Yes judgment is made in step S4 or step S6, it can be assumed that no switching operation to the normal code display mode or reset mode has been performed, so the process proceeds to step S3 and the normal control mode is executed.

[0068] <Switching to reset mode> Next, we will explain how to repair a short-to-power fault in an injector and erase the fault code after the repair is complete. In this case, the operation to switch to reset mode, the reset operation to erase the fault code for the short-to-power fault, and the operation to end reset mode are performed in this order.

[0069] As in the case of the code display mode, when the ignition switch is turned ON, the ECU 3 has already been removed from the vehicle 1 and is held in a "right-facing" position, as shown in Figures 4 and 9, so the process moves from step S1 to step S2, where a "Yes" determination is made, and the process moves to step S4. Then, the ECU 3 changes its position from "right-facing" to "downward" within 5 seconds, so the process passes through step S4, where a "Yes" determination is made in step S5, and the process moves to step S6.

[0070] In the switching operation to the reset mode, the ECU 3 changes its posture from "facing downward" to "facing left" within 10 seconds thereafter, so the process passes through steps S6 and S7, a "Yes" determination is made in step S8, and the process proceeds to step S10, where the reset mode is executed. When the ignition switch is turned OFF to end the reset mode, the routine in FIG. 7 is no longer executed, and the reset mode is ended.

[0071] After the repair is completed, when the ECU 3 is attached to the vehicle 1 in the normal "downward" position and the ignition switch is turned ON again, the result of step S2 is No and the control mode is switched to the normal control mode in step S3. Therefore, the engine can be started and driven, and the vehicle 1 can be driven as desired.

[0072] <Erasing the short-to-power fault code using reset mode> On the other hand, when the process proceeds to step S10, the reset operation determination and deletion routine shown in Fig. 8 is started at a predetermined control interval. This routine executes deletion processing according to the reset operation for all fault codes and learned values, but Fig. 8 shows only the processing related to the fault code indicating a short-to-power fault of the injector and the processing related to the ISC learned value.

[0073] When the routine starts, it sequentially checks whether or not a reset operation has been performed for each fault code and each learned value, and erases any that have been reset. In steps S11 to S16, processing related to the fault code for the injector short-to-power fault is performed, and by performing a reset operation after switching to the reset mode, the attitude of ECU 3 changes to "downward" in response to erasure of the fault code for the short-to-power fault, then to "rightward" within 5 seconds, and to "leftward" within 10 seconds.

[0074] First, in step S11, it is determined whether the attitude of the ECU 3 is "downward," and in this case, a Yes determination is made and the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, it is determined whether 5 seconds have passed since the attitude changed to "downward," and if No, it is determined in step S13 whether the attitude of the ECU 3 is "rightward," and if No, the process returns to step S12. In this case, since the attitude of the ECU 3 changes from "downward" to "rightward" within 5 seconds, a Yes determination is made in step S13 and the process proceeds to step S14.

[0075] In step S14, it is determined whether 10 seconds have passed since the attitude changed to "downward", and if No, in step S15 it is determined whether the attitude of ECU 3 is "leftward", and if No, the process returns to step S14. In this case, since ECU 3 changes its attitude from "rightward" to "leftward" within 10 seconds, a "Yes" determination is made in step S15 and the process proceeds to step S16, where the fault code for the short-to-power fault is erased, and then the process proceeds to processing related to the subsequent fault code and learning value.

[0076] In steps S21 to S26, processing related to the ISC learning value is executed, and in step S21, it is determined whether the attitude of the ECU 3 is "downward." However, since the current attitude of the ECU 3 is "leftward" as determined in step S15, the determination in step S21 is No, and the process of erasing the ISC learning value is not executed.

[0077] After erasing the power fault code in this way, the ignition switch is turned OFF, thereby ending the reset mode.

[0078] <Clearing ISC learning values ​​using reset mode> Next, we will explain the case where a faulty ISCV is replaced and the ISC learning value is erased. The basic operation is the same as for the fault code of a short-to-power fault, but the difference is in the reset operation shown in steps S21 to S26 in Figure 8, so we will focus on the difference.

[0079] When a repair technician switches to the reset mode, the reset mode is started in step S10 according to the routine of Fig. 7. The reset operation after switching to the reset mode causes the attitude of ECU 3 to change from "facing down" to "facing left" within 5 seconds and to "facing right" within 10 seconds in response to the erasure of the learned value.

[0080] Because the orientation of ECU 3 is "downward," a Yes determination is made in step S11 of FIG. 8. However, since the orientation subsequently changes to "leftward," a Yes determination is made in step S12, and the process for erasing the fault code for the short-to-power fault is not executed. Then, because the orientation of ECU 3 is "downward" in step S21, the process proceeds to steps S22 and S23. Since the orientation of ECU 3 changes from "downward" to "leftward" within 5 seconds, a Yes determination is made in step S23, and the process proceeds to steps S24 and S25. Since the orientation of ECU 3 changes from "leftward" to "rightward" within 10 seconds, a Yes determination is made in step S25, and the ISC learning value is erased in step S26, and then the process proceeds to the process for the subsequent fault code and learning value. If the ignition switch is then turned OFF, the reset mode is terminated.

[0081] As described above, according to the control device for a two-wheeled vehicle of this embodiment, change patterns of the attitude of the ECU 3 are set and stored in advance corresponding to each process of the ECU 3 for erasing the fault code and the learned value, and the attitude of the ECU 3 is calculated based on the acceleration from the acceleration sensor 13 built into the ECU 3. When the attitude of the ECU 3, which is calculated sequentially, changes in accordance with one of the change patterns stored in advance, the ECU 3 executes the process corresponding to that change pattern, assuming that the process has been commanded.

[0082] Therefore, the acceleration sensor 13 can function as a substitute for a conventional reset tool, eliminating the need for a reset tool. As a result, it is no longer necessary to keep a reset tool on hand at a dealer or the like, and it is possible to prevent situations in which the reset tool is lost and the work cannot be performed. Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to provide a service coupler in the ECU 3 for connecting the reset tool. One side of the ECU 3 is provided with a connector 3b for connecting harnesses 7 from the sensors 4 and actuators 5. However, by omitting the service coupler, the number of ports on the connector 3b can be increased accordingly. Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to connect a reset tool to the service coupler of the ECU 3 prior to the reset operation. Therefore, a series of operations, including the reset operation for erasing fault codes and learned values, can be easily performed.

[0083] In this embodiment, the necessity of erasing the fault codes and learned values ​​in response to the reset operation shown in Fig. 8 as well as the necessity of switching to the reset mode or code display mode shown in Fig. 7 is determined using the attitude change of the ECU 3. For example, the switching operation to each of these modes can also be performed by turning on a dedicated switch. However, using the attitude change of the ECU 3 as in this embodiment has another advantage in that a switch for switching modes can be omitted.

[0084] Additionally, the reset mode and code display mode can be ended by turning the ignition switch OFF. While these modes can also be ended by turning a dedicated switch OFF, this embodiment eliminates the need for such a switch. As a result, the vehicle control device of this embodiment can be implemented simply by modifying the control program of the ECU 3, without adding any new hardware components to an existing control device.

[0085] In this embodiment, three positions of the ECU 3 are predefined: "facing down," "facing right," and "facing left." The position of the ECU 3 is changed between these positions to switch to the reset mode or code display mode, or to perform a reset operation. The current position of the ECU 3 can be intuitively grasped by visual inspection, and the intended position change can be easily achieved simply by tilting the ECU 3.

[0086] In addition, for example, in steps S2, 4, and 5 of Figure 7, a 5-second time limit is set for the ECU 3 to change its attitude from "facing right" to "facing down." In this case, "facing right" corresponds to the "acceleration before the change," "facing down" corresponds to the "acceleration after the change," and "5 seconds" corresponds to the "time limit." The conditions for completing the attitude change within the time limit can also be intuitively grasped and easily achieved. These factors also greatly contribute to the ease of performing a series of operations, including the reset operation.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the initial condition for the attitude of the ECU 3 when switching to the reset mode or the code display mode is set to "facing right," which is different from the normal "facing down" attitude when the ECU 3 is attached to the vehicle 1 in an upright position. If "facing down" is set in step S2 of FIG. 7, it is not possible to determine whether the ECU 3 is attached to the vehicle 1 or detached from the vehicle 1, and this determination result is useless and cannot be used as part of the attitude change pattern of the ECU 3. If the attitude is determined to be "facing right," which is not normal, at the beginning of the ignition switch ON operation, it can be considered that there is a possibility of a switching operation to the reset mode at this point, and therefore this determination result can be included as part of the attitude change pattern.

[0088] As a result, by setting the initial position of the change pattern to something other than the normal "downward" position, unnecessary manipulation of the ECU 3's position can be prevented, and the switchover operation to the reset mode can be performed quickly. This "rightward" position of the ECU 3 corresponds to the "acceleration inconsistent with the vehicle state" and the "acceleration corresponding to the tipping range" of the present invention. This factor also greatly contributes to the ease of performing a series of operations, including the reset operation.

[0089] On the other hand, the acceleration sensor 13 does not necessarily have to be built into the housing 3a of the ECU 3, and may be detachably attached to the vehicle 1 separately from the ECU 3. In this case, instead of removing the ECU 3 from the vehicle 1, the acceleration sensor 13 can be removed and its attitude changed in a predetermined change pattern, allowing the ECU 3 to recognize a reset operation, etc., and this embodiment is also included in the present invention. However, it may be difficult to change the attitude of a very small acceleration sensor 13 as intended, whereas a large ECU 3 can easily change its attitude as desired, and this factor also greatly contributes to making it easier to perform a series of operations, including the reset operation.

[0090] The present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the present invention is embodied in a control device for a two-wheeled vehicle, and a two-axis acceleration sensor 13 provided to determine whether the vehicle 1 has rolled over is used to determine whether a reset operation or the like is to be performed based on acceleration detected in response to a change in the attitude of the ECU 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a control device for a four-wheeled vehicle, and a reset operation or the like of the ECU 3 may be performed by changing the attitude of the acceleration sensor 13 provided in the vehicle or the attitude of the ECU 3 incorporating the acceleration sensor 13. Furthermore, if a three-axis acceleration sensor 13 is provided for attitude control or the like of a four-wheeled vehicle, not only can changes in attitude toward the "rightward," "downward," and "leftward" directions described in the above embodiment be detected, but also changes in attitude toward the "forward" or "rearward" directions perpendicular to these directions can be detected. Therefore, a change pattern may be set that includes changes in attitude in these directions.

[0091] Furthermore, in addition to such a change in the attitude of the ECU 3, a predetermined operation of the vehicle 1 may also be combined. In other words, a condition may be set such that a predetermined operation of the vehicle 1 is performed at a timing linked to a change in the attitude of the ECU 3. For example, in the routine of FIG. 7, after determining in step S2 that the attitude of the ECU 3 is "facing right," it is determined in steps S4 and S5 whether the attitude has changed to "facing down" within 5 seconds. In contrast to this, as shown in FIG. 11, after determining that the attitude is "facing right" in step S2, it may be determined in steps S4 and S31 whether the throttle is fully opened as an operation of the vehicle 1 within 5 seconds. Note that the predetermined operation of the vehicle 1 is not limited to fully opening the throttle, and may be, for example, a brake operation or the like.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the attitude of the ECU 3 is changed among the attitudes of "facing right," "facing down," and "facing left," and the acceleration sensor 13 detects the corresponding acceleration. The detected acceleration is switched sequentially while showing a steady value corresponding to the attitude of the ECU 3, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0093] For example, when a stationary ECU 3 is displaced at a certain speed and then stopped, the acceleration increases and then decreases, and the direction of the acceleration corresponds to the direction of the displacement. Therefore, for example, one of the vertical direction α, the horizontal direction β, or the rotational direction γ around the ECU 3 shown in FIG. 12 may be defined as the displacement of the ECU 3, and the processing of the ECU 3 to be executed may be set in advance in accordance with the change pattern of acceleration caused by this displacement. Even in this case, when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 13 changes according to the change pattern, the corresponding processing of the ECU 3 is executed. The displacement of the ECU 3 in this case is not limited to a single direction, such as upward α, leftward β, or clockwise γ, but may also be a bidirectional displacement, such as swinging the ECU 3 alternately up and down. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1. Two-wheeled vehicles (vehicles) 5 Actuators (control targets) 9 Control Unit 10 Control information storage unit 11 Control information erasure unit 12 Reset operation determination section 13 Acceleration sensor

Claims

1. an acceleration sensor that is detachably attached to a vehicle and detects acceleration acting on the vehicle; a control unit that controls a control target mounted on the vehicle based on detection information including the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor; a control information storage unit that stores control information obtained by the control of the control unit; a control information erasing unit that erases the control information in the control information storage unit when a preset reset operation is performed; a reset operation determination unit that executes a process of determining whether or not a reset operation has been performed, and that determines that the reset operation has been performed and causes the control information erasure unit to erase the control information when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor changes in accordance with a preset change pattern; A vehicle control device comprising:

2. The acceleration sensor is built into the housing of the vehicle control device together with the control unit, the control information storage unit, the control information erasing unit, and the reset operation determination unit.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

3. the acceleration change pattern is set based on the acceleration before the change, the acceleration after the change, and a time limit required for the change; The reset operation determination unit determines that the reset operation has been performed when the change in the acceleration from before the change to after the change is completed within the time limit.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The change pattern of acceleration is caused by a change in the attitude of the acceleration sensor.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device is a control device for controlling a vehicle.

5. The change pattern of the acceleration is caused by the positional displacement of the acceleration sensor.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device is a control device for controlling a vehicle.

6. the control information storage unit stores a plurality of pieces of control information; When the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor changes in accordance with one of different change patterns previously set corresponding to the plurality of pieces of control information, the reset operation determination unit determines that the reset operation has been performed and causes the control information erasure unit to erase the control information corresponding to the change pattern.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device is a control device for controlling a vehicle.

7. The reset operation determination unit switches to a maintenance mode and starts a process of determining whether the reset operation has been performed when the vehicle control device is powered on and the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor changes according to a preset change pattern.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device comprises: a control unit for controlling a vehicle;

8. the vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle, the acceleration sensor detects acceleration that changes in response to the left or right tilt of the two-wheeled vehicle; the control unit determines that the two-wheeled vehicle will tip over and executes a preset tip-over response control when the left and right tilt angle calculated from the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor enters a tip-over region that is preset on the left and right with the vehicle in an upright position as a reference; The reset operation determination unit switches to the maintenance mode when the acceleration sensor detects an acceleration corresponding to the tipping region when the power is turned on and the acceleration subsequently changes in accordance with a preset change pattern.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 7.

9. the reset operation determination unit causes the control information erasure unit to erase the control information, and then terminates the maintenance mode when power to the vehicle control device is cut off; The control unit starts controlling the control target when the power supply to the vehicle control device is turned on again after being turned off.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 7 or 8.

10. The reset operation determination unit determines that the reset operation has been performed when the acceleration changes according to the change pattern and a predetermined operation is performed on the vehicle at a timing linked to the change in acceleration.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device comprises: a control unit for controlling a vehicle;

11. the control information storage unit stores, as the control information, a fault code corresponding to a faulty part detected by a self-diagnosis function of the control unit; The reset operation determination unit causes the control information erasure unit to erase the failure code when it determines that the reset operation has been performed.

11. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device comprises: a control unit for controlling a vehicle;

12. the control information storage unit stores, as the control information, a learned value acquired when the control unit controls the controlled object; The reset operation determination unit causes the control information erasure unit to erase the learned value when it determines that the reset operation has been performed.

12. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device comprises: a control unit for controlling a vehicle;

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