Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

Abstract

To improve user-friendliness by shortening a waiting time in the case of restarting a traveling power source.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device 10 controls operation of a vehicle by performing bidirectional radio communication with a portable machine 20. When, in the state that the vehicle control device 10 and the portable machine 20 are connected with each other by radio communication, a first operation for prohibiting traveling of the vehicle is performed, the vehicle control device 10, while prohibiting the vehicle from traveling, maintains the state of continuing the radio communication and performing connection with the portable machine 20. Then, when a second operation necessary for traveling of the vehicle is performed, the vehicle control device 10 performs authentication of the portable machine on the basis of the continuing radio communication, and cancels the travel prohibition state when an authentication result is normal, and permits traveling of the vehicle. In addition, after the first operation is performed, in the case that the second operation is not performed within a predetermined time, or after the first operation is performed in the case that the second operation is not performed and a third operation which is not intended for traveling of the vehicle is performed, the vehicle control device 10 performs disconnection from the portable machine 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for controlling the operation of a vehicle by performing two-way communication with a portable device, and more particularly to a vehicle control device suitable for a straddle-type vehicle such as a motorcycle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Documents 1 to 5 disclose various systems that perform two-way communication between a vehicle and a portable device. Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle remote control system that moves a vehicle by remotely controlling a portable device, and continues communication for a certain period of time even after the portable device leaves a predetermined area. Patent Document 2 discloses a system that determines whether a user intends to continue communication with an in-vehicle device based on information indicating the vehicle's status, and disconnects communication if the user does not intend to continue communication. Patent Documents 3 and 4 disclose a system that uses BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy; Bluetooth is a registered trademark) communication for two-way communication between a vehicle and a portable device in a location identification system. Patent Document 5 discloses a system that inhibits communication between the vehicle and the portable device to reduce power consumption when a door handle is operated without the purpose of unlocking the door.

[0003] Motorcycles are also equipped with vehicle control devices that control the engine and other driving power sources, as well as various controls to prevent theft and accidents. One anti-theft measure is a handlebar locking function that locks the handlebars to prevent a third party from riding off on a parked motorcycle. In terms of vehicle theft prevention, non-saddle-type four-wheeled motor vehicles are also equipped with locking functions (for example, Patent Document 5), but in the case of four-wheeled motor vehicles, the doors are locked rather than the handlebars (steering). Because a third party can operate the handlebars of a motorcycle even when it is parked, a handlebar locking function becomes important in terms of crime prevention.

[0004] Some motorcycles also use two-way wireless communication between a portable device carried by the user and a vehicle control unit on the vehicle body, and perform predetermined controls based on the results. For example, the portable device is authenticated by ID verification through two-way communication, and if the authentication result is normal, the handlebars are unlocked and the engine is allowed to start. There are various two-way communication methods, but the aforementioned BLE communication is widely used in motorcycles from the perspective of simplicity and power saving. BLE is one of the short-range wireless communication standards. In BLE communication, the device that provides information is called the central, and the device that receives information is called the peripheral. The portable device corresponds to the central, and the vehicle control unit corresponds to the peripheral.

[0005] While BLE communication has the advantage of extremely low power consumption, it has the problem of taking time to establish a connection between the peripheral and central. As will be explained in more detail later, the peripheral (vehicle control device) transmits a connection request signal called an advertisement at regular intervals, and the central (portable device) receives this signal by scanning. As a result, a connection between the two is not established until the central receives the connection request signal, resulting in a connection wait time. Furthermore, even after a connection is established, authentication data and other data must be sent and received between the peripheral and central, further delaying the timing at which the desired operation becomes possible.

[0006] For this reason, in the case of a motorcycle, if communication between the portable device and the vehicle control device is cut off after locking is completed by operating the handlebar lock, if it becomes necessary to start driving immediately thereafter, the reconnection process must be carried out from the beginning, which takes time before the engine can be started, making it inconvenient to use. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-186849 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-27013 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent Publication 2020 / 196103 [Patent Document 4] International Publication WO2019 / 074048 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-132027 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] An object of the present invention is to shorten the waiting time when restarting a driving power source and improve usability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The vehicle control device according to the present invention is a device that is mounted on a vehicle and controls the operation of the vehicle by performing two-way wireless communication with a portable device, and when a first operation for prohibiting the vehicle from traveling is performed while the vehicle is connected to the portable device by wireless communication, the vehicle control device puts the vehicle into a traveling prohibited state while continuing the wireless communication to maintain the connection state with the portable device. do. after that, Canceling the driving prohibition state When the second operation required for the above is performed, the portable device is authenticated based on the ongoing wireless communication, and if the authentication result is normal, the driving prohibition state is released, After that, a predetermined operation is performed, Vehicle operation It becomes possible . Furthermore, the timer starts timing from the time the first operation is performed, and if the second operation is performed within the set time of the timer, the timer stops timing and the connection with the portable device is maintained.On the other hand, if the set time of the timer has elapsed without the second operation being performed within the set time of the timer, the connection with the portable device is cut off at that point.

[0010] In this way, even after the vehicle has been locked by the first operation, the two-way communication between the vehicle control device and the portable device is not cut off, and the connection between the two is maintained. Therefore, when the second operation is subsequently performed, there is no need to restart the connection process between the two from the beginning, and the driving source can be restarted in a short time, shortening the time until the vehicle can be driven, improving usability.

[0011] In the present invention, after the first operation is performed , thIf the second operation is not performed and a third operation that does not intend to drive the vehicle is performed, the connection between the vehicle control device and the portable device may be cut off.

[0013] In the present invention, the first operation is, for example, an operation to lock the steering wheel of the vehicle, an operation to stop the engine of the vehicle, or an operation to turn off the power of the vehicle, and the second operation is, for example, an operation to unlock the locked steering wheel, an operation to start the engine of the vehicle, or an operation to turn on the power of the vehicle.

[0014] In the present invention, the third operation is, for example, a long press or a short press of a switch provided on a portable device or a vehicle.

[0015] In the present invention, the two-way wireless communication between the vehicle control device and the portable device is preferably BLE communication from the viewpoint of power saving. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, the waiting time when restarting the traveling power source can be shortened, thereby improving usability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle control system according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a main switch provided in a vehicle. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a portable device. [Figure 4] 1 is a time chart showing a general communication procedure of BLE communication. [Figure 5] 1 is a time chart for explaining a problem in the related art. [Figure 6] 4 is a time chart showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 6 is a time chart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]10 is a time chart showing the operation of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10 is a time chart showing the operation of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a time chart showing the operation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following, a motorcycle driven by an engine will be taken as an example of a vehicle.

[0019] 1 shows an example of a vehicle control system according to the present invention. The vehicle control system 100 comprises a vehicle control device 10 and a portable device 20. The vehicle control device 10 is mounted on a motorcycle, and the portable device 20 is carried by the user of the motorcycle. The motorcycle is equipped with an operating unit 15, an engine 16, and a handle locking mechanism 17.

[0020] The vehicle control device 10 is composed of an ECU (electronic control unit) and includes a control unit 11, a transceiver unit 12, an antenna 13, and a memory 14. The control unit 11 is composed of a CPU and the like, and controls the overall operation of the vehicle control device 10. The transceiver unit 12 performs bidirectional communication with the portable device 20 via the antenna 13, transmitting signals to the portable device 20 and receiving signals from the portable device 20. The memory 14 stores data necessary for the control of the control unit 11, the ID of the portable device 20, etc.

[0021] The control unit 11 is connected to an operating unit 15, an engine 16, and a handle locking mechanism 17 of the motorcycle. The operating unit 15 is provided with a main switch 18, which will be described later. The engine 16 is a driving source that operates by burning gasoline. locking The mechanism 17 is a mechanism for locking and unlocking the handle of the motorcycle. The details of the handle lock will be described later.

[0022] The portable device 20 is configured as a remote control type key fob, and includes a control unit 21, a transceiver unit 22, an antenna 23, a memory 24, and an FOB switch 25. The control unit 21 is configured with a CPU and the like, and controls the overall operation of the portable device 20. The transceiver unit 22 performs bidirectional communication with the vehicle control device 10 via the antenna 23, transmitting signals to the vehicle control device 10 and receiving signals from the vehicle control device 10. The memory 24 stores data necessary for the control of the control unit 21, the ID of the portable device 20, etc. The FOB switch 25 will be described later.

[0023] 2 shows an example of a main switch 18 provided in the operating unit 15 of a motorcycle. The main switch 18 has a disk-shaped switch board 18a with a contact mechanism (not shown) on the back side, and a knob 18b provided integrally with the surface of the switch board 18a. The switch board 18a rotates in directions a and b by operating the knob 18b. The knob 18b can be pressed in addition to being rotated.

[0024] When the knob 18b is rotated from the "OFF" position in the direction a to the "ON" position, the power of the motorcycle is turned on, and when it is returned from the "ON" position to the "OFF" position, the power of the motorcycle is turned off. Furthermore, after the handlebars of the motorcycle are turned fully left or fully right, when the knob 18b is rotated from the "OFF" position in the direction b to the "LOCK" position, the handlebars are locked by the handlebar locking mechanism 17 of Fig. 1. Furthermore, when the knob 18b is rotated from the "LOCK" position in the direction a to the "OFF" position, the handlebars are unlocked.

[0025] 3 shows an example of the portable device 20. The FOB switch 25 provided on the portable device 20 is configured, for example, as a push button switch. This FOB switch 25 is operated when the portable device 20 is wirelessly connected to the vehicle control device 10 and authentication required for unlocking the steering wheel and starting the engine is performed on the vehicle control device 10 side. In addition, as will be described later, the FOB switch 25 is also operated when intentionally disconnecting the connection between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a time chart showing a communication procedure when the portable device 20 (central) and the vehicle control device 10 (peripheral) are connected by the above-mentioned BLE communication.

[0027] 4(a) and 4(b), when the FOB switch 25 of the portable device 20 is pressed and turned on at time t1, the portable device 20 enters a connection waiting state. In this state, the control unit 21 of the portable device 20 scans the transceiver unit 22 and waits for reception of a connection request signal from the vehicle control device 10. Note that the on time W1 of the FOB switch 25 is a predetermined fixed value regardless of the switch pressing time (this is also true in FIGS. 5, 6, and 10).

[0028] 4(e), the vehicle control device 10 transmits a connection request signal (advertisement) Sa at regular time intervals. When the transmission timing of this connection request signal Sa coincides with the scanning timing on the portable device 20 side, the connection request signal Sa is received by the transceiver 22 of the portable device 20, and the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 are connected, as shown in (b).

[0029] When the connection is initiated at time t2, two-way communication is performed between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20, and until time t3, data for encryption and changing the communication interval is transmitted and received between the two devices, and authentication data required for unlocking the steering wheel and starting the engine is also transmitted and received. This authentication data includes the ID of the portable device 20.

[0030] The vehicle control device 10 performs ID verification based on the authentication data transmitted from the portable device 20, and if the result is normal, determines that authentication has been successful. Then, as shown in FIG. 4(f), at time t4, the status of engine start authentication changes from incomplete to complete, and as shown in FIG. 4(g), the status of handlebar unlock authentication changes from incomplete to complete. As a result, the handlebar is unlocked and engine start is permitted. Thereafter, by performing a predetermined operation, the engine starts and the motorcycle can be driven. Note that information on each of the above statuses is stored in the memory 14.

[0031] After time t4 when the authentication is completed, the communication interval is widened as shown in the figure to reduce power consumption, and two-way communication is performed between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20.

[0032] 4, in two-way communication using BLE communication, a connection between the portable device 20 and the vehicle control device 10 is not established until the portable device 20 receives a connection request signal Sa from the vehicle control device 10, and a connection waiting time τ shown in (b) occurs. Furthermore, even after the connection is established, authentication data and other data are transmitted and received between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20, so the time T1 until the steering wheel can be unlocked or the engine can be started after determining whether the authentication is successful becomes longer.

[0033] In a conventional vehicle control system using such BLE communication, when the engine is stopped and the handlebars are locked, communication between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is cut off. Therefore, if the user needs to use the motorcycle immediately after locking the handlebars, even if the FOB switch 25 of the portable device 20 is pressed to reconnect, the connection process between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 must be performed from the beginning. This requires time to unlock the handlebars and start the engine, which is inconvenient to use. This will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 5.

[0034] As shown in (f) and (g) of FIG. 5, when the steering wheel is locked at time t5 while the engine is stopped, a disconnection notification signal Sc is transmitted from the vehicle control device 10 to the portable device 20, and the connection between them is disconnected, as shown in (e) and (b). Then, immediately thereafter, at time t6, when the FOB switch 25 of the portable device 20 is pressed, bidirectional communication is performed according to the same procedure as the sequence shown in FIG. 4. Times t6 to t9 in FIG. 5 correspond to times t1 to t4 in FIG. 4. That is, after time t6 when the FOB switch 25 is pressed, the same connection process as that from time t1 onward in FIG. 4 must be repeated from the beginning. Therefore, the time T1 (same as T1 in FIG. 4) from pressing the FOB switch 25 until unlocking the steering wheel and starting the engine becomes longer.

[0035] Therefore, in the present invention, in order to shorten this time T1, even if the steering wheel locking operation is performed, the communication between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is not cut off, but the connection between them is continued. Then, when the FOB switch 25 is pressed thereafter, the steering wheel is unlocked and the engine is started in a short time without restarting the connection process from the beginning. The communication procedure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 6 to 10.

[0036] 6 shows a communication procedure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. When the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 are wirelessly connected and a handlebar locking operation is performed at time t10 as shown in (g), the statuses of the engine start authentication and the handlebar unlock authentication change as shown in (h) and (i) (engine start authentication: incomplete, handlebar unlock authentication: incomplete), and the vehicle is prohibited from traveling. Then, as shown in (e) and (b), a signal Sd indicating the status information of (g) to (i) is transmitted from the vehicle control device 10 to the portable device 20. Meanwhile, the wireless communication between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is not stopped, and the connection between them continues. The handlebar locking operation is an operation for prohibiting the motorcycle from traveling, and corresponds to the "first operation" in the present invention.

[0037] Then, at time t11 immediately after the handlebar locking operation, as shown in (a), when the FOB switch 25 is pressed, as shown in (c) and (d), based on the ongoing wireless communication, the authentication data Sb required to unlock the handlebars and start the engine is immediately transmitted from the portable device 20 to the vehicle control device 10. The operation of the FOB switch 25 in this case is an operation required for driving the motorcycle (handlebar unlocking operation, engine start operation), and corresponds to the "second operation" in the present invention.

[0038] Thereafter, the vehicle control device 10 authenticates the portable device 20 based on the authentication data Sb, and if the authentication result is normal (i.e., if the ID of the portable device 20 is correct), at time t13, it switches the status of the engine start authentication from incomplete to completed as shown in (h), and also switches the status of the handlebar unlock authentication from incomplete to completed as shown in (i). As a result, the traveling prohibition state is lifted, the handlebar is unlocked, and starting of the engine 16 is permitted. Thereafter, by performing a predetermined operation, the engine 16 starts and the motorcycle can be driven.

[0039] As a result, in the first embodiment, the time T2 from when the FOB switch 25 is pressed until the engine 16 can be started is significantly shorter than the conventional time T1 (FIG. 5). Therefore, even if the FOB switch 25 is pressed after the handle is locked, the engine 16 can be started in a short time, improving usability.

[0040] 7 shows a communication procedure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, if the FOB switch 25 is not pressed within a predetermined time after the steering wheel locking operation, the connection between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is cut off.

[0041] More specifically, in FIG. 7, when the steering wheel locking operation is performed at time t14 as shown in (g), the statuses of the engine start authentication and steering wheel unlock authentication change as shown in (h) and (i) (engine start authentication: incomplete, steering wheel unlock authentication: incomplete), and the vehicle is prohibited from traveling. Then, as shown in (e) and (b), a signal Sd indicating the status information of (g) to (i) is transmitted from the vehicle control device 10 to the portable device 20. At this time, as in the case of FIG. 6, wireless communication between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is not stopped, and the connection between them continues. Then, when the FOB switch 25 is operated within a predetermined time thereafter, the same operation as in FIG. 6 is performed.

[0042] 7(a), the FOB switch 25 remains off from time t14, when the steering wheel locking operation is performed, until time t15, when the predetermined time TM1 has elapsed. That is, the FOB switch 25 is not pressed within the predetermined time TM1. In this case, as shown in (e)(b), after the predetermined time TM1 has elapsed, a disconnection notification signal Sc is transmitted from the vehicle control device 10 to the portable device 20, and the two-way communication is stopped and the connection between them is disconnected. This reduces unnecessary power consumption.

[0043] 8 shows a communication procedure according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, when the FOB switch 25 is pressed and held after the steering wheel locking operation, the connection between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is cut off.

[0044] In detail, in FIG. 8, when the steering wheel locking operation is performed at time t17 as shown in (g), the statuses of the engine start authentication and steering wheel unlock authentication change as shown in (h) and (i) (engine start authentication: incomplete, steering wheel unlock authentication: incomplete), and the vehicle is prohibited from traveling. Then, as shown in (e) and (b), a signal Sd indicating the status information of (g) to (i) is transmitted from the vehicle control device 10 to the portable device 20. At this time, as in the case of FIG. 6, wireless communication between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is not stopped, and the connection between them continues. Then, when a normal operation is performed on the FOB switch 25 thereafter, the same operation as in FIG. 6 is performed.

[0045] 8, after the steering wheel locking operation (g) is performed at time t17, the FOB switch 25 is pressed and held (ON time: W2) from time t18 to time t19 as shown in (a). This long press is an operation different from the normal operation (ON time: W1) of the FOB switch 25 in FIG. 6 (W2>W1), and indicates that the operator does not intend to restart the engine 16 after locking the steering wheel, i.e., does not intend to drive the vehicle. The long press of the FOB switch 25 corresponds to the "third operation" in this invention.

[0046] In this case, as shown in (c) and (d), after the FOB switch 25 is pressed and held, a disconnection notification signal Sf is sent from the portable device 20 to the vehicle control device 10, and at time t20, the two-way communication is stopped and the connection between them is disconnected. This makes it possible to reduce unnecessary power consumption.

[0047] 9 shows a communication procedure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the fourth embodiment, when the main switch 18 (FIG. 1) on the vehicle side is pressed for a short time after the steering wheel locking operation is performed, the connection between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is cut off.

[0048] More specifically, in FIG. 9, when the steering wheel locking operation is performed at time t21 as shown in (g), the statuses of the engine start authentication and steering wheel unlock authentication change as shown in (h) and (i) (engine start authentication: incomplete, steering wheel unlock authentication: incomplete), and the vehicle is prohibited from traveling. Then, as shown in (e) and (b), a signal Sd indicating the status information of (g) to (i) is transmitted from the vehicle control device 10 to the portable device 20. At this time, as in the case of FIG. 6, wireless communication between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is not stopped, and the connection between them continues. Then, when the FOB switch 25 is operated thereafter, the same operation as in FIG. 6 is performed.

[0049] 9, after the steering wheel locking operation (g) is performed at time t21, the main switch 18 is briefly pressed (ON time: W3) at time t22 as shown in (a). This short press is an operation that differs from the normal operation of the main switch 18 (W3<ON time of normal operation), and, like the long press of the FOB switch 25 in FIG. 8, corresponds to the "third operation" that indicates that the operator does not intend to drive the vehicle after locking the steering wheel.

[0050] 9(e)(b), after the main switch 18 is pressed briefly, a disconnection notification signal Sc is transmitted from the vehicle control device 10 to the portable device 20, and the two-way communication is stopped at time t23, disconnecting the connection between them. This makes it possible to reduce unnecessary power consumption.

[0051] 10 shows a communication procedure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In the fifth embodiment, a timer starts timing from the time the steering wheel is locked, and if the FOB switch 25 is pressed within the timer's set time, the timer ends, while the connection between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is maintained. On the other hand, if the timer's set time has elapsed without the FOB switch 25 being pressed, the connection between the two devices is cut off at that point.

[0052] 10, when the steering wheel locking operation is performed at time t24 as shown in (h), a timer is turned on at that time and starts counting as shown in (b). This timer is provided in the control unit 11 of the vehicle control device 10 (not shown). Furthermore, as shown in (i) and (j), the statuses of the engine start authentication and the steering wheel unlock authentication change (engine start authentication: incomplete, steering wheel unlock authentication: incomplete), and the vehicle is prohibited from traveling. Then, as shown in (f) and (c), a signal Sd indicating the status information of (h) to (j) is transmitted from the vehicle control device 10 to the portable device 20. At this time, as in the case of FIG. 6, the wireless communication between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is not stopped, and the connection between them continues.

[0053] Then, as shown in FIG. 10(a), when the FOB switch 25 is pressed at time t25 before the timer set time TM2 has elapsed, the portable device 20 transmits authentication data Sb necessary for starting the engine and unlocking the steering wheel to the vehicle control device 10, as shown in (d) and (e). The vehicle control device 10 then authenticates the portable device 20 based on the authentication data Sb. If the authentication result is normal, at time t26, the vehicle control device 10 changes the status of the engine start authentication from "incomplete" to "completed" as shown in (i), and also changes the status of the steering wheel unlock authentication from "incomplete" to "completed" as shown in (j). This cancels the travel prohibition state, allowing the steering wheel to be unlocked and the engine to be started. The timer also turns off at time t26, ending its timing. From this point on, the vehicle control device 10 transitions to a normal connection state.

[0054] On the other hand, if the FOB switch 25 is not pressed before the timer set time TM2 has elapsed, the timer turns off at time t27 when the timer set time TM2 has elapsed, as shown by the dashed line in (b), and the two-way communication between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 is stopped, and the connection between them is cut off. This makes it possible to reduce unnecessary power consumption.

[0055] In addition to the above-described embodiment, the present invention can employ various other embodiments as follows.

[0056] For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the operation of locking the handlebars was given as an example of the first operation for prohibiting the motorcycle from traveling, but the first operation of the present invention may also be an operation of stopping the engine 16 of the motorcycle or an operation of turning off the power supply to the motorcycle.

[0057] Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the operation of unlocking the handlebars and the operation of starting the engine 16 have been given as examples of the second operation required for driving the motorcycle, but the second operation of the present invention may also be the operation of turning on the power supply of the motorcycle.

[0058] In addition, in Figures 8 and 9, examples of a long press or short press of the FOB switch 25 or the main switch 18 are given as examples of a third operation that does not intend to drive the vehicle, but instead, the third operation may be when each switch is pressed a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

[0059] 6 and 10, two types of authentication data are transmitted from the portable device 20 to the vehicle control device 10: authentication data required for engine start and authentication data required for steering wheel unlocking. However, only the authentication data required for engine start may be transmitted. In this case, the status of steering wheel unlock authentication in Fig. 6(i) and Fig. 10(j) is always in a completed state (unlocking permitted state).

[0060] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be combined as appropriate. For example, the second embodiment (FIG. 7) may be combined with the third embodiment (FIG. 8), and if the FOB switch 25 is pressed and held within the predetermined time TM1, the connection between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 may be disconnected without waiting for the predetermined time TM1 to elapse. Similarly, the second embodiment (FIG. 7) may be combined with the fourth embodiment (FIG. 9), and if the main switch 18 is pressed and held within the predetermined time TM1, the connection between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20 may be disconnected without waiting for the predetermined time TM1 to elapse.

[0061] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, an example has been given in which BLE is used as the communication method between the vehicle control device 10 and the portable device 20, but other communication methods such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or ZigBee (registered trademark) may be adopted instead of BLE.

[0062] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments have been described with reference to an engine-driven motorcycle, the present invention can also be applied to an electric motorcycle that uses a motor as a driving source. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to motorcycles, but can also be applied to vehicles such as three-wheeled motor vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10 Vehicle control device 11 Control section 12 Transmitter / Receiver 13 Antenna 14 Memory 15 Control section 16 Engine (driving source) 17 Handle locking mechanism 18 Main switch 20 Portable devices 21 Control section 22 Transmitter / Receiver 23 Antenna 24 memory 25 FOB switch 100 Vehicle Control System

Claims

1. A vehicle control device that is mounted on a vehicle and controls the operation of the vehicle by performing two-way wireless communication with a portable device, when a first operation for prohibiting the vehicle from traveling is performed while the vehicle is connected to the portable device via the wireless communication, the vehicle is put into a traveling prohibition state, while the wireless communication is continued to maintain the connection state with the portable device; Thereafter, when a second operation required to release the travel prohibition state is performed, authentication of the portable device is performed based on the ongoing wireless communication, and if the result of the authentication is normal, the travel prohibition state is released, and then a predetermined operation is performed, thereby enabling the vehicle to travel. a timer starts timing from the point in time when the first operation is performed, and if the second operation is performed within a set time of the timer, the timer ends timing and maintains a connection state with the portable device; A vehicle control device characterized in that, if the set time of the timer has elapsed without the second operation being performed within the set time of the timer, the connection with the portable device is cut off at that time.

2. 2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, A vehicle control device characterized in that, after the first operation is performed, if the second operation is not performed and a third operation that does not intend to drive the vehicle is performed, the connection with the portable device is disconnected.

3. 2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, the first operation is an operation to lock a steering wheel of a vehicle, an operation to stop an engine of a vehicle, or an operation to turn off a power source of a vehicle; The vehicle control device is characterized in that the second operation is an operation to unlock a locked steering wheel, an operation to start an engine of a vehicle, or an operation to turn on a power source of a vehicle.

4. 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the third operation is a long press or a short press of a switch provided on the portable device or the vehicle.

5. 5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The vehicle control device is characterized in that the two-way wireless communication is BLE communication.

6. A vehicle control method for a vehicle control device that is mounted on a vehicle and controls an operation of the vehicle by performing two-way wireless communication with a portable device, comprising: a step of, when a first operation for prohibiting the vehicle from traveling is performed while the vehicle control device is connected to the portable device via the wireless communication, putting the vehicle into a traveling prohibition state while continuing the wireless communication to maintain the connection state with the portable device; thereafter, when a second operation required to release the travel prohibition state is performed, authenticating the portable device based on the ongoing wireless communication; If the authentication result is normal, the travel prohibition state is released, and then a predetermined operation is performed to enable the vehicle to travel. a step of starting time measurement by a timer from the time when the first operation is performed, and if the second operation is performed within a set time of the timer, ending time measurement by the timer and maintaining a connection state with the portable device; and if the set time of the timer has elapsed without the second operation being performed within the set time of the timer, disconnecting the connection with the portable device at that time.

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