Vehicle power supply control device

Abstract

This vehicle power supply control device for controlling a vehicle power supply is provided with a processor that executes: determination of whether or not a door of a vehicle is locked; determination of whether or not a heavy object is present in the vehicle; and, when it is not determined that a heavy object is present and is determined that the door is locked, turning-off of the vehicle power supply after a first predetermined time has elapsed since the door was locked.

Description

Vehicle power control device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle power control device.

[0002] A technique for controlling a vehicle power in conjunction with a door lock of a vehicle is known.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, when the power position of the vehicle power is a power position for using power in the vehicle and receives a door lock state switching instruction signal from a door lock operation unit provided in the vehicle, the vehicle power control device performs control to switch from the power position for using power to the power position for not using power, and the door lock control device performs control to lock the door of the vehicle after switching to the power position for not using power. Patent Document 1 discloses that, as a condition for switching the power position to "OFF" and locking the door, when a seating sensor for detecting the presence or absence of seating on the vehicle seat is provided, the seating sensor is in a non-detection state.

[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-138338

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses that, as a condition for locking the door of the vehicle, the seating sensor is in a non-detection state. By the way, the seating sensor may misrecognize that a passenger is seated when a heavy object such as luggage is placed on the seat even though the passenger is not seated. In such a case, for example, even if the driver leaves the vehicle and the door lock is automatically locked, there is a risk that the vehicle power will not be turned off.

[0006] In view of such circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for appropriately controlling a vehicle power in conjunction with the state of a door lock of a vehicle.

[0007] A vehicle power control device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a vehicle power control device for controlling a vehicle power supply, comprising a processor and a memory communicably connected to the processor, wherein the processor performs the following: determining whether the vehicle's door locks are locked, determining whether there are heavy objects inside the vehicle, and, if it is determined that there are no heavy objects and the door locks are locked, turning off the vehicle power supply after a first predetermined time has elapsed since the door locks were locked.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicle power supply can be appropriately controlled in conjunction with the state of the vehicle's door locks.

[0009] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle power control device according to one embodiment of this disclosure. This is a schematic diagram illustrating the communication mode between the vehicle power control device and a user terminal according to one embodiment of this disclosure. This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the vehicle power control device according to one embodiment of this disclosure. This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the vehicle power control device according to one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0011] (0. Overview) Prior to a detailed description of one embodiment of the present disclosure, an overview of the vehicle power control device 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1.

[0012] Firstly, if the processor of the vehicle power control device 20 determines that no heavy object is present inside the vehicle 1 and that the doors of the vehicle 1 are locked, it will turn off the vehicle power after a predetermined time has elapsed since the doors were locked.

[0013] As a result, even when there are no passengers or luggage inside the vehicle, the vehicle power supply is not kept on unnecessarily for extended periods, but is controlled to be turned off promptly. Therefore, the vehicle power supply can be controlled more appropriately in conjunction with the door lock status of vehicle 1.

[0014] Secondly, if the processor of the vehicle power control device 20 determines that a heavy object is present inside the vehicle 1 and that the door locks have been locked from the inside, it will keep the vehicle power on. On the other hand, if the processor of the vehicle power control device 20 determines that a heavy object is present inside the vehicle 1 and that the door locks have been locked from the outside, it will turn off the vehicle power after a second predetermined time has elapsed since the door locks were locked. The second predetermined time is set to be longer than the first predetermined time.

[0015] This allows for a more accurate determination of whether or not the vehicle's power supply should be turned off compared to a case where the door lock status (whether or not it was locked from inside the vehicle) is not considered. Therefore, the vehicle's power supply can be controlled more appropriately in conjunction with the door lock status of vehicle 1.

[0016] The above describes the general outline of the vehicle power control device 20 according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, one embodiment of this disclosure will be described in detail.

[0017] (1. Vehicle) Referring to Figure 1, Vehicle 1 is configured as a four-wheeled automobile that transmits the drive torque output from the drive source 2 to the wheels. Vehicle 1 may be an automobile equipped with an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine as the drive source 2. Alternatively, Vehicle 1 may be an electric vehicle equipped with a drive motor as the drive source 2. Examples of electric vehicles include BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), and FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle).

[0018] The drive source 2 outputs drive torque transmitted to the front wheel drive shaft 3 via a transmission (not shown) and a differential mechanism (not shown). The drive of the drive source 2 is controlled by a vehicle control device 6, which will be described later. The combination of drive wheels and the driving method are not particularly limited, and the vehicle 1 may be a front-wheel drive vehicle, a rear-wheel drive vehicle, or a four-wheel drive vehicle, etc. Furthermore, if the vehicle 1 is configured as an electric vehicle, it may be an electric vehicle equipped with drive motors corresponding to each wheel.

[0019] Vehicle 1 is equipped with, in addition to the aforementioned drive force source 2, a steering device 4, a brake device 5, and a vehicle control device 6 as equipment used for driving control.

[0020] The steering device 4 may include an electric motor (not shown) and a gear mechanism (not shown). The steering device 4 adjusts the steering angle of the front wheels by being controlled by the vehicle control device 6. Note that the position of the steering device 4, including the steering wheel, is not necessarily limited to the front right side as shown in Figure 1.

[0021] The brake system 5 applies braking force to the wheels by, for example, the control of the hydraulic unit 7 by the vehicle control device 6. If the vehicle 1 is configured as an electric vehicle, the brake system 5 may be used in conjunction with regenerative braking by the drive motor, which serves as the driving force source 2.

[0022] The vehicle control device 6 includes at least one or more ECUs (Electronic Control Units) that control the driving of the power source 2, the steering device 4, and the brake device 5, respectively. The vehicle control device 6 is connected to the power source 2, the steering device 4, the brake device 5, and the vehicle power control device 20 (described later) via a dedicated line or a communication means such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) or LIN (Local Internet).

[0023] Vehicle 1 includes a key detection device 8, a door lock control device 9, an actuator 10, and a door lock sensor 11 as equipment for locking and unlocking the doors of vehicle 1 using a key. The door lock control device 9 is connected to the key detection device 8, the actuator 10, and the door lock sensor 11, respectively, via a dedicated line or communication means such as CAN or LIN.

[0024] Examples of keys include non-mechanical keys such as access keys, smart keys, or keyless keys. However, this disclosure is not limited to these, and any known or arbitrary key for locking and unlocking the doors of vehicle 1 is applicable.

[0025] The key detection device 8 intermittently transmits, for example, a Low Frequency (LF) band radio signal to the key. When the key detection device 8 detects a key within a predetermined range from the vehicle 1 based on, for example, the LF band radio signal, it receives, for example, an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band radio signal from the key. The UHF band radio signal may include information such as a key-side authentication code that the key has previously stored. The information received by the key detection device 8 is transmitted to the door lock control device 9.

[0026] The door lock control device 9 controls the locking and unlocking of the vehicle's doors. However, the vehicle's doors can also be manually locked and unlocked from inside the vehicle by the occupants of the vehicle, etc., without the door lock control device 9. The door lock control device 9 is composed of one or more ECUs (Electronic Control Units). It is also possible to have an embodiment in which some or all of the components of the door lock control device 9 are provided in the vehicle control device 6.

[0027] Specifically, when the door lock control device 9 detects that a key is within a predetermined range from the vehicle 1 and receives an LF band wireless signal from the key via the key detection device 8, it performs the following control: The door lock control device 9 compares the key-side authentication code included in the wireless signal received from the key with the vehicle-side authentication code that the door lock control device 9 has stored in advance. If authentication is successful, the door lock control device 9 outputs an unlock signal to the actuator 10. As a result, the actuator 10 operates based on the unlock signal and unlocks the door lock. If authentication is unsuccessful, the door lock control device 9 does not output an unlock signal to the actuator 10. Therefore, the door lock remains locked. Note that the actuator 10 may be provided for each of the multiple doors on the vehicle 1.

[0028] On the other hand, when the key is no longer within a predetermined range from the vehicle 1, the door lock control device 9 performs the following control: The door lock control device 9 outputs a lock signal to the actuator 10. As a result, the actuator 10 operates based on the lock signal and locks the door. At this time, the door lock control device 9 transmits a lock signal to the vehicle power control device 20. The lock signal may also include a signal indicating that the door lock has been locked from outside the vehicle 1.

[0029] The door lock sensor 11 detects the door lock status of the vehicle 1. Examples of door lock statuses include locked or unlocked. The door lock sensor 11 may be provided for each of the multiple doors on the vehicle 1, together with a door locker (not shown) that locks the doors of the vehicle 1 so that they cannot be opened or closed. The door lock sensor 11 transmits the detection result to the vehicle power control device 20 via the door lock control device 9.

[0030] Vehicle 1 includes a vehicle power operation unit 12, a heavy object detection device 13, and a vehicle power control device 20 as equipment used to control the vehicle power supply.

[0031] The vehicle power control unit 12 may include a switch for controlling the on and off of the vehicle power supply by being operated by the driver of the vehicle 1 or the like. Examples of such switches include an ignition switch or a start switch. When the vehicle power supply is turned on, the vehicle 1 becomes drivable. On the other hand, when the vehicle power supply is turned off, the vehicle 1 becomes drivable. In addition to being operated by the driver or the like on the vehicle power control unit 12, the on and off of the vehicle power supply can also be controlled by the vehicle power control device 20.

[0032] The heavy object detection device 13 detects heavy objects inside the vehicle 1. From the viewpoint of improving the accuracy of detecting items left behind inside the vehicle, the heavy object detection device 13 may be a seat sensor installed on the seat of the vehicle 1. The seat sensor may be a known or arbitrary pressure sensor capable of detecting the pressure applied to the seat by a passenger seated on the seat or a heavy object such as luggage placed on the seat. The detection result from the heavy object detection device 13 is transmitted to the vehicle power control device 20.

[0033] The vehicle power supply control device 20 controls the vehicle power supply of the vehicle 1 according to the detection results of the door lock control device 9, the heavy object detection device 13, etc., as will be described in detail later.

[0034] In addition, vehicle 1 is equipped with a communication device 14 and an alarm device 15.

[0035] The communication device 14 may include a communication interface for communicating with the user terminal 40 via a known or arbitrary network 30, as shown in Figure 2. Examples of communication interfaces include, but are not limited to, interfaces compatible with mobile communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), or 5G (5th Generation). Examples of user terminals 40 include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, or PCs (Personal Computers). The communication device 14 is connected to the vehicle power control device 20 via a dedicated line or communication means such as CAN or LIN.

[0036] The alarm device 15 outputs an alarm that can be recognized from outside the vehicle 1, either inside or outside the vehicle 1. Examples of alarm output methods by the alarm device 15 include image or text display, or sound or voice output. The alarm device 15 is connected to the vehicle power control device 20 via a dedicated line or communication means such as CAN or LIN.

[0037] If the warning output is in the form of an image or text display, the warning may be displayed on a Human Machine Interface (HMI) installed inside the vehicle, such as a Center Information Display (CID), so that it can be recognized not only from inside the vehicle but also from outside. Alternatively, the warning may be displayed on the window 16 of vehicle 1 shown in Figure 2, so that it can be recognized from outside the vehicle, by using known or arbitrary window projection technology.

[0038] If the alarm output method is sound or voice output, the alarm may be a buzzer or other sound indicating an alarm emitted from a speaker installed inside or outside the vehicle 1, or it may be a voice output that signifies an alarm.

[0039] However, the alarms in this disclosure are not limited to those output by the alarm device 15. For example, the alarm may be output by the vehicle control device 6 turning on or flashing lights such as the headlights 17, brake lights 18, or interior lights 19 of the vehicle 1.

[0040] Although an example of a vehicle 1 equipped with the vehicle power control device 20 according to this embodiment has been described above, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the vehicle 1 may be equipped with various known or arbitrary vehicles in addition to the equipment described above. For example, the vehicle 1 may further be equipped with a known or arbitrary in-vehicle imaging camera (not shown) capable of imaging the interior of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 may also further be equipped with a known or arbitrary out-of-vehicle imaging camera or distance measuring sensor (not shown) capable of detecting the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1.

[0041] (2. Vehicle Power Control Device) The vehicle power control device 20 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figure 3.

[0042] (2-1. Configuration Example) The vehicle power control device 20 functions as a device that controls the vehicle power by a processing unit 21 constituted by a processor described later executing a computer program. The computer program is a computer program for causing the processor to execute operations described later that the vehicle power control device 20 should execute. The computer program may be recorded on a recording medium that functions as a storage unit 22 constituted by a memory described later. Alternatively, the computer program may be recorded on a recording medium built in the vehicle power control device 20 or any recording medium externally attachable to the vehicle power control device 20.

[0043] Examples of the recording medium for recording the computer program include a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or any combination thereof. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these, and known or any medium for storing the computer program can be applied.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the vehicle power control device 20 is connected to a vehicle control device 6, a door lock control device 9, a heavy object detection device 13, a communication device 14, and an alarm device 15 via a dedicated line or communication means such as CAN or LIN.

[0045] An embodiment in which some or all of the components of the vehicle power control device 20 are provided in the vehicle control device 6 is also possible. In this case, the above-described communication means can be appropriately rearranged so that the functions and the like included in each component do not logically conflict.

[0046] The vehicle power control device 20 includes a processing unit 21 and a storage unit 22.

[0047] (Processing Unit) The processing unit 21 is constituted by a processor such as one or more CPUs, for example. Note that the processing unit 21 may include various peripheral components. Some or all of the processing unit 21 may be constituted by something updatable such as firmware, or may be a program module or the like executed by a command from a CPU or the like.

[0048] (Memory Unit) The memory unit 22 is composed of, for example, one or more memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory) that are communicably connected to the processing unit 21. However, the type and number of the memory unit 22 are not particularly limited. The memory unit 22 stores information such as computer programs executed by the processing unit 21, various parameters used for arithmetic processing, detection results, and arithmetic results.

[0049] (2-2. Functional Configuration) An example of the functional configuration of the processing unit 21 of the vehicle power control device 20 will be described. The processing unit 21 includes a door lock determination unit 211, a heavy object determination unit 212, a power control unit 213, and an output processing unit 214. Each of the door lock determination unit 211, the heavy object determination unit 212, the power control unit 213, and the output processing unit 214 is a function realized by executing a computer program by a processor such as one or more CPUs. However, part or all of the door lock determination unit 211, the heavy object determination unit 212, the power control unit 213, and the output processing unit 214 may be configured using an analog circuit.

[0050] (Door Lock Determination Unit) The door lock determination unit 211 determines whether or not the door lock of the vehicle 1 is locked. When the door lock determination unit 211 determines that the door lock is locked, it may further determine whether the door lock is locked from outside or inside the vehicle 1.

[0051] Specifically, when the door lock determination unit 211 receives a locking signal from the door lock control device 9, it may determine that the door lock is locked from outside the vehicle. On the other hand, when the door lock determination unit 211 receives a detection result indicating that the door lock has been locked from the door lock sensor 11 before receiving the locking signal from the door lock control device 9, it may determine that the door lock is locked from inside the vehicle. Alternatively, when the door lock determination unit 211 receives a detection result indicating that the door lock has been locked from the door lock sensor 11 without receiving the locking signal from the door lock control device 9, it may determine that the door lock is locked from inside the vehicle.

[0052] (Heavy object detection unit) The heavy object detection unit 212 determines whether or not a heavy object is present inside the vehicle 1. Specifically, the heavy object detection unit 212 may determine whether or not a heavy object is present inside the vehicle based on the detection result received from the heavy object detection device 13.

[0053] (Power Control Unit) The power control unit 213 performs the following process if the door lock determination unit 211 determines that the door lock of the vehicle 1 is locked, and the heavy object determination unit 212 does not determine that there is a heavy object inside the vehicle. That is, the power control unit 213 turns off the vehicle power after a first predetermined time has elapsed since the door lock was locked. The first predetermined time is, for example, about one minute, but this disclosure is not limited thereto and can be set as appropriate.

[0054] The power control unit 213 may keep the vehicle power on if the door lock determination unit 211 determines that the door lock has been locked from inside the vehicle, and the heavy object determination unit 212 determines that a heavy object is present inside the vehicle. In this case, there is a high probability that an occupant other than the driver is still inside the vehicle and that the occupant intentionally locked the door lock, so the vehicle power is kept on. As a result, for example, the air conditioning system (not shown) of vehicle 1 will also remain on, which can help prevent occupants from feeling uncomfortable.

[0055] If the door lock determination unit 211 does not determine that the door lock has been locked from inside the vehicle, and the heavy object determination unit 212 determines that a heavy object is present inside the vehicle, the power control unit 213 may perform the following processing. That is, the power control unit 213 may turn off the vehicle power after a second predetermined time has elapsed since the door lock was locked. In this case, although there are no other occupants remaining inside the vehicle, there is a possibility that luggage has been left inside the vehicle. Alternatively, there is a possibility that an occupant other than the driver is trapped inside the vehicle, for example, by sleeping.

[0056] Here, it is important that the second predetermined time is set to be longer than the first predetermined time. This is because, for example, if the occupants remain in the vehicle and only the driver makes a temporary stop at a store or rest facility, the inconvenience of the vehicle power being turned off at the first predetermined time is eliminated by keeping the vehicle power on until the second predetermined time has elapsed. Furthermore, even if occupants are left behind in the vehicle, keeping the vehicle power on until the second predetermined time has elapsed ensures that, for example, the air conditioning system of vehicle 1 also remains on. Thus, safety can be ensured.

[0057] The second predetermined time can be set appropriately from, for example, a range of 6 to 12 hours, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The following first example or second example is an example of how to set the second predetermined time.

[0058] As a first example, the power control unit 213 may set a second predetermined time based on the detection result of an outside temperature sensor (not shown) mounted on the vehicle 1. Specifically, the power control unit 213 may set the second predetermined time shorter as the outside temperature deviates from a predetermined suitable temperature range, such as 18°C ​​to 28°C. This is because the further the outside temperature deviates from the predetermined suitable temperature range, the greater the need to turn on the air conditioning system of the vehicle 1. However, it should be noted that the second predetermined time is set to be longer than the first predetermined time.

[0059] As a second example, the power control unit 213 may set a second predetermined time based on the detection results of an external camera (not shown) mounted on the vehicle 1. Specifically, the power control unit 213 may calculate the density of people around the vehicle 1 by applying known or arbitrary image recognition technology to the image captured by the external camera. In this case, the higher the calculated density of people, the shorter the second predetermined time may be set. This is because the higher the density of people, the higher the likelihood that people around the vehicle 1 will notice an occupant trapped inside. However, it should be noted that the second predetermined time is set to be longer than the first predetermined time.

[0060] (Output Processing Unit) When the power supply control unit 213 turns off the vehicle power, the output processing unit 214 may output an alarm that can be recognized from outside the vehicle, either inside or outside the vehicle. Specifically, the output processing unit 214 may generate an output signal for outputting the alarm. In this case, the output processing unit 214 may output the alarm via the alarm device 15.

[0061] Additionally or alternatively, the output processing unit 214 may generate a control signal to turn on or flash the lights of the vehicle 1, such as the headlights 17, brake lights 18, or interior lights 19, as the alarm. In this case, the output processing unit 214 may transmit the control signal to the vehicle control device 6. As a result, the lights of the vehicle 1, such as the headlights 17, brake lights 18, or interior lights 19, will turn on or flash.

[0062] When the power control unit 213 turns off the vehicle power, the output processing unit 214 may notify the owner of the user terminal 40 of any items left inside the vehicle via an application for managing the status of the door locks, which operates on the user terminal 40 shown in Figure 2. This application is provided by any business operator, etc., and can be installed on the user terminal 40 via the network 30 shown in Figure 2.

[0063] Specifically, the output processing unit 214 may generate an output signal to notify the user terminal 40. In this case, the output processing unit 214 may transmit the output signal to the user terminal 40 via the communication device 14. As a result, a message such as "The vehicle power has been turned off while an occupant has been detected. Please check if any children or pets are left inside the vehicle." will be displayed on the home screen of the application. The output signal may also include a signal to cause the message to be displayed as a pop-up on the display screen of the user terminal 40.

[0064] If the door lock determination unit 211 does not determine that the door lock was unlocked from outside the vehicle within the third predetermined time elapsed from the notification of the misplaced item, the output processing unit 214 may perform the following processing. That is, the output processing unit 214 may output an alarm that can be recognized from outside the vehicle, either inside or outside the vehicle. This determination can be made using the detection result of the door lock sensor 11 in the same manner as described above. The alarm can also be generated by the alarm device 15 in the same manner as described above. The third predetermined time can be appropriately set from, for example, a range of 5 to 10 minutes, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0065] (2-3. Operation Example) Referring to Figure 4, an example of the operation of the vehicle power control device 20 according to this embodiment will be briefly explained in accordance with the flowchart.

[0066] The following describes the operation example assuming the first and second cases. However, this disclosure is not limited to these cases. First case: A case where there are no occupants in vehicle 1, but luggage is left inside the vehicle, and the driver leaves vehicle 1 with the keys. Second case: A case where there are occupants other than the driver in vehicle 1, and the driver temporarily leaves vehicle 1.

[0067] In step S1, the door lock determination unit 211 of the processing unit 21 determines that the doors of vehicle 1 are locked. The process then proceeds to step S2.

[0068] In step S2, the heavy object determination unit 212 of the processing unit 21 determines whether or not a heavy object is present inside the vehicle 1. If it is determined that no heavy object is present (step S2: NO), the process proceeds to step S3. If it is determined that a heavy object is present (step S2: YES), the process proceeds to step S4.

[0069] In step S3, the power control unit 213 of the processing unit 21 turns off the vehicle power after a first predetermined time t1 has elapsed since the door lock was locked in step S1. The process then ends.

[0070] In step S4, the door lock determination unit 211 of the processing unit 21 determines whether the door lock in step S1 was performed from inside the vehicle. If it is determined that the door was locked from inside the vehicle (step S4: YES), the process proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the door was locked from inside the vehicle (step S4: NO), the process proceeds to step S6. Note that a negative determination in step S4 means that the door lock was performed from outside the vehicle.

[0071] In step S5, the power control unit 213 of the processing unit 21 keeps the vehicle power on. After that, the process ends.

[0072] In step S6, the power control unit 213 of the processing unit 21 turns off the vehicle power after a second predetermined time t2 has elapsed since the door lock was locked in step S1. The second predetermined time t2 is set to be longer than the first predetermined time t1, as described above. The process then proceeds to step S7.

[0073] In step S7, the output processing unit 214 of the processing unit 21 outputs an alarm that can be recognized from outside the vehicle, either inside or outside the vehicle 1. As described above, this alarm may be an image or text display via the alarm device 15, or an alarm with sound or voice output. Alternatively, this alarm may be indicated by the illumination or flashing of lights such as the headlights 17, brake lights 18, or interior lights 19. The process then ends.

[0074] In step S7, the output processing unit 214 may, instead of outputting the alarm, or in addition to outputting the alarm, perform the following processing. That is, the output processing unit 214 may notify the owner of the user terminal 40 of the item being left inside the vehicle via an application for managing the status of the door lock, which is running on the user terminal 40 shown in Figure 2.

[0075] (2-4. Effects) According to this example of operation, if no heavy objects are present inside the vehicle and the doors are locked, the vehicle power is turned off after a first predetermined time t1 has elapsed since the doors were locked. Therefore, even if, for example, there are no passengers or luggage inside the vehicle, the vehicle power is not kept on for an unnecessarily long time, but is controlled to be turned off early.

[0076] Furthermore, according to this example, if a heavy object is present inside the vehicle, the vehicle power remains on when the door locks are engaged from the inside. On the other hand, when the door locks are engaged from the outside, the vehicle power is turned off after a second predetermined time t2 has elapsed. This allows for a more accurate determination of whether or not the vehicle power should be turned off compared to a case where the presence or absence of the door locks from the inside is not considered.

[0077] Therefore, according to this example of operation, the vehicle power supply can be controlled more appropriately in conjunction with the door lock status of vehicle 1. Furthermore, according to this example of operation, it is also possible to prevent items from being left behind in the vehicle by outputting an alarm that can be recognized from outside the vehicle, either inside or outside the vehicle, or by notifying the user terminal 40 of an item being left behind in the vehicle.

[0078] Although one embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to this example. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and these will naturally also be understood to fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions etc. included in each component or each step etc. can be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple components or steps etc. can be combined into one or divided into two.

[0079] Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein can also be realized as a vehicle 1 equipped with the vehicle power control device 20 according to the above-described embodiment. The technology disclosed herein can also be realized as a vehicle power control method executed by the vehicle power control device 20 according to the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein can also be realized as a computer program that causes a computer to function as the vehicle power control device 20 according to the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein can also be realized as a non-temporary tangible recording medium on which the computer program is recorded.

[0080] 1: Vehicle, 20: Vehicle power control device, 21: Processing unit (processor), 22: Memory unit, 211: Door lock detection unit, 212: Heavy object detection unit, 213: Power control unit, 214: Output processing unit, 30: User terminal, 40: Network

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