CN117184287A - Driving possibility determination device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present application provides a driving permission determination device (10) for determining whether a driving permission device (1) can be driven according to whether a reaction speed of a driver exceeds a preset threshold (T2), wherein the driving permission determination device (10) comprises: a determination unit (12) that measures the reaction speed of the driver by checking the reaction speed that is predetermined, and determines whether or not the device (1) can be driven; and a storage unit (19) that stores the threshold value (T2), the threshold value (T2) being updated based on the result of the reaction speed check.

Description

Driving possibility determination device

Technical Field

The present application relates to a driving availability determination device.

The present application claims priority based on japanese patent application No. 2022-091547 filed on 6/2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Background

Conventionally, a driving permission determination device has been known that determines whether or not a driver is in a state suitable for driving (whether or not driving is possible) before a vehicle runs (for example, refer to japanese patent application laid-open No. 59-30573).

In this technique, as a check performed by the driver before the vehicle runs, the driver determines whether or not the driver is in a state suitable for driving based on whether or not the pedal operation can follow a task designated on the device side by moving the pointer of the indicator while depressing the clutch pedal.

Disclosure of Invention

However, in the above-described conventional technique, since the determination threshold is fixed, when there is a personal difference in the reaction speed of the driver or the like, there is a problem as follows: the examination is troublesome for a driver with a high reaction speed, and the difficulty of the examination is felt to be high for a driver with a low reaction speed.

The present invention provides a driving permission determination device capable of determining whether or not a machine can be driven in consideration of individual differences in reaction speeds of drivers.

In order to achieve the above object, the driving permission determination device according to the aspect of the present invention adopts the following configuration.

(1) The present invention provides a driving permission determination device 10 for determining whether or not a machine 1 can be driven based on whether or not a reaction speed of a driver exceeds a predetermined threshold value T2, wherein the driving permission determination device 10 includes: a determination unit 12 that measures a reaction speed of a driver by checking a reaction speed that is predetermined in advance, and determines whether or not the device 1 can be driven; and a storage unit 19 that stores the threshold value T2, the threshold value T2 being updated based on the result of the reaction speed check.

According to the aspect of the above (1), the following control can be performed: when the actual value of the reaction speed is smaller than the threshold value (when the reaction speed is high), the driving of the device is enabled (permitted), and when the actual value of the reaction speed exceeds the threshold value (when the reaction speed is low), the driving of the device is disabled (not permitted). Since the threshold value of the reaction rate check is updated from the initial value based on, for example, the result of the reaction rate check performed in the past or in advance, a threshold value suitable for the determination of whether or not driving is possible can be set in accordance with the reaction rate of the individual driver (the equipment owner). This makes it possible to suppress personal deviation in the difficulty of the reaction speed check and to optimize the reaction speed check, and to improve the practicality of the driving availability determination device.

(2) In the above-described aspect (1), the determination of whether or not to drive may be performed by performing the reaction rate check a plurality of times, the result of the reaction rate check a plurality of times being stored in the storage unit 19, and the number of times N1 of the reaction rate check for determining whether or not to drive may be set smaller as the reaction rate in the result of the reaction rate check is higher.

According to the aspect of (2) above, the faster the result of the past or previous reaction speed check stored in the storage unit, the fewer the number of reaction speed checks for making a determination of whether or not driving is possible, whereby in the case where a driver with a stricter determination criterion (faster reaction speed) is clear, the determination of whether or not driving is possible can be completed in advance by the fewer number of reaction speed checks. This ensures the accuracy of determination as to whether or not the driver is allowed to drive with a high reaction speed, and reduces the trouble of reaction speed inspection.

(3) In the above-described aspect (1) or (2), the storage unit 19 may store the threshold value T2 of each of the plurality of drivers, and may determine the driver at the time of the reaction speed check, thereby switching the threshold value T2 in accordance with the determined driver.

According to the aspect of (3) above, by determining the driver to switch the threshold value at the time of the reaction speed check, even when one device is shared by a plurality of drivers, the threshold value suitable for the determination of whether or not to drive can be set for each driver, and the ease of the reaction speed check can be made appropriate, and the personal deviation of the determination of whether or not to drive can be suppressed to improve the accuracy and the practicability of the determination device of whether or not to drive can be improved.

(4) In the aspect of (1) or (2) above, the driving permission determination device may perform the reaction speed check using direction indicators 7L and 7R provided in the machine 1 and an operation unit 8a that allows a driver to perform an operation to the direction indicated by the direction indicators 7L and 7R.

According to the aspect of (4) above, the reaction rate is checked by using the direction indicator and the operation unit provided in the apparatus, and thus, an additional device for performing the check is not required, and cost reduction can be achieved.

(5) In the aspect of (4) above, the reaction speed check may be configured to calculate a reaction time until the driver operates the operation unit 8a in response to the instruction from the direction indicators 7L and 7R, calculate a correct rate of whether or not the operation unit 8a is operated in the direction indicated by the direction indicators 7L and 7R, and determine whether or not to drive the device 1 based on a performance value T1 of the reaction time and a performance value R1 of the correct rate.

According to the aspect of (5) above, the response time of the operation of the driver in response to the instruction (operation) of the direction indicator is measured, the accuracy of the operation direction of the operation unit is calculated, and whether or not the driving is possible is determined based on the actual result values of both the response time and the accuracy, whereby the determination of whether or not the driving is possible can be performed from the viewpoints of both the response speed and the accuracy of the operation, and the accuracy of the determination of whether or not the driving is possible can be improved based on the awareness, the determination, and the ability necessary for the operation of the driver.

(6) In the above-described aspect (1) or (2), the driving permission determination device may include a control unit 13, the control unit 13 may control the operation of the drive system of the device 1 based on the result of the driving permission determination by the determination unit 12, and the control unit 13 may limit the activation of the drive device of the device 1 or the transition of the drive system to the drive standby state as the drive restriction control when the determination unit 12 determines that the device 1 cannot be driven.

According to the aspect of (6) above, the control unit that controls the drive system of the device based on the non-driving determination of the device can reliably restrict the driving of the device by restricting the start of the drive device of the device or restricting the transition of the drive system of the device to the drive standby state (drive ready state), and can improve the practicality of the non-driving determination device.

(7) In the aspect of (6) above, the driving permission determination device may include a restriction display unit 15a, and the restriction display unit 15a may display that the driving restriction control is being executed.

According to the aspect of the above (7), by providing the restriction display portion that indicates the situation in which the drive restriction control of the machine is being executed, it is possible to notify the driver that the machine is in the drive restriction state. Therefore, the driver can easily understand that the device is not in a failure but in a drive restriction state, and the practicability of the driving availability determination device can be improved.

(8) In the aspect (7), the limitation display unit 15a may be provided in the driving information display device 15 provided in the machine 1.

According to the aspect of (8) above, by providing the restriction display portion that indicates that the drive restriction control is being executed in the meter device or the like that displays the driving information of the device, the driver can easily notice that the drive restriction control is being executed, and the practicality of the driving availability determination device can be improved.

(9) In the aspect (6), the determination unit 12 may reset the determination after a predetermined suitability recovery time Ta has elapsed after the determination that the machine 1 cannot be driven.

According to the aspect of (9) above, after a predetermined time has elapsed after the non-driving determination of the device, the determination is automatically reset, whereby the driving of the device can be restarted without setting an additional reset operation. Therefore, it is possible to provide the driving availability determination device with high convenience.

(10) In the aspect of (6) above, the determination unit 12 may maintain the drivable determination for a predetermined determination holding time Tb after stopping the drive system from the operation state of the drive system of the machine 1.

According to the aspect of (10) above, the drive system is stopped from the state in which the machine is driven, and the drive determination is maintained for the predetermined period of time, so that the drive can be started again after the machine is stopped for a short period of time, and the drive device can be started without performing the drive permission determination again. Therefore, it is possible to provide the driving availability determination device with high convenience.

According to the aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a driving availability determination device capable of determining whether or not driving of a machine is available in consideration of individual differences in reaction speeds of drivers.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a rear view of the periphery of a main switch unit of a motorcycle in an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a table showing details of the determination of whether or not the motorcycle is driven.

Fig. 3 is a table showing update conditions of the threshold value and the number of determinations of the reaction rate check.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between the number of determinations and the number of rides in the reaction rate check.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the apparatus for determining whether or not the motorcycle is driven.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a process of the control device of the above-described driving availability determination device.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing of the subroutine in fig. 6.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The directions of the front, rear, left, right, and the like in the following description are the same as those in the vehicle described below unless otherwise specified. In the drawings used in the following description, an arrow FR indicating the front of the vehicle, an arrow LH indicating the left of the vehicle, an arrow UP indicating the upper of the vehicle, and a line CL indicating the left-right center of the vehicle body are shown as appropriate parts.

As shown in fig. 1, the driving availability determination device 10 (see fig. 5) in the present embodiment is applied to, for example, a scooter type motorcycle (saddle-ride type vehicle) 1. Fig. 1 shows the periphery of the leg shield 2 as viewed from the riding position side (rear side) of the motorcycle 1. The leg shield 2 is positioned in front of a seat (not shown) on which the driver sits, and suppresses traveling wind that blows toward the legs of the driver sitting on the seat.

The motorcycle 1 includes a front wheel as a steering wheel and a rear wheel (both not shown) as a driving wheel. The front wheel is supported by a suspension member such as a front fork, and can be steered by a handle 3. The steering system member including the front wheels is supported on the front end portion of the frame 4 so as to be capable of steering. The periphery of the frame 4 is covered with a body cover 5 including the leg shield 2. The motorcycle 1 includes at least one of an engine (internal combustion engine) and an electric motor as a driving source for running.

A main switch unit 20 including a main switch for turning on or off the power supply of the motorcycle 1 is disposed on the rear surface side (driver side) of the leg shield 2. The main switch unit 20 is disposed on the right side of the leg shield 2, for example, and is fixed to the frame 4 inside the leg shield 2 in a state of being fitted into the mounting surface on the rear surface side of the leg shield 2.

The main switch unit 20 includes a key cylinder 21 into which an operation key 25 is inserted. The key cylinder 21 is rotatable (a predetermined start operation) with the operation key 25 inserted by the operation of the driver, and is configured to turn on or off the main power supply of the motorcycle 1 and lock or unlock various locking devices such as a handle lock. The main switch unit 20 includes a key shutter 26 for protecting a key hole on the rear side of the key cylinder 21. The combination of the key cylinder 21 and the operation key 25 constitutes a key device 11 for a driver to perform a predetermined starting operation in the motorcycle 1.

A handle cover 6 is attached to a left-right intermediate portion (including a predetermined range of the left-right central portion in the left-right direction) of the handle 3. The handlebar cover 6 is provided with a headlight (not shown) at a front end portion, a meter device 15 at an upper surface portion, and a pair of left and right front direction indicators 7L, 7R at left and right side portions, respectively. A pair of left and right switch boxes 8L, 8R are attached to the left and right side portions of the handlebar 3 adjacent to the left and right inner sides of the left and right grip portions. A plurality of handle switches for the driver to operate with the fingers are disposed in the left and right switch boxes 8L, 8R. In the figure, a sign 8a indicates a winker switch provided in the left switch box 8L. A pair of left and right levers 9L, 9R for the driver to grasp and operate are disposed in front of the left and right grip portions, respectively.

When the result of determination by the driving availability determination device 10, which will be described later, is "drivable" in a state in which the main power supply of the motorcycle 1 is turned on, the following travel preparation operation can be performed. That is, in the case of a vehicle having an engine in the drive source, the engine can be started by operating a start switch, not shown. In the case of a vehicle including an electric motor as a drive source, by operating a start switch (not shown), the drive system including the electric motor can be shifted to a drive standby state (a state in which the drive is ready to be completed, a state in which the vehicle is immediately driven out by an acceleration operation).

Before a start operation is performed by a driver, the motorcycle 1 of the embodiment determines whether or not the driver can drive the motorcycle 1 in the driving permission determination device 10. Based on the determination result, control to limit the operation of the drive system of the motorcycle 1 is performed as needed.

As shown in fig. 5, the driving availability determination device 10 includes: a key device 11 for a start operation by a driver; a determination unit 12 that determines whether or not the motorcycle 1 can be driven; a control unit 13 that controls the operation of the drive system of the motorcycle 1 based on the result of the determination of whether or not driving is possible by the determination unit 12; and a storage device (storage unit) 19 that stores information concerning whether or not driving is possible and a result.

The key device 11 includes an operation key 25 held by a driver and a key cylinder 21 mounted on the vehicle body side so that the operation key 25 can be inserted.

The determination unit 12 and the control unit 13 are configured, for example, in an electronic control unit (Electronic Control Unit: ECU) provided in the motorcycle 1. The determination unit 12 and the control unit 13 are realized by executing a program (software) by a hardware processor such as CPU (Central Processing Unit). The determination unit 12 and the control unit 13 may be realized by cooperation of software and hardware.

The determination unit 12 determines whether or not the motorcycle 1 can be driven based on the following conditions. The determination condition of the determination unit 12 is whether the driver reacts quickly and accurately in the following reaction speed check. In the reaction speed check, either one of the left and right front winkers 7L, 7R is randomly turned on to give direction to the driver, the reaction time until the driver operates the winker switch 8a in accordance with the instruction is measured, and the accuracy of whether or not the winker switch 8a is operated in the instructed direction is calculated. Based on the reaction time and the accuracy, the determination unit 12 determines whether or not driving is possible.

The direction indicated by the left and right front direction indicators 7L, 7R indicates the side on which one of the left and right front direction indicators 7L, 7R is turned on (the left side if the left front direction indicator 7L is turned on and the right side if the right front direction indicator 7R is turned on). In the embodiment, the case where the winker switch 8a is operated in the direction indicated by the left and right front winkers 7L, 7R is sometimes referred to as "winker cancellation". This operation is not related to the press cancellation of the winker switch 8 a.

When the reaction time in the reaction speed check exceeds a predetermined threshold (when the reaction is slow), the determination unit 12 determines that the driver who has performed the check cannot drive the motorcycle 1. With this determination, the control unit 13 controls the start of the engine in cooperation with the engine ECU, and reliably controls the driving of the motorcycle 1. In the embodiment, the control device 14 limits the starting of the engine by stopping the supply of electric power to the starter relay 17 that drives the starter motor 18. The engine ECU may be integrated with the control device 14 or may be separate.

Referring also to fig. 2, the determination of whether or not the motorcycle 1 can be driven in the determination unit 12 is completed by performing a reaction speed check a plurality of times (a predetermined number of times of determination (check) N1). The storage device 19 stores the results of the multiple reaction rate checks, and calculates an average reaction time (actual result value T1). The determination unit 12 determines that the motorcycle 1 cannot be driven when the average reaction time (actual result value T1) exceeds a predetermined threshold value T2.

The determination unit 12 calculates the accuracy rate ("the number of times the winker switch 8a is operated in the indicated direction"/"the number of times all checks") R1 based on the result of the plurality of reaction rate checks. The determination unit 12 determines that the motorcycle 1 cannot be driven even when the accuracy rate R1 is smaller than a predetermined threshold R2.

In the first line example of fig. 2, the reaction rate check is performed such that the number of times N1 of determination is five, and the actual result value T1 of the average reaction time is 0.3sec smaller than the threshold T2 (for example, 0.5 sec) and falls within a pass range smaller than the threshold T2. The actual result value R1 of the accuracy is 100% larger than the threshold value R2 (for example, 80%), and falls within a pass range exceeding the threshold value R2. Based on the inspection result, a pass (drivable) determination is made in the example of the first row in fig. 2. The actual result value T1 of the average reaction time is calculated based on only the result of the case where the winker switch 8a is operated in the indicated direction.

In the second line example of fig. 2, the reaction rate check is performed five times as in the case described above, and the actual result value T1 of the average reaction time is 0.3sec smaller than the threshold value T2 (for example, 0.5 sec), but the actual result value R1 of the accuracy is 60% smaller than the threshold value R2 (for example, 80%), so that the failure (no driving) is determined.

In the third line example of fig. 2, the reaction rate check is performed five times as in the case described above, and the actual result value R1 of the accuracy is 100% larger than the threshold value R2 (for example, 80%), but the actual result value T1 of the average reaction time is 0.8sec larger than the threshold value T2 (for example, 0.5 sec), so that the failure (no driving) is determined.

In this way, only when the actual result values T1 and R1 of both the average reaction time and the accuracy are within the acceptable ranges, it is determined that the motorcycle 1 can be driven.

In a state where the user (driver) has reduced driving suitability due to drinking, strain, illness, or the like, the ability to recognize, judge, or operate the motorcycle 1, which is necessary for driving, is reduced. In this case, if the above reaction rate test is performed, it is conceivable that the reaction rate is low or the accuracy is lowered. Therefore, the determination of whether or not to drive by the reaction speed check is performed before the engine is started (before the main switch unit 20 is turned on), and when both the reaction speed and the accuracy are within the acceptable ranges, it is determined that the user (driver) is in a state of having suitability for driving (in a state in which the motorcycle 1 can be driven), and the engine can be started. When one of the reaction speed and the accuracy is not within the acceptable range, it is determined that the user (driver) is in a state where the driving suitability is reduced (in a state where the motorcycle 1 cannot be driven), and the engine start cannot be performed.

Referring also to fig. 3, in the embodiment, the threshold T2 of the average reaction time in the reaction rate check and the number of determinations (check times) N1 are updated (corrected) from the initial value T0 based on the result (actual result value T1) of the reaction rate check performed in the past or in advance.

Referring to the first line of fig. 3, the initial value T0 of the threshold T2 of the average reaction time is set to 1.5sec, and the initial value N0 of the number of determinations N1 is set to 10. The initial value T0 of the threshold value T2 of the average reaction time corresponds to an upper limit value at which it takes more time than this, and it is not suitable for driving the motorcycle 1. The initial value N0 of the number of determinations N1 is set to be large so as to acquire data.

The threshold value T2 of the average reaction time and the number of determinations N1 are updated based on the results of the reaction rate check performed in the past or in advance with respect to the initial values T0, N0 described above.

Referring to the second line of fig. 3, in the example of a certain driver a, the actual result value T1 of the average reaction time is 0.8sec, and therefore, the threshold T2 of the average reaction time is set to 0.9sec obtained by adding 0.1sec to the actual result value T1. Since the threshold T2 is much faster than the initial value T0, the determination number N1 is set 5 times for such a driver so that the determination number N1 is reduced and the determination is completed in a short time.

Referring to the third line of fig. 3, in the example of a certain driver B, the actual result value T1 of the average reaction time is 1.2sec, and therefore, the threshold T2 of the average reaction time is set to 1.3sec obtained by adding 0.1sec to the actual result value T1. Since the threshold T2 is a value slightly faster than the initial value T0, the number of determinations N1 is set to 7 so that the amount of decrease in the number of determinations N1 is suppressed and reliable determinations are made for such a driver.

Referring to the fourth line of fig. 3, in the example of a certain driver C, the actual result value T1 of the average reaction time is 0.3sec, and therefore, the threshold T2 of the average reaction time is set to 0.4sec obtained by adding 0.1sec to the actual result value T1. Since the threshold T2 is much faster than the initial value T0 and is also much faster than the driver a, the determination number N1 is set to 3 so that the determination number N1 is further reduced and the determination is completed in a short time.

Since the result of the reaction rate check (reaction rate) has characteristics (differences) that vary from person to person, the initial value N0 of the number of determinations N1 is set to be large, and data of the person is acquired. If some degree of data repetition occurs, the number of determinations N1 can be reduced to perform engine starting.

That is, as shown in the diagram of fig. 4, the number of times the driver rides increases, the number of times N1 of determination can be reduced from the initial value N0.

The above-described configuration is premised on the fixation of the driver of the motorcycle 1, but when the motorcycle 1 is shared by a plurality of drivers, the following configuration is considered.

That is, when another driver drives the motorcycle 1, for example, a predetermined setting/resetting operation may be performed, the driver may be determined by a predetermined authentication method, and the threshold T2 and the number of determinations N1 of the average reaction time may be switched. The results of the reaction speed check (average reaction time, accuracy, number of determinations) of the respective drivers are stored in the storage device 19. The relative relationship between the average reaction time, the accuracy, and the number of determinations, the relationship between them and the determination of whether or not driving is possible, and the like are approximated by a table format or a mathematical expression and stored in the storage device 19 in advance.

When a plurality of drivers are assumed, the number of times of determination N1 is set in advance for each driver to perform data acquisition, so that it is possible to perform a driving availability determination suitable for each driver. As a method of authenticating drivers, for example, a configuration is considered in which a predetermined number of drivers can be authenticated by a button operation, a dial operation, or the like. In addition, a configuration is also considered in which fingerprint authentication, face authentication, or the like can be performed, or in which a driver can be authenticated by communication with a so-called smart phone, tablet terminal, or the like held by the driver.

Next, the main configuration of the driving possibility determination device 10 of the motorcycle 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 5.

The driving permission determination device 10 includes a key device 11, a control device 14, a storage device 19, a meter device 15, a battery 16, a starter relay 17, a starter motor 18, left and right front direction indicator lamps 7L and 7R, and a direction indicator lamp switch 8a.

The key device 11 includes a key cylinder 21 and an operation key 25. The lock cylinder 21 is connected to the control device 14. The key cylinder 21 and the control device 14 are mounted on the vehicle body side.

The control device 14 is an electronic control unit constituting the determination unit 12 and the control unit 13. The control device 14 is connected to a memory device 19, a meter device 15, the start switch, a battery 16, and the like in addition to the key cylinder 21.

The storage device 19 stores information (threshold value, inspection result, etc.) related to the reaction speed inspection. The storage device 19 is not limited to a structure separate from the control device 14, and may be a structure integral with the control device 14 (a storage unit in the control device 14).

The meter device 15 includes a speedometer that indicates the vehicle speed, a tachometer that indicates the engine speed, various indicators (in particular, a pair of left and right direction indicator indicators 15bL, 15 bR), and the like. The meter device 15 displays various driving states of the motorcycle 1 to the driver. The meter device 15 includes a restriction display unit 15a that displays, to the driver, a case where the engine start restriction is executed based on the result of the driving permission determination. The restriction display portion 15a may be, for example, a lamp that lights up or blinks when the restriction is started, or may be a display device using a liquid crystal panel or the like. The restriction display portion 15a may be provided independently of the meter device 15.

The battery 16 is, for example, a 12V battery mounted on a vehicle as an auxiliary power source of the motorcycle 1.

The starter relay 17 is a switch that is turned on or off according to a primary current supplied from the control device 14 by an operation of a starter switch, and switches the presence or absence of power supply between the battery 16 and the starter motor 18.

The starter motor 18 is driven by electric power supplied from the battery 16, and can crank the engine to start the engine.

When the driver inserts the operation key 25 into the key cylinder 21 and rotates the key cylinder to the power-on side in order to perform the engine starting operation, the reaction speed check for the driving availability determination is started before the engine is started. If it is determined as a result of the reaction speed check that the driver who has performed the check is in a state where the motorcycle 1 can be driven, the engine start by the start switch is enabled (validated). In this case, the driver can drive the motorcycle 1 (drive the motorcycle 1) by starting the engine as usual.

On the other hand, if it is determined as a result of the reaction speed check that the driver who has performed the check is in a state where the motorcycle 1 cannot be driven, the engine start by the start switch is disabled. In this case, the driver cannot start the engine, and cannot drive the motorcycle 1.

The determination of whether or not driving is possible is performed by the determination unit 12 of the control device 14. When the determination unit 12 determines that the vehicle cannot be driven, the control unit 13 of the control device 14 cooperates with the engine ECU to perform control to limit the start of the engine (drive restriction control). When the drive restriction control is performed, even if the start switch is operated in the power-on state of the motorcycle 1, the primary current is not supplied to the start relay 17 (the start relay 17 does not perform the on operation). As a result, the starter motor 18 is not driven, the engine is not started, and the driving of the motorcycle 1 is restricted (restrained).

At this time, the restriction display portion 15a of the meter device 15 displays the fact that the engine cannot be started based on the result of the driving permission determination (driving permission determination).

Such a determination that driving is impossible (a determination that the driver is in a state where driving suitability is reduced) is reset after a lapse of a time (a predetermined suitability recovery time Ta, for example, 24 hours) from a degree of recovery from a tincture state caused by drinking, for example. In addition to waiting for the lapse of the predetermined time, the determination of the inability to drive may be reset in response to a specific reset operation or the like.

If the determination as to whether or not to drive is made every time the engine is stopped, a normal driver may feel trouble in particular. In order to reduce such trouble, in the embodiment, after the engine is stopped by the rotation of the key cylinder 21 or the like from the state in which the engine is started after the determination that the engine can be driven (the determination that the driver is in the state of having the driving suitability) is made, the engine start can be performed without the necessity of the driving availability determination during a time (the predetermined determination holding time Tb, for example, about 15 minutes) of the order of buying a meal, a drink or the like, for example.

When the operation key 25 is inserted into the key cylinder 21 and rotated to the power-on side, the control device 14 is supplied with standby power to be in a standby state.

For example, in a case where the motorcycle 1 includes the following anti-theft device, the control device 14 may be set to a standby state by supplying electric power to the control device in accordance with authentication of the operation key 25. The antitheft device performs authentication of the operation key 25 by performing communication between the vehicle and the operation key 25 (remote key) in a predetermined authentication area. For example, if the motorcycle 1 can detect or acquire the position information, the control device 14 may be supplied with electric power to put it into a standby state according to conditions such as a place and a time zone.

Control wiring for functioning the left and right front winkers 7L, 7R and the winker switch 8a as the components of the driving permission determination device 10 is disposed between the left and right front winkers 7L, 7R and the control device 14 and between the winker switch 8a and the control device 14, respectively. The control wiring may function as wiring for causing the left and right front direction indicators 7L, 7R to function as direction indicators of the motorcycle 1, for example, or may be provided separately from the control wiring. In the determination of whether or not to drive, a reaction speed check is performed in which either one of the left and right front direction indicators is randomly turned on to indicate a direction to the driver, and the driver operates the direction indicator switch 8a in accordance with the indication.

The left direction indicator 15bL is turned on (blinked) in synchronization with the turning on (blinked) of the left front direction indicator 7L, and the right direction indicator 15bR is turned on (blinked) in synchronization with the turning on (blinked) of the right front direction indicator 7R. In the reaction speed check, the left and right front direction indicators 7L, 7R and the left and right direction indicator indicators 15bL, 15bR are both turned on, but only the left and right front direction indicators 7L, 7R may be turned on or only the left and right direction indicator indicators 15bL, 15bR may be turned on.

In addition, for example, in the case where the motorcycle 1 is provided with a sensor for detecting the steering angle of the handle bar, the reaction speed may be checked by performing the handle bar operation in the direction in which the left and right front direction indicators 7L, 7R are turned on. Similarly, for example, in the case where the motorcycle 1 includes sensors for detecting the operations of the left and right operation levers 9L and 9R attached to the handlebar 3, the reaction speed may be checked by operating the operation levers in the direction in which the left and right front direction indicators 7L and 7R are turned on.

Next, the process of the driving availability determination by the control device 14 will be described with reference to the flowchart of fig. 6. The following processing is repeatedly executed at a predetermined control cycle when the control device 14 is in the standby state. In the flowchart of fig. 6, an example of "driving suitability decrease state" of the driver is described as "drinking state".

First, after conditions such as the suitability recovery time Ta and the determination holding time Tb have elapsed after the ignition is turned off, if the key cylinder 21 is operated to the power-on side, the control device 14 measures the reaction time until the turn signal is canceled a plurality of times, and checks the reaction speed of the driver (step (subroutine) S1). Then, a determination is made as to whether or not the actual result value T1 of the average reaction time of the winker cancellation (cancel operation) exceeds a predetermined threshold T2 (predetermined time) (or whether or not it is equal to or greater than the threshold T2) (step S2).

If yes (the threshold T2 is exceeded) in step S2, the determination unit 12 determines that the vehicle is in a drunk state (step S3), and the control unit 13 makes a transition to a state where the engine cannot be started (a state where the engine is limited to be started) (step S4).

If no in step S2 (the threshold T2 is not exceeded), the determination unit 12 determines that the vehicle is not in a drunk state (step S5), and the control unit 13 makes a transition to a state where the engine can be started (step S6).

Fig. 7 shows the processing in subroutine S1 of fig. 6.

In the subroutine S1, first, the key cylinder 21 is rotated to the power-on side by the operation of the driver (step S11), and the control device 14 is detected to be in the on state in which the power supply is performed (step S12). Subsequently, either one of the left and right front winkers 7L, 7R is randomly turned on (step S13), and a cancel operation by the winker switch 8a for the on is detected (step S14). The operation time (reaction time) until such a turn signal is canceled is measured and stored in the storage device 19 (step S15), and then it is determined whether or not the examination of the predetermined number of determinations N1 is performed (step S16). If no (less than the number of determinations N1) is performed in step S16, measurement of the reaction time and the like are repeated from step S13. If yes in step S16 (the number of times of completion determination N1), the routine proceeds to step S2, where a determination is made as to whether or not the actual result value T1 of the calculated average reaction time exceeds the threshold value T2.

In the embodiment, the following examples are also considered, although an example in which the motor bicycle 1 uses an engine (internal combustion engine) as a driving source for running is described. That is, in the case where the motorcycle 1 is an electric vehicle including an electric motor as a driving source for traveling, if the determination unit 12 determines that driving is impossible, the control unit 13 may restrict the transition of the driving system to the driving standby state (driving preparation completion state), and if the determination unit 12 determines that driving is possible, the control unit 13 may execute the transition of the driving system to the driving standby state (driving preparation completion state).

As described above, the driving availability determination device 10 in the above embodiment determines whether or not the motorcycle 1 is available to be driven based on whether or not the reaction speed of the driver exceeds the predetermined threshold T2, wherein the driving availability determination device 10 includes: a determination unit 12 that measures a reaction speed of a driver by checking a reaction speed that is predetermined in advance, and determines whether or not the motorcycle 1 can be driven; and a storage device 19 that stores the threshold value T2, the threshold value T2 being updated based on the result of the reaction speed check.

According to this configuration, the following control can be performed: when the motorcycle 1 is driven (when the operation is started), the reaction speed of the driver is checked, and when the actual value T1 of the reaction speed is smaller than the threshold value T2 (when the reaction speed is high), the driving of the motorcycle 1 is enabled (permitted), and when the actual value T1 of the reaction speed exceeds the threshold value T2 (when the reaction speed is low), the driving of the motorcycle 1 is disabled (not permitted). Since the threshold T2 of the reaction rate check is updated from the initial value T0 based on, for example, the result of the reaction rate check performed in the past or in advance, the threshold T2 suitable for the determination of whether or not driving is possible can be set according to the reaction rate of the individual driver (the owner of the motorcycle 1). This makes it possible to suppress personal deviation in the difficulty of the reaction speed check and to optimize the reaction speed check, and to improve the practicality of the driving availability determination device 10.

In the above-described driving availability determination device 10, the determination of the availability of driving is performed by performing the reaction speed check a plurality of times, and the result of the reaction speed check a plurality of times is stored in the storage device 19, and the faster the reaction speed is among the result of the reaction speed check, the smaller the number of times (determination number N1) of the reaction speed check for determining the availability of driving is set.

According to this configuration, the faster the result of the past or previous reaction speed check stored in the storage device 19, the fewer the number of reaction speed checks for determination of whether or not driving is possible, and thus, in the case where a driver with a stricter criterion (faster reaction speed) is clear, the determination of whether or not driving is possible can be completed early by the reaction speed check with a fewer number of times. This ensures the accuracy of determination of whether or not the driver is allowed to drive with a high reaction speed, and reduces the trouble of reaction speed inspection.

In the above-described driving availability determination device 10, the storage device 19 stores the threshold T2 of each of the plurality of drivers, and determines the driver at the time of the reaction speed check, thereby switching the threshold T2 in accordance with the determined driver.

According to this configuration, by determining the driver at the time of the reaction speed check and switching the threshold T2, even when one motorcycle 1 is shared by a plurality of drivers, the threshold T2 suitable for the determination of whether or not driving is possible can be set for each driver, and the ease of the reaction speed check can be made appropriate, so that it is possible to suppress individual deviation of the determination of whether or not driving is possible, to improve the accuracy, and to improve the practicality of the determination device 10.

In the above-described driving permission determination device 10, the reaction speed check is performed by using the front direction indicators 7L and 7R provided in the motorcycle 1 and the direction indicator switch 8a that allows the driver to operate in the direction indicated by the front direction indicators 7L and 7R.

According to this configuration, the reaction speed is checked by the front winkers 7L and 7R and the winker switch 8a provided in the motorcycle 1, and thus, an additional device for checking is not required, and cost reduction can be achieved.

In the above-described driving availability determination device 10, the reaction speed check calculates the reaction time until the driver operates the winker switch 8a in response to the instruction from the front winkers 7L and 7R, calculates the accuracy of whether or not the winker switch 8a is operated in the direction indicated by the front winkers 7L and 7R, and determines whether or not to drive the motorcycle 1 based on the actual result value T1 of the reaction time and the actual result value R1 of the accuracy.

According to this configuration, by measuring the reaction time of the operation of the driver in response to the instruction (operation) of the front winkers 7L, 7R, and calculating the accuracy of the operation direction of the winker switch 8a, it is possible to determine whether or not the driving is possible based on the actual result values T1, R1 of both the reaction time and the accuracy, and thus it is possible to perform the driving permission determination from both viewpoints of the reaction speed and the accuracy of the operation, and it is possible to improve the accuracy of the driving permission determination based on the awareness, the determination, and the ability necessary for the driving such as the operation of the driver.

The driving permission determination device 10 includes a control unit 13 for controlling the operation of the drive system of the motorcycle 1 based on the result of the driving permission determination by the determination unit 12, and the control unit 13 controls the start of the drive device of the motorcycle 1 or the transition of the drive system to the drive standby state when the determination unit 12 determines that the motorcycle 1 cannot be driven, as drive restriction control.

According to this configuration, the control unit 13 that controls the drive system of the motorcycle 1 based on the driving incapability determination of the motorcycle 1 can reliably restrict the driving of the motorcycle 1 by restricting the start of the drive device of the motorcycle 1 or restricting the transition of the drive system of the motorcycle 1 to the drive standby state (drive ready state), and can improve the practicality of the driving incapability determination device 10.

The driving permission determination device 10 includes a restriction display portion 15a that displays that the driving restriction control is being executed.

According to this configuration, by providing the limitation display unit 15a that indicates that the drive limitation control of the motorcycle 1 is being performed, the driver can be notified that the motorcycle 1 is in the drive limitation state. Therefore, the driver can easily understand that the drive restriction state is not the failure of the motorcycle 1, and the usability of the drive permission determination device 10 can be improved.

In the above-described driving permission determination device 10, the limitation display unit 15a is provided in a driving information display device (meter device 15) provided in the motorcycle 1.

According to this configuration, the meter device 15 that displays the driving information of the motorcycle 1 is provided with the restriction display portion 15a that indicates that the driving restriction control is being executed, so that the driver can easily notice that the driving restriction control is being executed, and the practicability of the driving availability determination device 10 can be improved.

In the above-described driving permission determination device 10, the determination unit 12 resets the determination after a predetermined suitability recovery time Ta has elapsed after the determination that the motorcycle 1 cannot be driven.

According to this configuration, the determination is automatically reset after a predetermined time has elapsed after the determination of the non-driving of the motorcycle 1, and thus the driving of the motorcycle 1 can be resumed without setting an additional reset operation. Therefore, the driving availability determination device 10 with high convenience can be provided.

In the above-described driving availability determination device 10, the determination unit 12 maintains the driving availability determination for a predetermined determination holding time Tb after stopping the drive system from the operation state of the drive system of the motorcycle 1.

According to this configuration, since the drive system is stopped from the state in which the motorcycle 1 is driven, the drive determination is maintained for a predetermined period of time, and thus, when the motorcycle 1 is stopped for a short period of time and then the drive is restarted, the engine can be started without restarting the drive determination. Therefore, the driving availability determination device 10 with high convenience can be provided.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the driving permission determination device of the present embodiment may be applied to a saddle-ride type vehicle other than a motorcycle, for example. The saddle-ride type vehicle includes all vehicles in which a driver rides over a vehicle body, and includes not only motor bicycles (including bicycles with a prime mover and scooter type vehicles) but also three-wheeled (including vehicles with front and rear wheels in addition to vehicles with front and rear wheels) or four-wheeled (four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles and the like) vehicles. Further, the present invention can be applied to vehicles other than straddle-type vehicles (such as passenger cars, buses, and trucks).

The driving possibility determination device according to the present embodiment is applicable to a vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to application to a vehicle, and may be applied to various transportation devices such as an aircraft and a ship, various vehicles such as a construction machine and an industrial machine, and a moving object. The present invention is applicable to a variety of devices other than vehicles, as long as the device is driven by a user, and can be widely applied to, for example, a hand-propelled mower, a cleaner, and the like.

The configuration of the above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, such as replacing the constituent elements of the embodiment with known constituent elements.

Claims (10)

1. A driving permission determination device (10) for determining whether or not a machine (1) is permitted to be driven based on whether or not a reaction speed of a driver exceeds a predetermined threshold (T2), characterized in that,

the driving availability determination device (10) is provided with:

a determination unit (12) that measures the reaction speed of the driver by checking the reaction speed that is predetermined, and determines whether or not the device (1) can be driven; and

a storage unit (19) for storing the threshold value (T2),

the threshold (T2) is updated based on the result of the reaction speed check.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the determination of whether or not driving is made by performing the reaction speed check a plurality of times,

the result of the reaction rate check is stored in the storage unit (19),

the faster the reaction speed is in the result of the reaction speed check, the fewer the number of times (N1) of the reaction speed check for determining whether the driving is possible is set.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

the storage unit (19) stores the threshold value (T2) of each of a plurality of drivers,

the threshold value (T2) is switched by determining the driver during the reaction speed check, thereby matching the determined driver.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

the device for determining whether or not driving is possible performs the reaction speed check by using direction indicators (7L, 7R) provided in the device (1) and an operation unit (8 a) capable of being operated by a driver in the direction indicated by the direction indicators (7L, 7R).

5. The apparatus for determining whether or not driving is possible according to claim 4, wherein,

the reaction time of the driver operating the operation unit (8 a) according to the direction indicators (7L, 7R) is measured in the reaction speed check, and the accuracy of whether the operation unit (8 a) is operated in the direction indicated by the direction indicators (7L, 7R) is calculated,

determining whether or not to drive the device (1) based on the actual result value (T1) of the reaction time and the actual result value (R1) of the accuracy.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

the driving permission determination device comprises a control unit (13), wherein the control unit (13) controls the operation of a drive system of the machine (1) based on the result of the driving permission determination by the determination unit (12),

the control unit (13) controls the drive restriction control by restricting the start of a drive device of the machine (1) or restricting the transition of the drive system to a drive standby state when the determination unit (12) determines that the machine (1) cannot be driven.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein,

the driving permission determination device is provided with a restriction display unit (15 a), and the restriction display unit (15 a) displays that the driving restriction control is being executed.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein,

the driving information display device (15) provided in the machine (1) is provided with the restriction display unit (15 a).

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein,

the determination unit (12) resets the determination after a predetermined suitability recovery time (Ta) has elapsed after the determination that the machine (1) cannot be driven.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein,

the determination unit (12) maintains the drivable determination for a predetermined determination holding time (Tb) after stopping the drive system from the operation state of the drive system of the machine (1).