GB2338328A

GB2338328A - A vehicle with an inadvertence warning system

Info

Publication number: GB2338328A
Application number: GB9913405A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Trevor Talbot; Mervyn Nightingale; Christopher Simon Reynolds
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1998-06-13
Filing date: 1999-06-10
Publication date: 1999-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-10
Also published as: GB9812712D0; GB9913405D0; GB2338328B

Abstract

A vehicle 10 is disclosed which includes a warning system arranged in use to provide a warning signal for a user who attempts to leave the vehicle 10 having left the lights 18 on or the ignition key 24 in its switch 22. The controller 12 is arranged to automatically disable the warning sounder 26 if a predetermined set of circumstances surround the opening of a door 16. This allows the user to operate one or more vehicle sub-systems with a door 16 open, eg. to turn the lights on or use the ignition key after the door has been opened.

Description

2338328 A Vehicle This invention relates to vehicles and in particular to

a vehicle having a warning system and to a method of operating such a warning system.

It is known to provide a vehicle with a warning system arranged to alert a user should he attempt to leave the vehicle without turning off a 5 predetermined function or sub-system of the vehicle.

An example of such a known warning system is the provision of a 1 sounder or buzzer to warn the user that the vehicle sidelights or headlights are still on. The sounder operates while a door is open and the lights are switched on.

io GB 2095450 discloses a system in which the warning buzzer can be switched off if, for example, a user wants to leave the fights on deliberately. It is a disadvantage of this arrangement that the user must make a conscious effort to switch off the buzzer, i.e. they must throw a switch manually.

It is an object of this invention to provide a vehicle having an improved warning system and a method of operating such a warning system.

According to the invention there is provided a vehicle having a warning means arranged in use, when a closure member of the vehicle is in an opened condition, to emit a warning signal so as to alert a user to an activated state of at least one sub-system of the vehicle, wherein said warning signal is automatically disabled at least temporarily if a predetermined sequence of events surrounds the opening of a said closure member.

Said predetermined sequence of events may include the selection of a 1 said sub-system while a said closure member is in an open condition.

Said sub-system may comprise a lighting system and said warning signal may comprise a lights-on warning signal, whereby said lights-on warning signal may be automatically disabled if a vehicle lamp is switched on while a said closure member is open.

Said sub-system may be operably dependent on the state of a vehicle control means, wherein said sequence of events may include the placing of said control means into a predetermined state while a said closure member is in an opened condition.

Said control means may comprise an ignition switch, wherein said warning signal may be automatically disabled if an ignition key is inserted into said ignition switch, or if said ignition switch is placed into at least an auxiliary state, while a said closure member is open.

Said sequence of events may include the operation of a vehicle audio system so as to emit an audible signal above a predetermined amplitude.

The invention also provides a method of alerting a user of a vehicle, by emitting a warning signal, to an activated state of at least one subsystem of the vehicle when a closure member of the vehicle is in an opened condition, the method including disabling automatically the warning signal if a predetermined sequence of events surrounds the opening of a said closure member.

The method may include disabling said warning signal if a said subsystem is selected after opening a said closure member.

Activation of said sub-system may be at least in part dependent on the state of a vehicle control means and the method may include disabling automatically said warning signal if said control means is placed in a predetermined said state after opening a said closure member.

Said sequence of events may include operating an audio system of said vehicle so as to emit an audible signal above a predetermined amplitude.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to the invention; Figure 2 is a flow chart of the control logic of one aspect of a warning 5 system of the vehicle of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a flow chart of the control logic of a second aspect of a warning system of the vehicle of Figure 1.

Referring to the figures, a vehicle 10 has a warning system which includes a warning controller 12 which receives inputs from a pair of door switches 14 forming part of a pair of closure members in the form of doors 16. The doors 16 are each moveable between an open position "0" and a closed position "C" and the switches 14 provide "door openeW and "door closed" signals which are indicative of these positions to the controller 12.

The vehicle 10 also has a lighting system which includes a set of lights 18 and a light switch 20, the light switch 20 also forming part of the warning system. When the lights 18 are turned on, the light switch 20 provides a "lights-on" signal to the controller 12 which is indicative of that condition.

A control means is provided in the form of an ignition switch 22 which is operated by an associated ignition key 24. The ignition switch 22 provides a "key-in" signal to the controller 12, which indicates whether the key 24 is in the switch 22 and to which position the switch 22 has been 5 turned by that key 24 when it has been inserted.

The controller 12 has a memory (not shown separately) which includes a series of memory flags labelled as "door closed flags 1 and 2 ". These flags are selectively set or cleared by the controller 12.

The controller 12 selectively provides an output to a warning means in the form of a sounder 26. The controller 12 operates the sounder 26 if one or more of the doors 16 is opened while the lights 18 are turned on, so as to emit a Iights-on" warning tone. This is a warning to avoid the vehicle 10 being left with the lights 18 turned on.

The controller 12 also operates the sounder 26 to emit a different tone if a door 16 is opened with the key 24 having been left in the ignition switch 22. The different tone is a "key-in" warning tone and comprises a different sound to the Iights on" warning tone by, for example, emitting a tone having a different frequency or volume. This is a warning to prevent the vehicle 10 being left with the key 24 in the ignition switch 22.

In a similar fashion, a third tone is emitted if the ignition switch 22 is turned off while the lights 18 are still turned on and comprises, for example, an intermittent buzzing sound. This is a further "lights-on" warning tone and is used as a warning to prevent, for example, a user turning the ignition 5 switch 22 off while sitting in the vehicle 10 and not realising that the lights 18 are still on and draining a vehicle battery (not shown).

The use of a customised warning sound to distinguish between a plurality of sub-systems allows the user to distinguish between the 1 information conveyed by each of those warnings. The use of an audible 10 warning is not essential, for example a user who is deaf might prefer a visual warning or a key fob which vibrates as he leaves the vehicle 10.

There are times when the operation of the sounder 26 may not be desired and the warning system of the vehicle 10 of the present invention automatically disables the sounder 26, at least temporarily, if a predetermined sequence of events surrounds the opening of a door 16.

The controller 12 uses the sequence of events surrounding the ope i g of a door 16 to determine whether or not a user is leaving the vehicle 10 after use. In the case when a user is leaving the vehicle 10, the sounder 26 is operated if the lights 18 are on or the key 24 is in the ignition switch 22, so as to emit the appropriate "lights-on'or "key-in" warning tone.

If, however, the sequence of events surrounding the opening of a door 16 indicate that a user has, for example, deliberately turned the lights on with a door 16 opened or is entering the vehicle 10 rather than leaving it, then the controller 12 automatically disables the sounder 26 so as to prevent user 5 irritation.

The automatic disablement of the sounder 26 is best described with particular reference to the accompanying flow charts.

Referring now in particular to Figure 2, while the lights 18 are turned off, the "door closed flag V' is cleared and the sounder 26 does not operate.

There are no lights 18 turned on which necessitate the provision of a lightson warning and the loop thus provided allows the controller 12 to scan and monitor the state of the lighting sub-system periodically or substantially continuously. The frequency of scanning is conveniently preset in the controller 12 on manufacture.

By clearing the door closed flag 1 each time the system goes around this loop, the controller 12 ensures that any disabling of the lights-on warning as a result of the flag 1 being set (as described below) is only temporary. The flag 1 will always be cleared the next time the lights 18 are turned off.

- 8 " If the lights 18 are turned on, then the controller 12 scans the switches 14 to determine whether one or more of the doors 16 is in the open position "0". If both the doors 16 are in the closed position "C", then the door closed flag 1 is set, and because all the doors 16 are closed the sounder 26 does not 5 operate.

If, however, a door 16 is subsequently opened while the door closed flag 1 is set, then the sounder 26 operates to emit the lights-on warning tone. This ensures that the sounder 26 will always operate when a door 16 is opened after the lights 18 have been turned on. When the sounder 26 has been operated under these circumstances, the door closed flag 1 is cleared in preparation for the start of the next scan.

If, however, the lights 18 are only turned on after a door 16 has been opened, the door closed flag 1 will be in a cleared state and the controller 12 is programmed to decide that under such circumstances the sequence of events surrounding the opening of the door 16 indicate that the user wishes to operate the lights 18 with one or more of the doors 16 opened. The controller 12 then automatically disables the sounder 26.

Referring now in particular to Figure 3, while the key 24 is not in the ignition switch 22, the door closed flag 2 is cleared irrespective of whether any door 16 is open or not and the sounder 26 does not operate. There is no key 24 in the ignition switch 22 which necessitates the provision of a key-in warning and the loop thus provided allows the controller 12 to scan and monitor the state of the ignition switch and key sub-system 22, 24 periodically or substantially continuously. The frequency of scanning is conveniently preset in the controller 12 on manufacture.

By clearing the door closed flag 2 each time the system goes around this loop, the controller 12 ensures that any disabling of the key-in warning as a result of the flag 2 being set (as described below) is only temporary. The 1 flag 2 will always be cleared the next time the key 24 is removed from the 10 ignition switch 22.

If, while no door 16 is open, the key 24 is in the ignition switch 22 and has been placed in a predetermined position in relation to the ignition switch 22, which may be any one of the available positions on the ignition switch 22 or even a simple inserted or auxiliary position, then the door 15 closed flag 2 is set but the sounder 26 does not operate.

If a door 16 is subsequently opened while the key 24 is in the ignition switch 22 and the door closed flag 2 is set, then the controller 12 operates the sounder 26 to emit the key-in warning. This is because this set of conditions implies a sequence of events which indicate that the user is 20 leaving the vehicle 10 after use but has left the key 24 in the ignition switch 22. After operating the sounder 26 under these circumstances, the controller 12 clears the door closed flag 2 in preparation for the start of the next scan.

If, however, a door is opened without the key 24 being in the ignition switch 22, then the sounder 26 does not operate because the door closed flag 2 is not set. If the ignition key 24 is then inserted into the ignition lock 22, the sounder 26 still does not operate because the door closed flag 2 is still not set.

This arrangement automatically disables the sounder 26 if the key 24 is inserted after a door 16 has been opened and enables a user to control the circumstances surrounding the opening of the door 16 such that he can operate a further' sub -system with a door 16 open. This is so even if that sub-system needs the key 24 to be in a predetermined position in relation to the ignition switch 22, such as in an "auxiliary positiod'. For example, the user may wish to operate a vehicle telephone, a vehicle navigation system or an in-car-entertainment system such as a radio (none shown) while a door 16 is open but without the sounder 26 operating.

In the case of an in-car-entertainment system, the sounder 26 is preferably also temporarily disabled when the volume of an audio output of that system is above a predetermined level, as it is assumed that above this level a user should be able to hear that the system is operating and make his own judgement as to whether or not to turn it off.

1

Claims

A vehicle having a warning means arranged in use, when a closure member of the vehicle is in an opened condition, to emit a warning signal so as to alert a user to an activated state of at least one subsystem of the vehicle, wherein said warning signal is automatically disabled at least temporarily if a predetermined sequence of events surrounds the opening of a said closure member.
2. A vehicle according to Claim 1, said predetermined sequence of 1 events including the selection of a said sub-system while a said closure member is in an open condition.
3. A vehicle according to Claim 2, said sub-system comprising a lighting system and said warning signal comprising a lights-on warning signal, whereby said lights-on warning signal is automatically disabled if a vehicle lamp is switched on while a said closure member is open.
4. A vehicle according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, said sub-system being operably dependent on the state of a vehicle control means, wherein said sequence of events includes the placing of said control means into a predetermined state while a said closure member is in an opened condition.
5.

A vehicle according to Claim 4, said control means comprising an ignition switch, wherein said warning signal is automatically disabled if an ignition key is inserted into said ignition switch, or if said ignition switch is placed into at least an auxiliary state, while a said closure member is open.
6. A vehicle according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said sequence of events includes the operation of a vehicle audio system so as to emit an audible signal above a predetermined amplitude.
7. A vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
8. A method of alerting a user of a vehicle, by emitting a warning signal, to an activated state of at least one sub-system of the vehicle when a closure member of the vehicle is in an opened condition, the method including disabling automatically the warning signal if a predetermined sequence of events surrounds the opening of a said closure member.
9. A method according to Claim 8, including disabling said warning signal if a said sub-system is selected after opening a said closure member.
10. A method according to Claim 8, activation of said sub-system being at least in part dependent on te state of a vehicle control means and the method including disabling automatically said warning signal if said control means is placed in a predetermined said state after opening a said closure member.
11. A method according to Claim 8, said sequence of events including operating an audio system of said vehicle so as to emit an audible signal above a predetermined amplitude.
12. A method substantially as described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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