JP2011111913A - Control device for idling stop vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To safely and surely restart an engine in idling stop so as to cause intermittence of sound and reset of a voice output device as little as possible without increasing capacity of a battery and a boosting means for taking the maximum sound volume of the voice output device into account in this kind of idling stop vehicles in which power sources of an important load for vehicle travel and the voice output device are composed in two system of the battery and the boosting means. <P>SOLUTION: In restart of the engine 3 from idling stop state under control of an SVC control part 8 by boosting voltage of a lead battery 2 power source at a boosting electric power supply part 12b and supplying electricity to the important load for vehicle travel such as the SVC control part 8 and the voice output device 21 when prescribed conditions in an idling stop state are satisfied, output sound volume of the volume output device 21 is limited to sound volume with which electricity supply quantity from the lead battery 2 to the boosting electricity supply part 12b does not exceed set capacity by a sound volume control means, and the engine in idling stop is restarted so as to cause intermittence of sound and reset of the voice output device 21 as little as possible. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an idling stop vehicle control device that restarts an idling stop engine with a boosted power source of a vehicle-mounted battery, and more specifically, the boosted power source supplies power to an audio output device such as an audio device in the vehicle. It is related with the control of electric power feeding.

  In general, when an idle stop vehicle stops running because the brake pedal is depressed due to a red light or the like, the engine is automatically stopped and idled by satisfying a predetermined idle stop condition such as the brake pedal being depressed. Maintaining the state of the stop, then when the signal changes from red to blue, etc., based on the driver's brake pedal release operation, the engine is restarted by satisfying the predetermined release condition of the idle stop, Release the idle stop and restart the engine. At that time, in order to prevent the vehicle from slipping down on a slope, an appropriate brake is applied when the engine is restarted (especially during the cranking period) by means of a brake pressure control means of VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) -ECU (Electronic Control Unit). It is necessary to maintain the pressure (hydraulic pressure). Therefore, it is necessary for the brake pressure control means and the like to supply power from the battery even when the engine is restarted as an important load for vehicle travel.

  By the way, the engine is started and restarted by driving the starter with the stored energy of the battery of an in-vehicle secondary battery typified by a lead battery, so that the idling stop control is executed with a small amount of charge of the battery. Then, in an extreme case, the engine cannot be restarted. This problem is particularly important when idling stop is performed by using a relatively small-capacity on-board battery to cover the power supply in the vehicle.

  That is, this type of idle stop vehicle is equipped with a voice output device such as an audio device or a navigation device as a general load that is not so important for vehicle running, and an idle stop engine is provided by a single on-board battery having a relatively small capacity. If the sound output device is loud and the power consumption is large even during idle stop, it is difficult to restart the engine when releasing the idle stop. Is likely to fall into a situation. In addition, if normal power supply cannot be performed to an important vehicle traveling load such as a brake pressure control means when the engine is restarted, there is a possibility that a serious problem on the traveling function such as a vehicle sliding down at the time of restart may occur. .

  Therefore, in this kind of idle stop vehicle, when releasing the idle stop state and restarting the engine, power supply from the battery to the general load is temporarily cut off to secure the power necessary for restarting the engine. (See, for example, Patent Document 1 (abstract, paragraphs [0009], [0036], FIG. 1)).

  Further, in this type of idle stop vehicle, as a control device, a boosting unit such as a boosting converter for boosting the power supply voltage of the battery is provided, and the boosting is applied to an important load such as a brake pressure control unit that is important for running (operation) of the vehicle. It has also been proposed that the boosting power source of the means is supplied so that the engine can be restarted safely and reliably (for example, Patent Document 2 (paragraphs [0078]-[0100], FIGS. 1 and 3). , FIG. 6 etc.)).

  Therefore, the power source of the important load for driving the vehicle is connected to the battery and the booster unit, and the booster unit is operated when the engine is restarted at idle stop when the voltage of the battery is greatly reduced, and the important load is driven by the booster source of the booster unit. In other cases, it is conceivable to reduce the size of the battery and boosting means by driving the important load with the power source of the battery. Even with this configuration, when the engine is restarted, for example, the brake pressure control means of the VSC-ECU can be reliably operated by the backup power supply of the boost power source, and the appropriate brake pressure can be reliably maintained. Other important loads also operate reliably by the backup power supply of the boosting power source when the engine restarts when the battery voltage decreases. For this reason, there is no problem in traveling the vehicle.

JP 2007-138720 A JP 2005-218159 A

  As described in Patent Document 1, when the engine is restarted, the power supply from the battery to the general load is temporarily interrupted. Therefore, the voice output device that is a general load stops the power supply when the engine is restarted. As a result, the sound is interrupted, or it is inadvertently reset (including stopping), causing discomfort to the passengers.

  Further, as described in Patent Document 2, if the boosting power supply is continuously supplied to the important load over the entire idle stop period, the battery and the boosting means become large. In addition, since the battery power is directly supplied to the general load such as an audio output device, the voltage of the battery is at most about a few seconds at the time of engine restart (particularly the cranking period) during idle stop. There is a high possibility that the sound will drop greatly, and the sound will be interrupted, inadvertently reset, or stopped.

  Therefore, the important load for driving the vehicle and the power source of the sound output device are two systems of the battery and the booster, and the booster is operated when the engine is restarted at idle stop when the voltage of the battery is greatly reduced. It can be considered that the battery and the boosting means are miniaturized by driving with the boosting power supply of the boosting means, and driving the important load and the audio output device with the battery power supply in other cases. Even with this configuration, when the engine is restarted, for example, the brake pressure control means of the VSC-ECU can be reliably operated by the backup power supply of the boost power source, and the appropriate brake pressure can be reliably maintained. Can be restarted safely and reliably. Also, the sound output device can avoid a situation where the sound is interrupted or is inadvertently reset (including stoppage) by supplying power from the boosted power source when the engine is restarted when the battery voltage decreases.

  However, even when two types of power supply as described above are performed, if the remaining capacity of the battery is small at the time of restarting the engine, the amount of power supplied to the boosting means is reduced as much as possible to give priority to engine restart. Need to do.

  For this reason, if the battery voltage is equal to or lower than a set threshold value when the engine is restarted, it is possible to unconditionally cut off the power supply of the boosting power source from the boosting means to the audio output device that is a general load. In such a configuration, when the battery voltage falls below the threshold value, power supply to the sound output device is unconditionally stopped when the engine is restarted, and the sound of the sound output device is interrupted, There is a problem that the passengers feel uncomfortable because they are reset carelessly. Note that the above problem can be solved if the capacity of the battery or the boosting unit is set to a large capacity that can cover the power consumption at the maximum volume of the audio output device. It is often selected and installed (including replacement) before and after purchase, and its power consumption varies depending on the maximum volume and the like. Therefore, in order to cover the largest power consumption expected as an audio output device, the capacity of the battery and the boosting means must be extremely large, which is not practical because of a large and expensive configuration.

  The present invention relates to an idle stop vehicle of this type in which the power source of an audio output device, which is an important load for vehicle travel and a general load, is configured with two systems of a battery and a booster, in consideration of the maximum volume of the audio output device. It is an object of the present invention to be able to safely and surely restart the engine of the idle stop by preventing the sound output device from being interrupted or resetting as much as possible without increasing the capacity of the boosting means.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the control device for an idle stop vehicle according to the present invention boosts the power source of an on-vehicle battery by a boosting means and establishes an important load and sound for vehicle travel when a predetermined condition is established in the idle stop state. A control device for an idle stop vehicle that feeds power to an output device and restarts the engine from an idle stop state under the control of the important load, wherein the output volume of the audio output device when the engine is restarted is set to the battery The sound volume control means for limiting the power supply amount from the power supply to the boosting means to a volume that does not exceed a set capacity is provided (claim 1).

  In the case of the first aspect of the invention, when the engine of idle stop is restarted, the output volume of the audio output device is limited so that the amount of power supplied from the battery to the booster means does not exceed the set capacity. The engine can be restarted safely and reliably by supplying the boosting power source of the boosting means to an important load for traveling the vehicle without interrupting the power supply to the audio output device. In this case, the sound output device continues to operate without the power being cut off even during the restart of the engine, and the sound is not interrupted or reset. In addition, the capacity of the battery or the boosting unit only needs to cover the set capacity, and it is not necessary to increase the capacity to cover the power consumption of the sound output device at a large volume.

  Therefore, in this type of idle stop vehicle in which the power source of the audio output device, which is an important load for vehicle travel and a general load, is configured by two systems of the battery and the booster, the battery and the booster are considered in consideration of the maximum volume of the audio output device. Without increasing the capacity of the engine, it is possible to safely and surely restart the engine of the idle stop so that the sound output device is not interrupted or reset as much as possible.

It is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a part of FIG. 1. It is explanatory drawing of the volume control example of FIG. It is a flowchart of the volume control of FIG. FIG. 6 is a detailed block diagram of a portion of another embodiment of the present invention.

  Next, in order to describe the present invention in more detail, an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

(One embodiment)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 shows a block configuration of a control device for an idle stop vehicle 1. The idle stop vehicle 1 includes a single lead battery 2 having a relatively small capacity of 12 V as a power source in order to reduce weight, size, and the like. The lead battery 2 is an in-vehicle battery of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3 denotes an engine of the idle stop vehicle 1, and 4 denotes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) on the transmission side of the engine 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes a starter for starting the engine 3, which is supplied with power from the lead battery 2. Reference numeral 6 denotes an alternator to which the rotational force of the engine 3 is transmitted via the belt 7 and charges the lead battery 2 with a power generation output during traveling.

  Reference numeral 8 denotes a VSC control unit formed by the VSC-ECU, which has a well-known ABS (anti-lock brake system), TCS (traction control system), anti-skid control function, and a brake cylinder master cylinder hydraulic pressure sensor 9 By controlling the brake actuators 10a, 10b, etc., based on the detected brake fluid pressure, the steering angle sensor, the steering angle detected by the yaw rate sensor, the yaw rate, etc., it is possible to prevent the tire from locking when sudden braking is applied ( (ABS), control of tire slip at start and acceleration (TCS), and adjust engine 3 output and braking effectiveness during cornering (prevent skidding). And the brake pressure control means of the hill start assist control which is an important load of the vehicle travel of the present invention is formed using a part of functions including brake actuators 10a and 10b of VSC control part 8. Although not shown, the idle stop vehicle 1 includes a torque converter, and a creep force is generated by the driving force of the engine 3 when the transmission 4 is in the travel range.

  Reference numeral 11 denotes an idle stop control unit having an ECU configuration, which includes a control processing unit 12a and a step-up power supply unit 12b. The step-up power supply unit 12b is a so-called backup boost converter (BBC) and forms the step-up means of the present invention.

  The control processing unit 12a of the idle stop control unit 11 is connected to various control units and sensors in the vehicle such as the VSC control unit 8 via the in-vehicle communication bus 13 such as CAN (Controller Area Network) and the like. Information on the brake fluid pressure of the hydraulic pressure sensor 9 obtained from the unit 8 via the bus 13, information on the coolant temperature of the temperature sensor 14 of the engine 3, information on the charging current of the current sensor 15 of the lead battery 2, and vehicle speed Collect information. The control processing unit 12a of the idle stop control unit 11 includes information on IG ON (IG ON), accessory power ON (ACC ON), and IG OFF (IG OFF) based on the operation of the IG key, Information such as inclination determination information, opening / closing information of the engine hood switch 17, opening / closing information of the courtesy switch 18 of the door on the driver's seat, on / off information of the eco-run cancel switch 19 and the like are also input.

  The control processing unit 12a has an idle stop control function, a hill start assist control function, and a volume control function that are executed by software processing of a computer.

  The idling stop control function satisfies the predetermined idling stop condition such as the brake pedal being depressed, and the idling stop is permitted. As long as the operation mode is not canceled (off), the idle stop control is executed, the engine 3 is automatically stopped based on the information such as the brake fluid pressure of the hydraulic pressure sensor 9 and the vehicle speed, and then the driver releases the brake pedal. The engine 3 is automatically restarted when a predetermined release condition for idling stop is established.

  The hill start assist control function is a brake control similar to the well-known hill hold function for maintaining the idle stop vehicle 1 in a stopped state on a slope, for example, the driver switches the foot from the brake pedal 20 to an accelerator pedal (not shown). The brake fluid pressure is maintained via the brake actuators 10a and 10b of the VSC control unit 8 to prevent the idle stop vehicle 1 from sliding down. The brake actuators 10a and 10b are originally provided as VSC actuators, and are also used for hill start assist control.

  The volume control function is a function of controlling the volume of the audio output device 21 provided as one of the general loads in the idle stop vehicle 1 via the bus 13, and is formed by a volume control means described later of the control processing unit 12. When the engine 3 in the idle stop is restarted, the output volume of the audio output device 21 is limited to a volume at which the power supply amount from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b does not exceed the set capacity. The audio output device 21 includes an audio device of the idle stop vehicle 1, a navigation device (car navigation), and the like. In addition to the audio output device 21, the general load to which the boost power supply of the boost power supply unit 12b is supplied includes an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection System) in-vehicle device, various meters, and the like.

  The boost power supply unit 12b of the idle stop control unit 11 boosts the power supply voltage formed by boosting the power supply voltage of the lead battery 2 during the engine restart of the idle stop via the semiconductor switch 22a as an important load side switch means. At least one or more important loads for vehicle driving (operation) including at least the VSC control unit 8 and one or more general loads such as the audio output device 21 via the semiconductor switch 22b as general load side switch means Power is supplied to (a load that is easily affected by fluctuations in the power supply voltage but is not so important for vehicle travel).

  The idle stop control unit 11 includes a boost power supply control unit 23 having an ECU configuration. The step-up power supply control unit 23, for example, based on various commands and timing information of the idle stop control of the control processing unit 12a via the bus 13 and the voltage detection result of the step-up power supply of the step-up power supply unit 12b, the semiconductor switch 22a, 22b is controlled to be turned on (closed) and off (open). Basically, when the engine 3 stopped by the idle stop is restarted, the semiconductor switches 22a and 22b are turned on to turn on the important loads and some of the audio output devices 21 and the like. A backup power supply for a boost power supply to a general load is formed. The idle stop control unit 11 is formed so as to operate even with a low power supply voltage in consideration of safety, operates reliably with the voltage of the lead battery 2 even when the engine is restarted, and the boost power supply of the boost power supply unit 12b is Power is not supplied.

  The important load of the VSC control unit 8 or the like is supplied from the power source of the lead battery 2 to the power receiving terminal α common to the power source of the lead battery 2 and the boosted power source via the fuse 25 and the diode 26 of the main power supply path 24, The step-up power supply of the switch 22 a is fed to the power receiving end α via the diode 27. Further, the general load such as the audio output device 21 is supplied with power from the lead battery 2 through the fuse 28 and the diode 29 of the main power supply path 24, and the boosted power supply from the semiconductor switch 22 b is supplied through the diode 30.

  By the way, the boosting power supply unit 12b is in an operating state when the idle stop engine 3 is restarted based on an on / off command of the drive synchronized with the engine restart of the control processing unit 12a via the bus 13, and its output. By feedback control of the switching element of the converter based on monitoring of the voltage (boost voltage), for example, a converter output of double voltage is formed and smoothed, so that the lead battery 2 is slightly discharged and its power supply voltage is, for example, 8V Even when the voltage drops to 6V, the boosted power supply of the output voltage Vb controlled to the rated voltage (12V) of the substantially lead battery 2 is generated.

  Further, the boost power supply control unit 23 compares the latest output voltage Vb of the boost power supply unit 12b captured via the control processing unit 12a and the bus 13 with the set predetermined voltage Vref, for example. The predetermined voltage Vref is, for example, a voltage slightly higher than the lowest power supply voltage at which the audio output device 21 can operate, and is set by an experiment or the like.

  When the engine 3 is restarted due to the establishment of a predetermined condition such as the release of the brake pedal in the idle stop state (particularly during the cranking period), if Vb> Vref, the boost power supply control unit 23 is a semiconductor switch. 22a and 22b are controlled to be turned on, and at this time, the boosted power source of the voltage Vb is supplied to the important load such as the VSC controller 8 and the general load such as the audio output device 21 via the diodes 27 and 30.

  Accordingly, some general loads including the important load such as the VSC control unit 8 and the audio output device 21 may be applied to the semiconductor switches 22a and 22b when the engine 3 is operated and the lead battery 2 is charged with the power generation output of the alternator 5. Is turned off and a battery power source having a good voltage of the lead battery 2 (actually, the power generation output of the alternator 5) is directly fed, and the voltage of the lead battery 2 decreases when the engine 3 of the idle stop is restarted. Under the condition of> Vref, the semiconductor switches 22a and 22b are turned on. At this time, the voltage Vb of the boosted power source obtained by boosting the battery power source by the boost power supply unit 12b becomes higher than the power source pressure of the lead battery 2, Power is supplied with priority.

  In this way, the two loads of power are supplied to important loads such as the VSC control unit 8 and some general loads including the audio output device 21, so that the audio output is performed when the engine 3 in the idle stop is restarted. While the operation of the device 21 is continued, the hill start assist control of the VSC control unit 8 is performed to reliably prevent the idle stop vehicle 1 from slipping down and to safely restart the engine 3.

  On the other hand, when the lead battery 2 seems to be discharged and drops to Vb <Vref when the engine 3 is restarted or in the middle thereof, the boost power supply control unit 23 turns off the semiconductor switch 22b to apply a general load such as the audio output device 21 or the like. Disconnecting from the boost power supply unit 12b, power supply to the general load such as the audio output device 21 of the boost power supply is stopped, and the boost power supply is supplied only to the important load such as the VSC control unit 8. In this way, when the engine is started, the decrease in the voltage Vb of the boost power supply is prevented as much as possible, and the boost power supply of the voltage Vref or higher is supplied to the important load such as the VSC control unit 8 and the important load such as the VSC control unit 8 is supplied. It operates reliably, and the engine 3 can be restarted safely and reliably. In addition, since the voltage of the lead battery 2 is restored by charging after the engine 3 is restarted, the semiconductor switches 22 a and 22 b are turned off under the control of the boost power supply control unit 23.

  However, when the engine 3 is restarted or during Vb <Vref during the restart, the boost power source of the boost power supply unit 12b is not supplied to a general load such as the audio output device 21, so that the audio of the audio output device 21 is interrupted. Or the audio output device 21 is reset, which gives the passenger discomfort. In particular, when the audio output device 21 is operating at a high volume, a situation where Vb <Vref is likely to occur when the engine 3 in the idle stop is restarted or during the restart.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the sound volume control means of the present invention formed by the sound volume control function of the control processing unit 12a and the sound output device 21 is provided, and the engine 3 is restarted when a predetermined condition is established in the idle stop state. The output volume of the audio output device 21 at the time of starting is limited to a volume at which the amount of power supplied from the lead battery 2 to the boosting power supply unit 12b does not exceed the set capacity, and Vb is as much as possible when the engine 3 is restarted or during the restart. <Do not drop to Vref. Note that the sound output device 21 adjusts the sound volume based on the sound volume level data.

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a volume control hand, and the volume control means of the present invention includes a battery voltage detection unit 121, a volume detection unit 122, a volume limit command unit 123 of the control processing unit 12a, and a volume adjustment unit of the audio output device 21. 211, a bus 13 serving as a communication path connecting the control processing unit 12a and the audio output device 21. Note that reference numerals 124 and 212 in FIG. 2 denote communication input / output units (input / output interface units) of the control processing unit 12a and the audio output device 21. Further, the battery voltage detection unit 121, the volume detection unit 122, and the volume limit command unit 123 are actually realized by software processing of a computer.

  The battery voltage detection unit 121 detects the latest battery voltage (power supply voltage) VB of the lead battery 2 fed to the control processing unit 12a.

  In addition, the volume detection unit 122 takes in the current volume (volume level) setting data of the volume adjustment unit 211 of the audio output device 21 received via the bus 13 and detects the latest volume of the audio output device 21. Detect as Sd.

  Furthermore, when the volume restriction command unit 123 detects the start of restart of the engine 3 at idle stop from the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure sensor 9, for example, if the detected volume Sd is first greater than the set reference volume Sr, the sound output is performed. In order to limit the volume of the device 21 to the reference volume Sr, a volume command for the reference volume Sr is sent to the audio output device 21 via the bus 13. Note that broken line arrows in FIG. 1 indicate volume control communication between the control processing unit 12a and the audio output device 21.

  Then, the volume adjustment unit 211 adjusts the set volume to a volume of a smaller level between the level of the volume set by the operation of the audio output device 21 and the level of the volume command via the bus 13, for example. Is programmed to do so.

  Therefore, at the start of restart of the engine 3, the set volume of the volume adjusting unit 211 is automatically set to the reference volume Sr or less, and the volume of the audio output device 21 is limited to the reference volume Sr or less.

  The reference volume Sr is a standard volume in which the amount of power supplied from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b does not exceed a set capacity, which will be described later, even if the audio output device 21 operates at that volume, and is set by experiment or the like. . Further, the reference volume Sr may be a constant volume that does not depend on the battery voltage VB of the lead battery 2, but a volume limit command unit is prepared by creating map data and characteristic line data of preferable volumes for various battery voltages VB in advance. 123, it is preferable to set the reference volume Sr to a volume corresponding to the battery voltage VB at that time when the restart of the engine 3 is detected.

  Next, the volume restriction command unit 123 monitors whether or not the power supply amount from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b exceeds the set capacity by the boost voltage Vb of the boost power supply unit 12b. That is, map data and characteristic line data of the amount of power supplied from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b for various boosted voltages Vb are created in advance and held in the volume restriction command unit 123, and the volume of the audio output device 21 is set to the reference volume. After limiting to Sr, during the restart of the engine 3, it is repeatedly determined whether or not the power supply amount from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b exceeds the set capacity based on the latest boosted voltage Vb.

  The set capacity is an amount of power supply that can continue the power supply and restart the engine 3 safely and reliably if the capacity is supplied. The set capacity is set by an experiment or the like. The set amount may be a fixed amount that does not depend on the battery voltage VB when the engine 3 is restarted. For example, map data and characteristic lines for various battery voltages VB when the engine 3 starts restarting. More preferably, the data is created in advance and held in the volume limit command unit 123, and is set according to the battery voltage VB when the restart of the engine 3 is started.

  Even if the volume of the audio output device 21 is initially limited to the reference volume Sr or less, if the power supply amount from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b exceeds the set capacity, the volume limit command unit 123 sets A volume command for continuously decreasing (fade out) linearly from the reference volume Sr with a certain gradient is sent to the audio output device 21 via the bus 13, and the volume of the audio output device 21 is further continuously linearly. The amount of power supplied from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b is surely limited to a volume that does not exceed the set capacity. In this way, the output voltage Vb of the boosting power supply unit 12b does not drop to Vb <Vref when the engine 3 is restarted or in the middle thereof, and the boosting power supply of the boosting power supply unit 12b is generally used for the audio output device 21 or the like. The power supply to the load can be continued, the sound of the sound output device 21 is not interrupted, the sound output device 21 is not reset, and the passenger is not uncomfortable. Even if the volume of the audio output device 21 is continuously linearly limited, if the power supply amount from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b exceeds the set capacity, the output voltage Vb of the boost power supply unit 12b is Vb < By decreasing to Vref, the semiconductor switch 22b is turned off, the general load such as the audio output device 21 is disconnected from the boost power supply unit 12b, the power supply to the general load such as the audio output device 21 of the boost power supply is stopped, and the VSC The boost power supply is fed only to the important load such as the control unit 8 and the important load such as the VSC control unit 8 operates reliably and the engine 3 is restarted safely and reliably.

  Next, when the cranking period elapses and the engine 3 is completely detonated and the restart of the engine 3 is completed, the alternator 5 starts generating electricity, and the lead battery 2 is charged with the output and the important load or general load is Therefore, the semiconductor switches 22a and 22b are turned off, and the volume restriction command unit 123 switches to, for example, a volume command of the maximum volume (100% volume).

  Therefore, the volume adjustment unit 211 of the audio output device 21 immediately returns the set volume to the original volume level set by operating the audio output device 21 or the like, and the audio output device 21 is the original volume before restarting the engine 3. Return to the volume.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the volume change of the audio output device 21 based on the volume control described above. Time t1 is the time when the engine 3 is restarted, and time t2 is the time when the engine 3 is completely exploded and the restart is completed. is there. Then, the volume of the audio output device 21 is limited to the reference volume Sr at time t1, and thereafter decreases linearly continuously to a certain level, and immediately returns to the original volume Sd at time t2.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the processing procedure of the volume restriction command unit 123. When the engine 3 in the idle stop is restarted, the volume of the audio output device 21 is first limited to the reference volume Sr or less (step S1). Next, the boosted voltage Vb is detected, and it is monitored whether or not the power supply amount from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b exceeds the set capacity (step S2). When the amount of power supplied from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b exceeds the set capacity (Yes in Step S3), the volume of the audio output device 21 is further linearly limited (Step S4). Until the engine 3 is completely detonated, step S5 is negated (NO), and the process returns to step S2. If step S3 is negative (NO), the process proceeds to step S5 without passing through step S4. When the engine 3 completes explosion and the output detection voltage VB of the battery 3 rises above the specified voltage and returns, step S5 is passed in an affirmative (YES), and the volume of the step sound output device 21 is restored ( Step S6).

  By performing the volume control described above, when the engine 3 in the idle stop is restarted, the output volume of the audio output device 21 is automatically limited, and the power supply amount from the lead battery 2 to the boost power supply unit 12b becomes the set capacity. Even if the remaining capacity of the lead battery 2 is relatively small, the boost power supply of the boost power supply unit 12b is VSC controlled without interrupting the power supply from the boost power supply unit 12b to the audio output device 21. Power can be supplied to an important load for vehicle travel, such as the section 8, and the engine can be restarted safely and reliably under the control. In this case, the sound output device 21 continues to operate without being shut off even during the restart of the engine 3, and the sound is not interrupted or reset, so that the passenger is not uncomfortable. In addition, the capacity of the lead battery 2 and the boost power supply unit 12b only needs to cover the set capacity, and does not need to be large enough to cover the power consumption of the audio output device 21 at a large volume.

  Therefore, in this kind of idle stop vehicle in which the power source of the voice output device 21 that is an important load and a general load of the vehicle such as the VSC control unit 8 is configured by the two systems of the battery 2 and the boost power feeding unit 12b, the voice output device 21 In consideration of the maximum volume of the battery, it is safe to restart the engine 3 of the idle stop without increasing the capacity of the lead battery 2 or the boosting power supply unit 12b and preventing the sound output device 21 from being interrupted or reset as much as possible. Can be done reliably.

  Moreover, when the engine 3 is in a complete explosion state and the restart is completed, the volume of the audio output device 21 is automatically returned to the original volume before the restriction, so that the passenger can change the volume of the audio output device 21. There are also benefits that you can hardly notice.

(Other embodiments)
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 to 4 denote the same or corresponding parts.

  FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the volume control hand of this embodiment, and corresponds to FIG. The difference between the volume control means of this embodiment and the volume control means of the embodiment is that the volume of the audio output device 21 is detected by a sound pressure sensor 31 such as a microphone installed in the vehicle, and the detection is performed. The output is input to the volume detection unit 122 of the control processing unit 12a by wire or wireless instead of the volume setting data, and the detected volume Sd is obtained from the actually detected volume. Other configurations are the same as those in the embodiment.

  Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, the volume of the audio output device 21 is limited without sending the volume setting data of the audio output device 21 via the bus 13 from the audio output device 21 to the control processing unit 12a. The same effects as in the embodiment can be obtained.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications other than those described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Of course, the load may be one or a plurality of loads that perform predetermined control at least when the engine is stopped at an idle stop. The number and type of general loads may be any configuration including the audio output device 21, and at least the audio output device 21 of the general loads is supplied with power from two systems of the battery and the booster together with the important load. Any configuration can be used.

  Further, if the audio output device 21 has a plurality of output channels, the volume control of a specific output channel may be performed. For example, when the speaker system of the audio output device 21 is a system composed of left and right speakers and a subwoofer or a multi-channel system such as a 5.1 channel system, or a speaker for a front seat and a rear seat When configured with speakers, the volume of specific speakers (subwoofers with high power consumption, selected speakers, etc.) of those speaker systems may be limited.

  Furthermore, it goes without saying that the capacity of the lead battery 2, the predetermined voltage Vref, the size of the reference volume Sr, and the like may be appropriately set based on design specifications, experiments, and the like. Needless to say, the battery of the present invention may be various secondary batteries other than the lead battery 2.

  Further, the configuration of the brake pressure control means of the hill start assist control may be any way, and of course, a relay switch or the like may be used instead of the semiconductor switches 22a and 22b.

  Next, the configuration and control procedure of the sound volume control means may be whatever, and are not limited to the configurations and control procedures of both the embodiments.

  The present invention can be applied not only to the idle stop vehicle 1 using only the engine 3 as a drive source, but also to an idle stop vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle using the engine 3 and a fuel cell as a drive source.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Idle stop vehicle 2 Lead battery 3 Engine 8 VSC control part 11 Idle stop control part 12a Control processing part 12b Boosting electric power feeding part 21 Audio | voice output apparatus 31 Sound pressure sensor 121 Battery voltage detection part 122 Volume detection part 123 Volume limit instruction | command part 211 Volume Adjustment section

Claims (1)

When the predetermined condition is established in the idle stop state, the on-board battery power is boosted by the boosting means to supply power to the vehicle's critical load and voice output device, and the engine is restarted from the idle stop state under the control of the critical load. A control device for an idle stop vehicle that starts,
An idle stop vehicle comprising: volume control means for limiting an output volume of the audio output device when the engine is restarted to a volume at which a power supply amount from the battery to the boosting means does not exceed a set capacity. Control device.

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