JPH1026067A - Remote engine starter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically confirm whether a vehicle is an automatic transmission vehicle in traveling of the vehicle by monitoring the output of a voltage detecting means for the time from starting of an engine by a key switch to stopping, and stopping of a function of a system when the high voltage is not detected. SOLUTION: The voltage at an A point in a receiver 2 is monitored for the time from starting of an engine by a key switch 11 to stopping. When the high voltage is detected, an automatic transmission vehicle is judged. When the high voltage is not detected, it s judged that the vehicle is not an automatic transmission vehicle, and a system function of a remote engine starter is stopped. Since the function of the system is stopped by confirming whether the vehicle is an automatic transmission vehicle or not during traveling, safety and reliability of the system are improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote engine starting device having a function of automatically confirming whether a vehicle is a so-called automatic vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A remote engine starting device (so-called remote control engine starter) is used for the purpose of sufficiently warming up an engine before an occupant gets on a vehicle, and operates a transmitter at a position away from the vehicle. Thus, the engine can be started automatically.

[0003] In general, such a device is mounted on a vehicle, and then resets the system to set the system in an operable state, thereby enabling the system to function as a system. And the engine can be started (normal operation) by key operation. In the system operation, in order to prevent a malfunction of the vehicle, it is general that a predetermined plurality of signals are detected (safety detection) and the engine can be started only when all signals are detected.

[0004]

Since this kind of remote engine starting device is applied to a specific vehicle with an automatic transmission (so-called automatic vehicle), the safety and reliability of the system are further improved. From the viewpoint of improvement, it is desired to have a function that can automatically confirm whether or not the vehicle is an automatic vehicle. However, conventionally, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is such a specific vehicle (automatic vehicle) during traveling. There was no one provided with a function that could be distinguished.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problem of a method for confirming a specific vehicle of a remote engine starting device, and it is possible to automatically confirm whether the vehicle is an automatic vehicle during traveling of the vehicle. It is an object to provide a remote engine starting device having a function.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a vehicle with an automatic transmission is provided with an inhibitor switch (for enabling a starter to operate only when a shift lever is in a P or N position). By monitoring the voltage at a certain point during traveling peculiar to the presence of the inhibitor switch, it is confirmed whether or not the vehicle is a predetermined specific vehicle (vehicle with an automatic transmission).

More specifically, a first aspect of the present invention is a remote engine starter mounted on a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission and capable of starting an engine by remote control, the voltage of an input terminal connected to a start position of a key switch. And a control means for monitoring the output of the voltage detection means during the period from start to stop of the engine by the key switch, and stopping the function of the system when a high voltage is not detected. And characterized in that:

In the present invention, attention is paid to the input terminal (also connected to the inhibitor switch) connected to the start position of the key switch, and the voltage of the input terminal is detected by the voltage detecting means. The control means monitors the output of the voltage detection means from the start to the stop of the engine by the key switch, and determines that the vehicle is not the predetermined specific vehicle when a high voltage is not detected. Then, the function of the system is stopped.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a main part circuit diagram showing an example of a state in which the remote engine starting device is attached to a specific vehicle.
Here, the specific vehicle means an automatic vehicle.

This remote engine starting device is composed of components such as a transmitter 1, a receiver 2 and an antenna 3 as in a conventional general device. Switch 11, the engine control unit 12, and the inhibitor switch 13).

The receiver 2 analyzes and processes a command signal (such as an engine start command) transmitted from the transmitter 1 and received by the antenna 3 to control the system, and has a built-in CPU 4. I have. The receiver 2 is provided with various input / output terminals connected to the vehicle side, and some of the input terminals are connected to the key switch 11. FIG.
2 shows only the input terminal 5 connected to the ignition (IGN) position of the key switch 11 and the input terminal 6 connected to the start (ST) position of the key switch 11. These input terminals 5 and 6 are connected via a resistor R. The input terminal 6 is connected to a CPU via an input circuit 7.
4 is connected. That is, the voltage of the input terminal 6 (the voltage at point A in the figure) is processed by the input circuit 7 (such as A / D conversion processing) and then input to the CPU 4. The voltage detecting means is constituted by the input circuit 7, and the control means is constituted by the CPU 4.

The key switch 11 is also connected to the engine control unit 12, and the ignition (IGN) position of the key switch 11 is also connected to the inhibitor switch 13. The inhibitor switch 13 has a function of closing the contact and enabling the starter 14 to operate only when an A / T shift lever (not shown) is at the P or N position. That is, the relay 15 is connected between the inhibitor switch 13 and the starter 14, and when the A / T shift lever is in a range other than the P and N positions, the contact of the inhibitor switch 13 is open. Even if the engine is started by the remote controller or the key switch 11 (the engine is started by key operation), the current does not flow through the coil of the relay 15 and the contact of the relay 15 remains open, and the current flows through the starter 14. And the engine does not start. In addition, relay 1
The other end of the contact 5 is connected to the plus (+) terminal of the vehicle-mounted battery 16, and the other end of the coil of the relay 15 is grounded.

In the above configuration, in order to determine whether or not the vehicle is a specific vehicle (automatic vehicle) while the vehicle is running, the key switch 11 is used to receive a signal from the start of the engine to the stop of the engine. The voltage at the point A in the machine 2 is monitored. If a high (Hi) voltage is detected during that time, it is determined that the vehicle is an automatic vehicle, and the high (H) voltage is detected.
When the voltage of i) is not detected (that is, when the voltage of the low (Lo) is continuously maintained), it is determined that the vehicle is not an automatic vehicle.

The principle will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing a change in the voltage at the point A during traveling.
T) and the case of a manual vehicle (M / T).

During normal driving, the key switch 11
Is in the ignition (IGN) position, and therefore, in an automatic vehicle, when the shift position is in a range other than P and N (for example, R, D, 2, 1 range), the resistance R of the voltage of the input terminal 5 (IGN voltage) Is applied to the point A, the voltage at the point A becomes high (Hi). On the other hand, when the shift position is in the P or N range, the input terminal 6 is grounded via the inhibitor switch 13 and the coil of the relay 15. Therefore, the voltage at the point A becomes low (Lo) (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the engine is started by the key switch 11 (ignition (IGN) ON → START (START) ON → START (START) OFF).
To stop the engine (ignition (IGN) OFF)
During this period, the voltage at point A changes due to the change in the shift position. When the vehicle is moving, the shift position is always in a range other than P and N. Therefore, except for idling only, that is, when the vehicle actually travels, the shift from the start of the engine by the key switch 11 to the stop of the engine is stopped. During this time, the voltage at the point A may become high (Hi) (the shaded portion in FIG. 2). On the other hand, in a manual vehicle, since the inhibitor switch 13 shown in FIG. 1 does not exist, the voltage at the point A remains low (Lo) regardless of the shift position during traveling.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a specific vehicle confirmation process during traveling. First, the key switch 11 is operated (that is, the ignition (IGN) O
N → Start (START) ON → Start (STAR)
T) OFF) When the engine is started (step S)
1) The CPU 4 in the receiver 2 inputs the voltage at the point A to the input circuit 7
(Step S2). This A
The monitoring of the point voltage is repeated until the key switch 11 is operated (that is, the ignition (IGN) is OFF) and the engine is stopped (step S3).

When the engine is stopped by the key switch 11, the CPU 4 determines whether or not the vehicle has actually traveled (step S4). If the answer is NO, only the idling operation is performed. I do. The determination in step S4 is made, for example, by monitoring a change in the shift position, and the shift position is in a range other than P and N (for example, R, D, 2, 1 range).
Is determined to have actually traveled. It is to be noted that whether or not the vehicle actually traveled is determined in step S4 because, as described above, unless the vehicle actually travels, there is no change in the voltage at the point A specific to the automatic vehicle.

If the result of the determination in step S4 is YES, it is further determined whether or not a high (Hi) voltage has been detected based on the result of monitoring the voltage at point A in step S2 (step S5). If YES, it is determined that the vehicle is a specific vehicle (automatic vehicle), and the series of processes ends without stopping the system function of the remote engine starter.

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S5 is NO, it is determined that the vehicle is not a specific vehicle (automatic vehicle), and the system function of the remote engine starting device is stopped. The system is set to an inoperative state (step S6). As a result, the system (CPU 4) does not perform engine start control or the like even if it receives a command signal (engine start command or the like) from the transmitter 1 unless the system is reset again.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is confirmed whether the vehicle is an automatic vehicle at the time of traveling, and if the vehicle is not an automatic vehicle, the system function of the remote engine starting device is stopped. Performance and reliability are further improved.

In addition, at this time, the process of confirming that the vehicle is an automatic vehicle is performed by monitoring the voltage change at the point A during the normal running of the vehicle by the key switch 11 without making any change to the existing circuit configuration and wiring relationship. There is no increase in costs because the software can be used alone.

[0022]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is a specific vehicle during traveling, and if the vehicle is not a specific vehicle, the function of the system is stopped. Further, the safety and reliability of the system can be further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main part circuit diagram showing an example of a state in which a remote engine starting device is mounted on an automatic vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing a change in a point A voltage during traveling.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a specific vehicle confirmation process during traveling.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Transmitter 2 ... Receiver 3 ... Antenna 4 ... CPU (Control means) 5, 6 ... Input terminal 7 ... Input circuit (Voltage detection means) 11 ... Key switch 12 ... Engine control unit 13 ... Inhibitor switch 14 ... Starter 15 ... Relay 16 ... Battery

Claims (1)

[Claims] A remote engine starter mounted on a vehicle with an automatic transmission and capable of starting an engine by remote control detects a voltage of an input terminal (6) connected to a start position of a key switch (11). And an output of the voltage detection means (7) during a period from the start to the stop of the engine by the key switch (11), and when a high voltage is not detected, And a control means (4) for stopping the function of (1).