JP3136512B2 - Engine start control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an engine start control device for automatically starting an engine and performing an idling operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The interior of an automobile immediately after the start of an engine is hot in summer and particularly freezing in winter morning.
In order to eliminate such driver discomfort, there is an increasing demand for an engine start control device that automatically starts an engine and performs an idling operation without operating an ignition switch of a vehicle.

[0003] Such an engine start control device supplies power to a starter motor drive circuit when a preset time is reached, when a preset time has elapsed, or when a radio signal emitted by a remote control operation is received. The cranking is performed by driving the starter motor, and thereafter, when the engine is started, the operation is continued in an idling state for a certain time.

As means for recognizing whether or not the engine has started, a method of detecting a difference between the battery voltage before cranking and a battery voltage after cranking, and a method in which the alternator starts power generation when the engine starts, thereby obtaining a signal Alternator L terminal where rises (hereinafter referred to as "L terminal")
And a method of detecting the voltage of

The method of detecting the difference between the battery voltages is as follows. The battery voltage after cranking, that is, the voltage when the engine is started, is the voltage before cranking, Since the voltage becomes higher than the voltage when the engine is not started, if a certain difference between the two is detected within a certain time, it is recognized that the engine has started. Further, the method of detecting the voltage of the L terminal is such that the L terminal voltage when the engine is not running is a small voltage, whereas when the engine is started and power generation is started by the alternator, the L terminal voltage is thereby detected. Since the voltage rises, when it is detected within a certain time that the L terminal voltage becomes equivalent to the battery voltage, it is recognized that the engine has started.

[0006]

However, among the above-mentioned recognition means, in the former method, various factors on the vehicle side,
For example, depending on the battery capacity, the state of the battery, the amount of power generated by the alternator, and the like, the amount and time of increase in the battery voltage are various, but since the determination conditions are set uniformly, the engine is started. Nevertheless, there were cases where the engine start at that time could not be recognized. Further, since the rising difference is detected after a certain cranking time has elapsed, the cranking by the starter motor is performed continuously for an unnecessarily long time, and the battery power is wasted.

In the latter method, when the rise of the voltage at the L terminal can be detected, the point of starting the engine can be almost certainly recognized. However, the wiring from the L terminal is located in a place where the L terminal is very complicated. And special wiring, which takes time and is a difficult task.

[0008] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above,
An object of the present invention is to provide an engine start control device capable of recognizing the start of an engine quickly and in a timely manner and without special wiring for recognizing the start of the engine.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a start command for outputting a start command signal to an engine is provided in an engine start control device for automatically starting an engine and performing idling operation. Signal output means, start-related equipment command means for instructing a start-related device to perform a predetermined operation based on the start command signal, and starter drive command means for instructing and driving application of a battery voltage to a starter based on the start command signal A battery voltage monitor for monitoring the fluctuation of the battery voltage and detecting a transition from cranking to engine start when detecting a continuous rise of the battery voltage for a predetermined time, and stopping the command to apply the battery voltage to the starter drive command means. Means and permission / prohibition of the operation of the battery voltage monitoring means.
And a selection switch for selecting .

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an engine start control device according to the present invention. In the figure, an engine start control device 1 of the present invention includes a start command signal output means for outputting a start command signal s to an engine, and a start-related device command for instructing a start-related device 11 to perform a predetermined operation based on the start command signal s. Means 3, a starter drive command means 4 for commanding and driving the application of a battery voltage to the starter 8 based on the start command signal s, and monitoring a voltage fluctuation of the battery 9 to detect a continuous rise of the battery voltage V for a predetermined time. And a battery voltage monitoring means 5 for stopping the command to apply the battery voltage V to the starter drive command means 4 when the engine shifts from cranking to engine start.

The above-mentioned start command signal output means is, for example, the time setting device 2 of the operation unit 23 arranged at the front of the driver's seat.
31 and a timer 7 that operates according to the setting. The start command signal s in this configuration is used when the time or time set by the driver with the time setting device 231 elapses.
Output from The set time and set time in the time setting unit 231 are displayed on the display unit 13 so that the driver can easily set the time while watching the display. The start command signal output means includes, for example, a remote controller (remote controller) 22 and a radio wave detection circuit 21. In this configuration, the start command signal s outputs a radio wave emitted from the remote control 22 when the driver operates indoors. The signal is received by the radio wave detection circuit 21 by the antenna 21a, and is output from the radio wave detection circuit 21 in response thereto.

The start-related device command means 3, the starter drive command means 4, and the battery voltage monitoring means 5 constitute an engine start control unit 10. The engine start control unit 10 is a microcomputer that operates mainly with a CPU.
Are respectively configured as functions of software executed according to a predetermined control program stored in the ROM. The timer 7 and an A / D converter 6 described later are also built in the microcomputer, and exchange signals with the CPU via a bus.

When the start-related device command means 3 receives the above-mentioned start command signal s, it causes the start-related device 11 to perform a predetermined operation. For example, in the case of a gasoline-powered vehicle, a command signal is output to the ignition coil to generate a high voltage based on the battery voltage V and supply the high voltage to the ignition plug, thereby causing spark discharge in the cylinder.

When the starter drive command means 4 receives the start command signal s, it sends out a switch-on signal to the starter switch mechanism 14 to bring the starter switch mechanism 14 into a contact state, and applies the battery voltage V to the starter 8. Starter (motor drive circuit and the starter motor) 8 drives the motor by the battery voltage V, whereby the ring gear rotates the crankshaft 12 via a flywheel (not shown), performs cranking.

The battery voltage monitoring means 5 digitizes and takes in the battery voltage V that fluctuates with the cranking by the A / D converter 6 and obtains an average when a plurality of pieces of conversion data are taken in. This is a recognition value.
That is, the recognition value of the battery voltage V is updated each time the averaging operation is performed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a fluctuation state of the battery voltage. When the starter 8 starts cranking, as shown in the figure, the battery voltage V drops greatly due to the influence of the motor drive by the starter 8 (point A). Thereafter, the battery voltage V increases. At this time, the battery voltage monitoring means 5 detects an increase in the recognized value of the battery voltage V, and starts detecting a continuous increase in the recognized value of the battery voltage V. Even if the cranking continues, if the engine does not start, the battery voltage V drops again (point B) due to the drive of the motor of the starter 8, and the recognized value of the battery voltage V in the battery voltage monitoring means 5 also decreases. . Battery voltage V
Is decreased, the battery voltage monitoring means 5 discards all data relating to the detection of the continuous rise, and again
The state is in a state of waiting for the battery voltage V to rise.

Thus, until the engine starts,
When the starter 8 continues to drive the motor, the recognized value of the battery voltage V in the battery voltage monitoring means 5 repeats rising and falling. When the engine is started (point C), even if the motor driving is continued, the battery voltage V Does not fall but continues to rise (D). If the battery voltage monitoring means 5 keeps detecting the voltage rise for a predetermined time, it determines that the engine has started, cuts off the power supply from the battery 9 to the starter 8, and stops cranking (point E). . That is, the battery voltage V
Is stopped, thereby stopping the starter switch mechanism 14 and stopping the motor drive.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of engine start control according to the present invention. First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the start command signal s has been input. If it has been input, the process proceeds to the next step S2, otherwise returns directly.

In step S2, a command is issued to the starter 8 and the starting-related equipment 11, and the flow advances to the next step S3.

In step S3, it is determined whether or not the fetched recognition value of the battery voltage V has been updated. If the value has been updated, the process proceeds to the next step S4, and if not, the process returns.

In step S4, the current update value is compared with the previous update value to determine whether the current update value is equal to or greater than the previous update value. The process proceeds to step S5, and if it is not equal to or greater than the previous update value, the process branches to step S11 and proceeds.

In step S11, since the recognized value of the battery voltage V has not risen, the recognized value data is initialized.
Return as it is.

In step S5, it is determined whether or not the recognized value of the battery voltage V has been continuously increasing for a predetermined time.
Go to 6, otherwise return as it is.

In step S6, since the recognized value of the battery voltage V has been continuously increased for a predetermined time, it is recognized that the engine has started, and the process proceeds to the next step S7.

In step S7, the cranking is stopped, that is, the power supply to the starter 8 is stopped, and the process returns.

As described above, in this embodiment, the battery voltage V is monitored, and when it is detected that the battery voltage V has continuously increased for a predetermined time (see FIG. 2).
(Point E), the engine is recognized as being started, so that cranking can be stopped with a slight time difference from the actual engine start (point C in FIG. 2), and unnecessary cranking after engine start is performed. Can be minimized, and the cranking time can be made substantially the same as when the driver starts the engine by manually operating the ignition switch. On the other hand, conventionally, since the cranking time is set to be sufficiently long, the cranking is performed for a long time even after the engine is started. As described above, according to the present invention, cranking can be stopped more quickly and timely than in the conventional method, and wasteful consumption of battery power can be suppressed accordingly.

Further, no special wiring is required for engine start recognition, and therefore, the start of the engine can be more easily recognized.

In the above description, the engine start control according to the present invention is configured to always function. However, the operation unit 23 is provided with a selection switch 232, which is connected to the engine start control unit 10, and the setting by the selection switch 232 is performed. Thus, it may be possible to select whether to operate the engine start control of the present invention or to operate the conventional start control. In this case, the setting of the selection switch 232 is displayed on the display unit 13.

In a vehicle-side situation such as a battery or a surrounding environment mainly based on an outside air temperature, for example, an environment in an extremely cold region, etc.
Although the engine start is likely to be unstable, in this embodiment, since the selection switch 232 is provided, in such an extreme situation, the conventional engine start control is selected and the cranking time is extended. In addition, it is possible to stabilize the start, and therefore, it is possible to perform the engine start control according to the situation, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the malfunction of the engine start recognition.

The engine start control device of the present invention can be widely applied to a starter-type engine regardless of a gasoline engine, a diesel engine, or any other engine mode.

[0031]

As described above, according to the engine start control device of the present invention, the engine is started when the battery voltage is monitored and it is detected that the battery voltage has continuously increased for a predetermined time. Since it is recognized, cranking can be stopped with a slight time difference from the actual start of the engine, unnecessary cranking after engine start is minimized, and the driver operates the engine by manually operating the ignition switch. The cranking time can be made substantially the same as when starting. Therefore, as compared with the conventional method of detecting and recognizing a difference in battery voltage, cranking can be stopped more quickly and timely, and wasteful consumption of battery power can be suppressed accordingly.

Further, no special wiring is required for engine start recognition, and therefore, the start of the engine can be more easily recognized.

Further, since permission / prohibition of the operation of the battery voltage monitoring means can be selected, the vehicle can be diversified,
It is possible to appropriately cope with the influence of the environment mainly on the outside air temperature, and it is possible to reliably prevent the malfunction of the engine start recognition caused by the influence.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an engine start control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a fluctuation state of a battery voltage.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of engine start control according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 engine start control device 3 start-related equipment command means 4 starter drive command means 5 battery voltage monitoring means 6 A / D converter 7 timer 8 starter 9 battery 10 engine start control unit 11 start-related equipment 12 crankshaft 13 display unit 14 starter Switch mechanism 21 Radio wave detection circuit 22 Remote controller 23 Operation section 231 Time setting device 232 Selection switch

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F02N 11/08

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An engine start control device for automatically starting an engine and performing an idling operation, comprising: a start command signal output means for outputting a start command signal to the engine; and a start-related device based on the start command signal. Start-related device command means for commanding a predetermined operation; starter drive command means for commanding and driving the application of a battery voltage to a starter based on the start command signal; and monitoring the fluctuation of the battery voltage for a predetermined time of the battery voltage. When a continuous rise is detected, it is determined that a transition from cranking to engine start has been made. The battery voltage monitoring means for stopping the command to apply the battery voltage to the starter drive command means and the permission / prohibition of the operation of the battery voltage monitoring means are selected. You
An engine start control device , comprising: a selection switch .