JP7651432B2 - Vehicle control device and vehicle control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method that generates an alarm when an electronic key is removed from a vehicle with the power supply device turned on.

Patent document 1 describes an electronic key removal alarm control device that turns off the electronic key removal alarm control if it is confirmed that only one occupant is in the vehicle when the occupant gets out of the vehicle.

JP 2013-100676 A

In the device described in Patent Document 1, if only the driver is in the vehicle, no alarm will sound even if the driver unintentionally takes the electronic key outside the vehicle, which could be inconvenient.
An object of the present invention is to improve convenience for vehicle users by preventing unnecessary issuance of a key removal alarm while ensuring safety.

One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control device including a take-out alarm unit that emits an alarm when it detects a key-out state in which the electronic key of a vehicle has been taken outside the vehicle, and an alarm control unit that controls the operation of the take-out alarm unit, and when the alarm control unit detects that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, it prohibits the take-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm when the key is taken out, and when a power switch that switches the operation of a power supply unit of the vehicle is operated after prohibiting the emission of the alarm, the alarm control unit lifts the prohibition on the take-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm .
Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control device including a take-out alarm unit that emits an alarm when it detects a key-out state in which the electronic key of a vehicle has been taken outside the vehicle, and an alarm control unit that controls the operation of the take-out alarm unit, wherein when the alarm control unit detects that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device of the vehicle and/or the electronic key, it prohibits the take-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm when the key is taken out, and when a shift operation of the vehicle is performed after the alarm control unit has prohibited the take-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm.
Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control device including a take-out alarm unit that emits an alarm when it detects a key-out state in which the electronic key of a vehicle has been taken outside the vehicle, and an alarm control unit that controls the operation of the take-out alarm unit, wherein when the alarm control unit detects that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device of the vehicle and/or the electronic key, it prohibits the take-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm when the key is taken out, and when the vehicle door to the driver's seat of the vehicle is opened or closed after prohibiting the emission of the alarm, the alarm control unit lifts the prohibition on the take-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm.
Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control device including a take-out alarm unit that emits an alarm when it detects that a vehicle's electronic key has been taken outside the vehicle, and an alarm control unit that controls the operation of the take-out alarm unit, wherein when the alarm control unit detects that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device of the vehicle and/or the electronic key, it prohibits the take-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm in the key-out state, and when the specified operation on the electronic key is performed, the alarm control unit prohibits the take-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm in the key-out state, on condition that the electronic key is within the interior of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the alarm control unit sets an alarm prohibition period that is a predetermined time from the time the specified operation is detected, and prohibits the carry-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound during the alarm prohibition period.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a determination unit is provided which determines whether the electronic key is inside the vehicle, and when the determination unit detects that a signal has been received from the electronic key while the power supply device of the vehicle is on, the determination unit transmits a location information request signal to the electronic key via multiple antennas provided on the vehicle, requesting location information of the electronic key, and determines whether the electronic key is inside the vehicle based on the location information returned from the electronic key.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the predetermined operation includes a plurality of operations on the electronic key.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the predetermined operation includes a plurality of operations on a lock mechanism of a vehicle door provided in the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the predetermined operation includes an operation performed simultaneously on the electronic key and at least one of the actuators, and/or an operation performed simultaneously on at least two of the actuators.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply control unit that turns off the power supply device of the vehicle when the key-out state continues beyond an allowable time, and when the alarm control unit prohibits the key-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound, the power supply control unit sets the allowable time to be shorter than when emission of the alarm sound is not prohibited.
Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising the steps of: emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state is detected in which the vehicle's electronic key has been taken outside the vehicle; and restricting the emission of the alarm sound in the emitting step, wherein the restricting step prohibits emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state when it is detected that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device of the vehicle and/or the electronic key, and lifts the prohibition on emission of the alarm sound when a power switch that switches the operation of a power supply device of the vehicle is operated after prohibiting emission of the alarm sound .
Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising the steps of: emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state is detected in which the electronic key of the vehicle has been taken outside the vehicle; and restricting the emission of the alarm sound in the emitting step, wherein the restricting step includes a step of prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state when it is detected that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device of the vehicle and/or the electronic key, and lifting the prohibition on the emission of the alarm sound when a shift operation of the vehicle is performed after the prohibition of the emission of the alarm sound.
Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising the steps of: emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state is detected in which the vehicle's electronic key has been taken outside the vehicle; and restricting the emission of the alarm sound in the emitting step, wherein the restricting step includes a step of prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state when it is detected that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device of the vehicle and/or the electronic key, and lifting the prohibition on the emission of the alarm sound when the driver's door of the vehicle is opened or closed after the prohibition of the emission of the alarm sound.
Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising the steps of: emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state in which the electronic key of the vehicle has been taken outside the vehicle is detected; and restricting the emission of the alarm sound in the emitting step, wherein the restricting step includes a step of prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state when it is detected that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device of the vehicle and/or the electronic key, and prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state when the specified operation on the electronic key is performed, provided that the electronic key is within the interior of the vehicle.

The present invention can improve convenience for vehicle users by preventing unnecessary key removal alarms from being issued while ensuring safety.

The above objectives will improve the convenience of vehicles in a variety of situations for users with various characteristics, and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs through the realization of a sustainable motorized society (SDG 11.2, etc.).

1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an arrangement of an RF antenna and an LF antenna in a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an electronic key. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a remote switch and a door SIL switch in a driver's door. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an alarm issuing process in the vehicle control device. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an alarm restriction process in the vehicle control device. FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle 1 equipped with a vehicle control device 3 according to the present embodiment. The vehicle 1 is, for example, an electric vehicle.
The vehicle control device 3 includes a processor 30 and a memory 35. The memory 35 is, for example, configured with a volatile and/or non-volatile semiconductor memory and/or a hard disk device, etc. The processor 30 is a computer included in the vehicle control device 3, and is, for example, configured with one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units) or MPUs (Micro Processing Units).

The vehicle control device 3 communicates with the on-board devices of the vehicle 1, such as the communication control ECU 4 (Electronic Control Unit), drive control ECU 7, door control ECU 13, and warning device 20, via the on-board network 2. The on-board network 2 is not limited to a single communication network that performs communication in accordance with a single communication standard, but may be configured as multiple communication networks that perform communication in accordance with various communication standards such as CAN, Ethernet (registered trademark), and USB, which are connected to each other independently or via a gateway device, etc., depending on the amount of information to be communicated between the various on-board devices described above and/or the frequency of communication.

The warning sound device 20 controls the emission of a warning sound by a warning horn 21 .
The communication control ECU 4 communicates with an electronic key 25 of the vehicle 1 that is placed in the cabin of the vehicle 1 or taken out of the vehicle 1. The electronic key 25 may be a so-called FOB key or smart key that is used for locking and unlocking the vehicle doors of the vehicle 1 and for authentication when starting to use the vehicle 1.

The communication control ECU 4 has a first communication device 5 and a second communication device 6 that has a shorter communication distance than the first communication device 5. According to conventional technology, the first communication device 5 is an RF communication device that performs high-frequency communication of, for example, several hundred MHz, and the second communication device 6 is an LF communication device that performs low-frequency communication of, for example, several hundred kHz. The first communication device 5 communicates with the electronic key 25 using an RF antenna 41 and has a communication distance of several tens of meters. The second communication device 6 communicates with the electronic key 25 using, for example, four LF antennas 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d, and has a communication distance of about several meters.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the RF antenna 41 and the LF antennas 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d in the vehicle 1. According to conventional technology, the RF antenna 41 is arranged, for example, in the center of the vehicle 1, and the LF antennas 42a and 42b are arranged, for example, in the front and rear of the vehicle interior near the inside of the tailgate door 43e. In addition, the LF antenna 42c can be arranged in the vehicle interior between the passenger door 43b and the rear left door 43d, and the LF antenna 42d can be arranged in the vehicle interior between the driver's door 43a and the rear right door 43c.

The first communication device 5 receives signals transmitted from the electronic key 25 via an RF antenna 41. The second communication device 6 transmits signals to the electronic key 25 via four LF antennas 42. The electronic key 25 generates location information indicating the location of the electronic key 25 (e.g., information on whether the electronic key 25 is inside or outside the vehicle) based on the strength of the signals transmitted from the four LF antennas 42. The electronic key 25 transmits the generated location information via RF communication, and the first communication device 5 receives the transmitted location information.

Hereinafter, the LF antennas 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d will be collectively referred to as the LF antennas 42, and the driver's door 43a, passenger door 43b, rear right door 43c, and rear left door 43d will be collectively referred to as the vehicle doors 43.

3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the electronic key 25. The electronic key 25 is provided with, for example, a lock button 52a and an unlock button 52b for instructing the vehicle 1 to lock and unlock all vehicle doors 43, and door opening/closing buttons 53a and 53b for instructing the driver's door 43a and passenger's door 43b to be opened and closed. When the user operates one of these buttons, the electronic key 25 transmits operation information about the operation by RF communication. The communication control ECU 4 receives the transmitted operation information by the first communication device 5 and sends the received operation information to the door control ECU 13. The door control ECU 13 uses the door lock mechanism 14 to lock or unlock the vehicle doors 43, or uses the door opening/closing mechanism 18 to open or close the driver's door 43a or passenger's door 43b, depending on the operation information.

Referring to FIG. 1, the drive control ECU 7 controls the driving of the vehicle 1. For example, the drive control ECU 7 turns on/off a power supply device 9 that supplies power to a driving motor (not shown) provided in the vehicle 1 in response to the driver's operation of a power switch 8 provided in the vehicle cabin. The drive control ECU 7 also controls the speed, etc. of the vehicle 1 based on information from a shift sensor 10 that detects the position of a shift lever (not shown), a brake sensor 11 that detects the operation of a foot brake (not shown), and a side brake sensor 12 that detects the operation of a side brake (not shown), and performs operations required when stopping or parking the vehicle.

The door control ECU 13 controls the door lock mechanism 14 and door opening/closing mechanism 18 of each vehicle door 43, and monitors their operation using a door lock sensor 15 and a door opening/closing sensor 19. For example, the door control ECU 13 controls the door lock mechanism 14 to lock and unlock each vehicle door 43 based on user operation of the remote switch 16 and door SIL switch 17 provided on the driver's door 43a, and user operation of the electronic key 25 acquired via the communication control ECU 4.

Figure 4 shows an example of the arrangement of the remote switch 16 and the door SIL switch 17 on the driver's door. The remote switch 16, according to the prior art, includes a lock button 50a and an unlock button 50b for locking and unlocking all vehicle doors 43, and four window buttons 51 for opening and closing the windows of each of the four vehicle doors 43 except the tailgate door 43e.

Referring to FIG. 1, the processor 30 of the vehicle control device 3 includes, as functional elements or functional units, a removal warning section 31, a warning control section 32, a determination section 33, and a power supply control section 34. These functional elements of the processor 30 are realized, for example, by the processor 30, which is a computer, executing a vehicle control program 36, which is a computer program stored in a memory 35. Alternatively, all or part of the above-mentioned functional elements of the processor 30 can be configured by hardware, each of which includes one or more electronic circuit components. The vehicle control program 36 can be stored in any computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory.

The key-out alarm unit 31 issues an alarm sound when it detects a key-out state in which the electronic key 25 of the vehicle 1 has been taken outside the vehicle. Specifically, when the key-out alarm unit 31 detects a key-out state in which the power switch 8 of the vehicle 1 is on, the electronic key 25 is outside the vehicle 1, and all vehicle doors 43 are closed, it causes the alarm device 20 to emit an alarm sound from the alarm horn 21 toward the outside of the vehicle 1. Hereinafter, the alarm sound emitted by the key-out alarm unit 31 after detecting the key-out state is also referred to as a key-out alarm sound.

For example, when the power switch 8 is on and the removal alarm unit 31 detects that one of the vehicle doors 43 has been opened, it acquires the position of the electronic key 25 at a predetermined time interval. The removal alarm unit 31 then determines that the vehicle 1 has detected a key removal state when all vehicle doors 43 are closed while the electronic key 25 is outside the vehicle 1. Here, the removal alarm unit 31 acquires the state of the power switch 8, the position of the electronic key 25, and the open/closed state of the vehicle doors 43 from the drive control ECU 7, communication control ECU 4, and door control ECU 13, respectively.

The alarm control unit 32 controls the operation of the key removal alarm unit 31. When the alarm control unit 32 detects that a specified operation has been performed on the operator and/or electronic key 25 of the vehicle 1 that can be operated by the user, it instructs the key removal alarm unit 31 to prohibit the emission of an alarm sound after detecting the key removal state. This prohibits the emission of a key removal alarm sound when the user clearly indicates an intention to not require a key removal alarm by performing a specified operation, thereby ensuring the safety of the vehicle 1 while preventing the emission of unnecessary key removal alarm sounds and improving user convenience.

Hereinafter, the operation mode of the carry-out alarm unit 31 that generates a key-out alarm sound when it detects a key-out state will be referred to as the normal mode, and the operation mode of the carry-out alarm unit 31 that does not generate a key-out alarm sound even when it detects a key-out state will be referred to as the alarm prohibition mode. That is, when the carry-out alarm unit 31 is instructed by the alarm control unit 32 to prohibit the generation of the key-out alarm sound, it switches the operation mode from the normal mode to the alarm prohibition mode. Also, when the carry-out alarm unit 31 is instructed by the alarm control unit 32 to release the prohibition on the generation of the key-out alarm sound, it switches the operation mode from the alarm prohibition mode to the normal mode. The release of the prohibition on the generation of the key-out alarm sound will be described later.

When instructing the carry-out alarm unit 31 to prohibit the generation of a key-out alarm sound, the alarm control unit 32 may set an alarm prohibition period (e.g., 30 seconds) that is a predetermined time from the detection of the above-mentioned specified operation, and prohibit the carry-out alarm unit 31 from generating a key-out alarm sound during the alarm prohibition period. When the alarm prohibition period has elapsed, the carry-out alarm unit 31 switches the operation mode from the alarm prohibition mode to the normal mode.

The above-mentioned predetermined operation may be a repetition of multiple operations on the operating device and/or electronic key 25 of the vehicle 1. For example, the predetermined operation may be an operation in which the locking operation and the unlocking operation on the door lock mechanism 14 of the vehicle door 43 are alternately repeated four times each. Such locking and unlocking operations may be performed by the lock button 52a and the unlock button 52b of the electronic key 25, the lock button 50a and the unlock button 50b of the remote switch 16 provided on the driver's door 43a, or the door SIL switch 17 provided on the driver's door 43a. The alarm control unit 32 can detect the predetermined operation of the locking and unlocking operations on the door lock mechanism 14 via the door control ECU 13.

For example, the predetermined operation may be a repeated operation of the door opening/closing button 53a or 53b provided on the electronic key 25. The alarm control unit 32 detects these operations, for example, via the door control ECU 13.

For example, the predetermined operation may be a repeated operation of a predetermined operating device, such as a brake pedal, a parking brake, or a button for opening and closing a door window. The alarm control unit 32 can obtain the operation of these operating devices from the drive control ECU 7, the door control ECU 13, or other in-vehicle ECUs.

Alternatively, the specified operation may be an operation performed simultaneously on the electronic key 25 and at least one operating device, and/or an operation performed simultaneously on at least two operating devices. This makes it possible to more reliably grasp the user's intention of not requiring a key removal alarm, and to prevent unnecessary key removal alarms from being issued.

The alarm control unit 32 may prohibit the key removal alarm unit 31 from emitting a key removal alarm sound when the specified operation on the electronic key 25 is performed, provided that the electronic key is inside the vehicle. This prevents a person other than the current user from switching the vehicle 1 to an alarm-prohibited state from outside the vehicle without the current user's knowledge, for example, when multiple people have electronic keys for the vehicle 1. Specifically, the alarm control unit 32 determines whether the specified operation on the electronic key 25 has been performed, for example, when the determination unit 33 described below determines that the electronic key 25 is inside the vehicle.

In addition, after prohibiting the take-out alarm unit 31 from emitting the key-out alarm sound, the alarm control unit 32 instructs the take-out alarm unit 31 to lift the prohibition on emitting the key-out alarm sound when any of the following prohibition lifting conditions is satisfied.
A: It was detected that the power switch 8 was operated.
B: A shift operation was detected in vehicle 1.
C: It was detected that the driver's door 43a of the vehicle 1 was opened and then closed.

The portable alarm unit 31, which has received the above-mentioned cancellation instruction from the alarm control unit 32, switches the operation mode from the alarm prohibition mode to the normal mode. This allows the alarm prohibition state to be cancelled when the user attempts to resume driving or when the user returns to the vehicle 1.

For example, when the prohibition on the generation of the key removal alarm sound is instructed to the removal alarm unit 31 by the prohibition release condition C, the removal alarm unit 31 returns to the normal mode, and when the driver's door 43a is opened or closed thereafter while the key is removed, the removal alarm sound is emitted. Therefore, for example, in the alarm prohibition mode, if a user having the electronic key 25 opens and closes the driver's door 43a twice without getting into the vehicle 1, the removal alarm unit 31 returns to the normal mode with the first door opening and closing, and emits the removal alarm sound after the second door opening and closing operation.

The determination unit 33 determines whether the electronic key 25 is inside the vehicle 1. When the power supply device 9 is on and the determination unit 33 detects that it has received a signal from the electronic key 25, it sends a location information request signal to the electronic key 25 requesting location information of the electronic key 25. The determination unit 33 then determines whether the electronic key 25 is inside the vehicle 1 based on the location information returned from the electronic key 25. Here, the determination unit 33 detects whether a signal has been received from the electronic key 25 and exchanges signals and information with the electronic key 25, for example, via the terminal detection ECU 17.

The power supply control unit 34 turns off the power supply device 9 when the key-out state continues beyond the allowable time. In particular, when the alarm control unit 32 prohibits the key-out alarm unit 31 from emitting a key-out alarm sound, the power supply control unit 34 sets the allowable time to be shorter than when the key-out alarm sound is not prohibited. For example, the power supply control unit 34 sets the allowable time when the key-out alarm sound is not prohibited to a default first time (e.g., 1 hour) and the allowable time when the key-out alarm sound is prohibited to a second time (e.g., 15 minutes). As a result, even if the user forgets to set the alarm prohibition state after setting it, the power supply device 9 can be automatically turned off earlier than normal, thereby improving safety and preventing unnecessary power consumption.

Next, the operational procedures in the vehicle control device 3 will be described. Figures 4 and 5 are flow diagrams showing the operational procedures of the alarm issuing process mainly performed by the portable alarm unit 31, and the alarm limiting process mainly performed by the alarm control unit 32, respectively. The processes shown in Figures 4 and 5 are executed repeatedly.

Next, the warning issuing process will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.
When the process starts, the key removal alarm unit 31 judges whether or not it has detected that the vehicle 1 has entered a key removed state (S100). If the vehicle 1 is not in a key removed state (S100, NO), the key removal alarm unit 31 returns to step S100 and waits for the vehicle 1 to enter a key removed state. On the other hand, if the vehicle 1 has entered a key removed state (S100, YES), the key removal alarm unit 31 judges whether or not it has received an instruction to prohibit the key removal alarm sound from the alarm control unit 32 within the most recent predetermined time (S102). This instruction is sent from the alarm control unit 32 in step S202 in FIG. 6, which will be described later.

When an instruction to prohibit the key removal alarm sound has been received from the alarm control unit 32 (S102, YES), the key removal alarm unit 31 switches the operation mode from the normal mode to the alarm prohibition mode (S104). In addition, the power supply control unit 34 sets the allowable time until the power supply device 9 is automatically turned off to a second time (e.g., a time in the range of 10 to 15 minutes) that is shorter than the default first time (e.g., a time in the range of 30 minutes to 1 hour) (S106).

Then, the carry-out warning unit 31 judges whether the time elapsed since the key carry-out state has exceeded the warning prohibition period specified by the warning control unit 32 together with the instruction to prohibit the key carry-out warning sound (S108). If the warning prohibition period has not elapsed (S108, NO), the carry-out warning unit 31 judges whether an instruction to return from the warning prohibition mode to the normal mode has been received from the warning control unit 32 (S110). This return instruction is sent from the warning control unit 32 in step S210 of FIG. 6.

When a return instruction is received (S110, YES), the carry-out warning unit 31 switches the operation mode from the warning prohibition mode to the normal mode (S112) and ends the process. On the other hand, when a return instruction is not received in step S110 (S110, NO), the carry-out warning unit 31 returns to step S108 and repeats the process.

On the other hand, when the alarm prohibition period has elapsed in step S108 (S108, YES), the carry-out alarm unit 31 proceeds to step S112 and switches the operation mode from the alarm prohibition mode to the normal mode. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S102 that the instruction to prohibit the key carry-out alarm sound has not been received from the alarm control unit 32 (S102, NO), the carry-out alarm unit 31 instructs the alarm device 20 to emit the key carry-out alarm sound from the alarm device 21 (S114). In addition, the power supply control unit 34 sets the allowable time until the power supply device 9 is automatically turned off to the default first time (for example, 1 hour) (S116). Next, the carry-out alarm unit 31 determines whether or not a cancellation operation for the key carry-out alarm sound has been detected (S118). Here, the cancellation operation for the key carry-out alarm sound can be an operation of opening and closing any of the vehicle doors 43 of the vehicle 1.

If the key removal alarm sound is not cancelled (S118, NO), the key removal alarm unit 31 repeats the process of step S118 and waits for the key removal alarm sound to be cancelled. On the other hand, if the key removal alarm sound cancellation operation is detected (S118, YES), the key removal alarm unit 31 instructs the warning device 20 to stop the key removal alarm sound (S120) and then ends the process.

Next, the warning restriction process will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.
When the process starts, the alarm control unit 32 judges whether or not a predetermined operation by the user has been detected (S200). As described above, the predetermined operation may be, for example, a plurality of repeated operations for locking or opening and closing the door using the electronic key 25, a plurality of repeated operations for locking the door using the remote switch 16, etc.

If the specified operation is not detected (S200, NO), the alarm control unit 32 ends the process. On the other hand, if the specified operation is detected (S200, YES), the alarm control unit 32 specifies an alarm prohibition period for the removal alarm unit 31 and prohibits the key removal alarm unit 31 from emitting a key removal alarm during the alarm prohibition period after the key removal state is detected (S202). Here, if the detected specified operation is an operation on the electronic key 25, the alarm control unit 32 prohibits the removal alarm unit 31 from emitting a key removal alarm during the alarm prohibition period, provided that the determination unit 33 determined that the electronic key 25 was present in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 1 prior to the detection.

Next, the alarm control unit 32 judges whether the take-out alarm unit 31 has detected the key-out state (S204). For this judgment, the judgment result of the take-out alarm unit 31 in step S100 of FIG. 5 is used. Then, when the take-out alarm unit 31 detects the key-out state (S204, YES), the alarm control unit 32 judges whether the alarm prohibition period has elapsed since the key-out state was detected (S206). Then, when the alarm prohibition period has not elapsed (S206, NO), the alarm control unit 32 judges whether any of the prohibition release conditions has been satisfied (S208). Then, when any of the prohibition release conditions has been satisfied (S208, YES), the alarm control unit 32 instructs the take-out alarm unit 31 to return from the alarm prohibition mode to the normal mode (S210), and then ends the process.

On the other hand, if none of the prohibition release conditions are satisfied in step S208 (S208, NO), the alarm control unit 32 returns to step S206 and repeats the process. On the other hand, if the alarm prohibition period has elapsed in step S206 (S206, YES), the alarm control unit 32 ends the process.

In addition, when the key removal alarm unit 31 does not detect the key removal state in step S204 (S204, NO), the alarm control unit 32 judges whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the removal alarm unit 31 was instructed to prohibit the issuance of the key removal alarm sound (S212). Then, when the predetermined time has not elapsed (S212, NO), the alarm control unit 32 returns to step S204 and waits for the key removal state to be detected. On the other hand, when the predetermined time has elapsed in step S212 (S212, YES), the alarm control unit 32 moves the process to step S210, instructs the removal alarm unit 31 to return from the alarm prohibition mode to the normal mode, and then ends the process.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and its modified examples, but can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For example, in the alarm issuing process shown in FIG. 5, after issuing an alarm sound in step S114, the portable alarm unit 31 waits for an alarm cancel operation to be detected before stopping issuance of the alarm sound (S118 and S120). However, the condition for stopping the alarm sound after issuance of the alarm sound is not limited to detection of an alarm cancel operation. For example, the portable alarm unit 31 may stop the alarm sound when a predetermined time in the range of about 2 to 5 seconds has elapsed since issuing the alarm sound in step S114, that is, when the alarm sound has been output for about 2 to 5 seconds.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle, but is not limited to this. Vehicle 1 may be a vehicle driven by any method, such as a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, or a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine and a motor.

The above embodiment supports the following configurations:

(Configuration 1) A vehicle control device including a key-out alarm unit that emits an alarm sound when it detects that a vehicle's electronic key has been taken outside the vehicle, and an alarm control unit that controls the operation of the key-out alarm unit, wherein when the alarm control unit detects that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, it prohibits the key-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound when the key is taken out.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 1, the issuance of a key-out alarm is prohibited when the user indicates a clear intention of not requiring a key-out alarm by performing a specified operation, thereby preventing the issuance of unnecessary key-out alarms while ensuring the safety of the vehicle, thereby improving user convenience.
(Configuration 2) The vehicle control device described in configuration 1, wherein the alarm control unit sets an alarm prohibition period that is a predetermined time from the time the specified operation is detected, and prohibits the portable alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound during the alarm prohibition period.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 2, it is possible to prevent the warning prohibition state from continuing for an unnecessarily long period of time.
(Configuration 3) A vehicle control device as described in configuration 1 or 2, in which, when a power switch that switches the operation of the vehicle's power supply device is operated after prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound, the alarm control unit lifts the prohibition on the portable alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 3, the warning inhibition state can be released when the user intends to resume driving.
(Configuration 4) A vehicle control device described in any of configurations 1 to 3, wherein when a shift operation of the vehicle is performed after prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound, the alarm control unit lifts the prohibition on the portable alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 4, the alarm inhibition state can be reliably released when the user intends to resume driving.
(Configuration 5) A vehicle control device described in any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the alarm control unit, after prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound, when the driver's door of the vehicle is opened or closed, lifts the prohibition on the portable alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 5, the alarm inhibition state can be cancelled when the user returns to the vehicle.
(Configuration 6) A vehicle control device described in any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the alarm control unit prohibits the key removal alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound when the specified operation is performed on the electronic key, provided that the electronic key is inside the vehicle.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 6, for example, when there are multiple people who have electronic keys for the same vehicle, it is possible to prevent a person other than the current user from switching the vehicle into an alarm-prohibited state from outside the vehicle without the current user's knowledge.
(Configuration 7) A vehicle control device as described in Configuration 6, further comprising a judgment unit that judges whether the electronic key is inside the vehicle, and when the judgment unit detects that a signal has been received from the electronic key while the power supply device of the vehicle is on, the judgment unit transmits a location information request signal to the electronic key via multiple antennas provided on the vehicle, requesting location information of the electronic key, and judges whether the electronic key is inside the vehicle based on the location information returned from the electronic key.
In the vehicle control device of configuration 7, the determination unit determines whether the electronic key is present in the vehicle cabin in response to receiving a signal from the electronic key, and the alarm control unit then determines whether a predetermined operation has been performed on the electronic key. This eliminates the need for the alarm control unit to monitor all signals from the electronic key, thereby reducing the processing load.
(Configuration 8) The vehicle control device according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein the predetermined operation includes multiple operations on the electronic key.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 8, the user can easily perform a predetermined operation for transitioning the vehicle to the alarm prohibition state.
(Configuration 9) The vehicle control device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the predetermined operation includes a plurality of operations on a lock mechanism of a vehicle door provided on the vehicle.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 9, the user can easily perform a predetermined operation for transitioning the vehicle to the alarm prohibition state.
(Configuration 10) A vehicle control device described in any one of configurations 1 to 9, wherein the specified operation includes an operation performed simultaneously on the electronic key and at least one of the operating devices, and/or an operation performed simultaneously on at least two of the operating devices.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 10, it is possible to more reliably grasp the user's intention of not requiring a key removal alarm, and to prevent the issuance of an unnecessary key removal alarm.
(Configuration 11) A vehicle control device as described in any of configurations 1 to 10, further comprising a power supply control unit that turns off the power supply device of the vehicle when the key-out state continues beyond an allowable time, and when the alarm control unit prohibits the key-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound, the power supply control unit sets the allowable time shorter than when the emission of the alarm sound is not prohibited.
According to the vehicle control device of configuration 11, even if the user sets the alarm prohibition state and then forgets about it, the power supply device can be automatically turned off earlier than usual, thereby increasing safety and preventing unnecessary power consumption.
(Configuration 12) A vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising: a step of an alarm unit emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state in which the electronic key of the vehicle has been taken outside the vehicle is detected; and a step of restricting the emission of the alarm sound in the emitting step, wherein in the restricting step, when it is detected that a specified operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, the vehicle control method prohibits the alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound in the key-out state.
According to the vehicle control method of configuration 12, the issuance of a key removal alarm is prohibited when the user clearly indicates his/her intention, thereby preventing the issuance of unnecessary key removal alarms while ensuring the safety of the vehicle, thereby improving user convenience.

1...vehicle, 2...in-vehicle network, 3...vehicle control device, 4...communication control ECU, 5...first communication device, 6...second communication device, 7...drive control ECU, 8...power switch, 9...power supply device, 10...shift sensor, 11...brake sensor, 12...side brake sensor, 13...door control ECU, 14...door lock mechanism, 15...door lock sensor, 16...remote switch, 17...door SIL switch, 18...door opening/closing mechanism, 19...door opening/closing sensor, 20...alarm device, 21...alarm, 25...electronic key, 30...processor, 31...exit warning unit, 32...warning control unit, 33...determination unit, 34...power supply control unit, 35...memory, 36...vehicle control program, 41...RF antenna, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d...LF antenna, 43...vehicle door, 43a...driver's door, 43b...passenger's door, 43c...rear right door, 43d...rear left door, 43e...tailgate door, 50a, 52a...lock button, 50b, 52b...unlock button, 51...window button, 53a, 53b...door open/close button.

Claims (14)

A vehicle control device including a key removal warning unit that issues a warning sound when detecting a key removal state in which an electronic key of a vehicle is removed from the vehicle,
An alarm control unit that controls an operation of the carry-out alarm unit,
When the alarm control unit detects that a predetermined operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, the alarm control unit prohibits the key-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound in the key-out state;
When a power switch for switching an operation of a power supply device of the vehicle is operated after prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound, the alarm control unit releases the prohibition of the portable alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound.
Vehicle control device. A vehicle control device including a key removal warning unit that issues a warning sound when detecting a key removal state in which an electronic key of a vehicle is removed from the vehicle,
An alarm control unit that controls an operation of the carry-out alarm unit,
When the alarm control unit detects that a predetermined operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, the alarm control unit prohibits the key-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound in the key-out state;
When a shift operation of the vehicle is performed after prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound, the alarm control unit releases the prohibition of the portable alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound.
Vehicle control device. A vehicle control device including a key removal warning unit that issues a warning sound when detecting a key removal state in which an electronic key of a vehicle is removed from the vehicle,
An alarm control unit that controls an operation of the carry-out alarm unit,
When the alarm control unit detects that a predetermined operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, the alarm control unit prohibits the key-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound in the key-out state;
When a vehicle door of a driver's seat of the vehicle is opened or closed after prohibiting the emission of the alarm sound, the alarm control unit releases the prohibition of the portable alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound.
Vehicle control device. A vehicle control device including a key removal warning unit that issues a warning sound when detecting a key removal state in which an electronic key of a vehicle is removed from the vehicle,
An alarm control unit that controls an operation of the carry-out alarm unit,
When the alarm control unit detects that a predetermined operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, the alarm control unit prohibits the key-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound in the key-out state;
the alarm control unit, on condition that the electronic key is inside the vehicle, when the predetermined operation of the electronic key is performed, prohibits the taken-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound in the key-out state, on condition that the electronic key is inside the vehicle.
Vehicle control device. The alarm control unit sets an alarm prohibition period that is a predetermined time from the time of detection of the predetermined operation, and prohibits the carry-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound during the alarm prohibition period.
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . a determination unit that determines whether the electronic key is present in a vehicle interior;
When the determination unit detects that a signal has been received from the electronic key while a power supply device of the vehicle is in an on state, the determination unit transmits a location information request signal to the electronic key via a plurality of antennas equipped in the vehicle, requesting location information of the electronic key, and determines whether the electronic key is within the vehicle based on the location information returned from the electronic key.
The vehicle control device according to claim 4 . The predetermined operation includes a plurality of operations on the electronic key.
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . The predetermined operation includes a plurality of operations for a lock mechanism of a vehicle door provided in the vehicle.
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined operation includes an operation performed simultaneously on the electronic key and at least one of the operating devices, and/or an operation performed simultaneously on at least two of the operating devices. a power supply control unit that turns off a power supply device of the vehicle when the key-out state continues for a period of time exceeding a permissible period of time;
When the alarm control unit prohibits the carry-out alarm unit from emitting the alarm sound, the power supply control unit sets the permissible time to be shorter than when the emission of the alarm sound is not prohibited.
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 . A vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising:
a step of emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state in which an electronic key of the vehicle is taken out of the vehicle is detected;
a step of limiting the emission of the alarm sound in the step of emitting the alarm sound;
Equipped with
In the limiting step, when it is detected that a predetermined operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state is prohibited ;
and a step of canceling the prohibition of emission of the warning sound when a power switch for switching an operation of a power supply device of the vehicle is operated after the prohibition of emission of the warning sound.
A vehicle control method. A vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising:
a step of emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state in which an electronic key of the vehicle is taken out of the vehicle is detected;
a step of limiting the emission of the alarm sound in the step of emitting the alarm sound;
Equipped with
In the limiting step, when it is detected that a predetermined operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state is prohibited;
and a step of canceling the prohibition of emission of the warning sound when a shift operation of the vehicle is performed after the prohibition of emission of the warning sound.
A vehicle control method. A vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising:
a step of emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state in which an electronic key of the vehicle is taken out of the vehicle is detected;
a step of limiting the emission of the alarm sound in the step of emitting the alarm sound;
Equipped with
In the limiting step, when it is detected that a predetermined operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state is prohibited;
and a step of canceling the prohibition of emission of the alarm sound when a vehicle door of a driver's seat of the vehicle is opened or closed after the prohibition of emission of the alarm sound.
A vehicle control method. A vehicle control method executed by a computer of a vehicle control device, comprising:
a step of emitting an alarm sound from the vehicle when a key-out state in which an electronic key of the vehicle is taken out of the vehicle is detected;
a step of limiting the emission of the alarm sound in the step of emitting the alarm sound;
Equipped with
In the limiting step, when it is detected that a predetermined operation has been performed on an operating device and/or the electronic key of the vehicle, emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state is prohibited;
a step of, when the predetermined operation of the electronic key is performed on the electronic key, prohibiting emission of the alarm sound in the key-out state on condition that the electronic key is inside the vehicle;
A vehicle control method.

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