Vehicle control device and vehicle

A vehicle control device includes: a key authentication unit for permitting use of a vehicle in a portable key ride mode when an authentication with a portable key is successful, and permitting use of the vehicle in an electronic key ride mode when an authentication with an electronic key is successful; a power state recognition unit for recognizing a state of power of the vehicle; a door opening and closing recognition unit for recognizing an open and closed state of a door of the vehicle, a notification control unit for issuing a first notification in the portable key ride mode and issuing a second notification in the electronic key ride mode, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from a closed state to an open state while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-190339 filed on Oct. 17, 2019. The content of the application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle.

Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, for portable keys that perform authentication with vehicles by short-range wireless communication to permit use of the vehicles, there has been proposed a warning device for a left portable device that issues a warning notification when the user alights from the vehicle, to prevent the portable key from being left inside the vehicle (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-352018).

In addition to the portable key, in vehicles where electronic keys built into communication terminals such as smartphones are also used as vehicle keys, a notification device has been proposed where the device notifies the user that a communication device is used as a vehicle key by a display device when the vehicle is being used after successful authentication with an electronic key (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-54902).

As mentioned above, for a vehicle that can be used with a portable key or an electronic key built into a communication terminal, it is not preferable for the user to leave the vehicle while the vehicle is powered on from the perspective of preventing vehicle theft and avoiding unnecessary energy consumption in both cases where the use of the vehicle is permitted with a portable key and the use of the vehicle is permitted with an electronic key.

Aspects of the present invention are designed with respect to such background, and an object of the aspects of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle that can prevent a user from leaving the vehicle while the vehicle is powered on, regardless of whether the use of the vehicle is permitted with either a portable key or an electronic key.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect for achieving the above object includes a vehicle control device including: a key authentication unit for performing an authentication process with a portable key used by a user of a vehicle or with a communication terminal used by the user having a function of an electronic key via wireless communication, where the key authentication unit permits use of the vehicle in a portable key ride mode when an authentication with the portable key is successful, and the key authentication unit permits use of the vehicle in an electronic key ride mode when an authentication with the electronic key is successful; a power state recognition unit for recognizing a state of power of the vehicle; a door opening and closing recognition unit for recognizing an open and closed state of a door of the vehicle; and a notification control unit for issuing a first notification in the portable key ride mode and issuing a second notification in the electronic key ride mode, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from a closed state to an open state while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

The vehicle control device may include a shift position recognition unit for recognizing a shift position of a shift operation unit provided in the vehicle, wherein the notification control unit issues a notification prompting the shift position of the shift operation unit to be the parking position, as the first notification and the second notification, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from a closed state to an open state and the shift position recognition unit recognizes that the shift position of the shift operation unit is other than the parking position, while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

The vehicle control device may be configured such that, in the electronic key ride mode, the notification control unit issues a notification prompting for turning off the power as the second notification, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from a closed state to an open state and the shift position recognition unit recognizes that the shift position of the shift operation unit is at the parking position, while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

The vehicle control device may be configured such that: the key authentication unit performs the authentication process with the portable key via wireless communication in an LF (low frequency) band, and performs the authentication process with the communication terminal via wireless communication in a UHF (ultra-high frequency) band; the vehicle control device includes a portable key position recognition unit that recognizes whether the portable key is inside the vehicle based on a response status of the portable key to a transmission of an LF band monitoring signal for the portable key; and the notification control unit issues a notification giving a notice of that the portable key is not inside the vehicle, as the first notification, and a notification prompting for turning off the power of the vehicle, as the second notification, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from an open state to a closed state after recognizing that the door has been switched from a closed state to an open state and the portable key position recognition unit recognizes that the portable key is not inside the vehicle, while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

A second aspect for achieving the above object includes a vehicle including the above vehicle control device.

Effects of the Invention

According to the vehicle control device of the aspects of the present invention, when the driver's seat door is opened while the vehicle is powered on, the first notification is made where the authentication process with the portable key has been performed and the second notification is made where the authentication with the electronic key has been performed. In this way, the notification contents are set according to the key used for authentication, and this enables issuing a proper notification about the key that the vehicle user uses and enables the user to prevent leaving the vehicle while the vehicle is powered on.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The configuration of the vehicle1according to this embodiment is described with reference toFIGS.1and2. The vehicle1includes a vehicle control device10for controlling the operation of the vehicle1, a power switch20for instructing switching on and off of the power of the vehicle1, and door sensors21ato21efor detecting an open and closed state of a driver's seat door30, a passenger seat door31, a right rear seat door32, a left rear seat door33, and a back door (trunk door)34of the vehicle1, respectively.

Further, the vehicle1includes a shift sensor22for detecting a shift position of a shift lever28(corresponding to a shift operation unit of the present invention), a display23, a buzzer24, a first communication unit25, and a second communication unit26. The display23is provided on a dashboard and displays various information to the occupants of the vehicle1. The display23may be arranged at a position visible to the user U of the vehicle1, and may be arranged, for example, in a meter display unit (not shown) that displays the traveling speed of the vehicle1and the like.

The first communication unit25performs wireless communication with the portable key50that the user U of the vehicle1uses. Here, a radio wave in an LF (Low Frequency) band (30-300 kHz) is transmitted from the first communication unit25to the portable key50, and a radio wave in a UHF (Ultra-High Frequency) band (300 MHz-3 GHz) is transmitted from the portable key50to the first communication unit25.

In addition, the second communication unit26performs communication using a UHF band radio waves such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) between communication terminal60(smartphone, tablet terminal, mobile phone, etc.) that the user U uses. An electronic key application (application program) is installed in the communication terminal60, and the communication terminal60functions as the electronic key61of the vehicle1by executing the electronic key application.

The vehicle control device10is an electronic circuit unit configured with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory17, and the like, which are not shown. The CPU reads and executes the control program of the vehicle control device10stored in the memory17to function as a key authentication unit11, a power state recognition unit12, a door opening and closing recognition unit13, a notification control unit14, a shift position recognition unit15, and a portable key position recognition unit16. The memory17stores a first ID code17acorresponding to the portable key50and a second ID code17bcorresponding to the electronic key61.

The key authentication unit11sends a first response request signal Rr1targeting the portable key50via the first communication unit25, and also sends a second response request signal Rr2targeting the electronic key61of the communication terminal60via the second communication unit26. Then, when the key authentication unit11receives a first response signal An1from the portable key50, it executes an authentication process of collating the ID code included in the first response signal An1with the first ID code17a, and permits the use of the vehicle1with the portable key50when the both match (an authentication with the portable key50is successful).

Similarly, when the key authentication unit11receives a second response signal An2from the communication terminal60, it executes an authentication process of collating the ID code included in the second response signal An2with the second ID code17b. Then, when the both are identical to each other, the key authentication unit11permits the use of the vehicle1with the electronic key61(an authentication with the electronic key61is successful).

The power state recognition unit12recognizes a state of the power (not shown) of the vehicle1which is switched by an operation of the power switch20by the user U. The vehicle1is switched between a power-on state (power mode on) and a power-off state (power mode off) each time the power switch20is operated. The door opening and closing recognition unit13recognizes an open and closed state of each of the doors30to34based on the detection status of the door sensors21ato21e. Further, the door opening and closing recognition unit13stores the recognition history of the open and closed state of the right rear seat door32and the left rear seat door33in the memory17, to determine whether a “rear seat check” screen103(seeFIG.5) described later needs to be displayed.

As shown inFIG.2, when the user U opens the driver's seat door30and the door opening and closing recognition unit13recognizes that the driver's seat door30is switched from a closed state to an open state, the notification control unit14displays a notification screen on the display23according to the situation at the time of switching. In addition, when the door opening and closing recognition unit13recognizes that any one of the passenger seat door31, the right rear seat door32, and the left rear seat door33is switched from a closed state to an open state, the notification control unit14also may display a notification screen on the display23according to the situation at the time of the switching. The shift position recognition unit15recognizes the shift position of the shift lever28detected by the shift sensor22.

The portable key position recognition unit16recognizes whether the portable key50is located inside the vehicle1based on the response status of the portable key50to a monitoring signal sent from the first communication unit25to the portable key50. Here, the intensity of the radio wave in the LF band transmitted from the first communication unit25is set not to reach the portable key50located outside the vehicle1. Therefore, the portable key position recognition unit16can recognize that the portable key50is not inside the vehicle1when there is no response from the portable key50to the monitoring signal sent to the portable key50.

A ride mode setting process by the key authentication unit11is described below according to the flowchart shown inFIG.3. The key authentication unit11determines whether the authentication with the portable key50and the electronic key61of the communication terminal60are successful by loop processing of step S1, step S10, and step S11ofFIG.3.

Then, the key authentication unit11advances the process to step S2when the authentications with the portable key50and the electronic key61are successful in step S1and when the authentication with the portable key50is successful in step S10. Further, when only the authentication with the electronic key61is successful in step S11, the key authentication unit11advances the process to step S12.

The key authentication unit11sets the ride mode of the vehicle1to a portable key ride mode in step S2, and prohibits the use of the vehicle1with the electronic key61in the subsequent step S3to avoid conflict between the use of the vehicle1with the portable key50and the use of the vehicle1with the electronic key61. In the next step S4, the key authentication unit11permits the use of the vehicle1with the portable key50, and this enables the user U to use the vehicle1. In this way, when both the authentication with the portable key50and the authentication with the electronic key61are successful, the authentication with the portable key50is prioritized and the portable key ride mode is set.

The key authentication unit11sets the ride mode of the vehicle1to an electronic key ride mode in step S12, and prohibits the use of the vehicle1with the portable key50in the subsequent step S13to avoid conflict between the use of the vehicle1with the electronic key61and the use of the vehicle1with the portable key50. In the next step S14, the key authentication unit11permits the use of the vehicle1with the electronic key61, and this enables the user U to use the vehicle1.

Note that, in this embodiment, as described above, when both the authentication with the portable key50and the authentication with the electronic key61are successful, the authentication with the portable key50is prioritized and the portable key ride mode is set, however, the embodiment may be the one such that what is authenticated first is prioritized. That is, the embodiment may be the one in which, when the authentication with the portable key50succeeds first, the portable key ride mode is set, and when the authentication with the electronic key61succeeds first, the electronic key ride mode is set.

[3. Notification Process When the Driver's Seat Door Is Opened]

The notification process when the driver's seat door30is opened is described below according to the flowchart shown inFIG.4with reference to a notification screen table100shown inFIG.5.

When the key authentication unit11succeeds in the authentication with the portable key50and permits the use of the vehicle1in the portable key ride mode, and when it succeeds in the authentication with the electronic key61of the communication terminal60and permits the use of the vehicle1in the electronic key ride mode, the notification control unit14executes the processes according to the flowchart shown inFIG.4.

In step S20inFIG.4, the notification control unit14advances the process to step S21when the door opening and closing recognition unit13recognizes that the driver's seat door30is switched from a closed state to an open state. In step S21, the notification control unit14determines whether the shift position recognition unit15recognizes that the shift position of the shift lever28is at the P position (parking position). Then, when the shift position of the shift lever28is recognized to be at the P position, the notification control unit14advances the process to step S22.

On the other hand, when the shift position of the shift lever28is recognized to be at other position than the P position, the notification control unit14advances the process to step S30, and displays the “door open & parking warning” screen101shown in the notification screen table100ofFIG.5, on the display23, (which corresponds to a first notification and a second notification of the present invention). That is, when the user U opens the driver's seat door30without shifting the shift lever28to the P position, the “door open & parking warning” screen101is displayed on the display23whether in the portable key ride mode or in the electronic key ride mode. This can prompt the user U to operate the shift lever28to be at the P position (to operate it for fixing the shaft of the transmission of the vehicle1) before alighting from the vehicle.

In step S22, the notification control unit14determines whether the power state recognition unit12has recognized that the vehicle1is in the power-on state. Then, the notification control unit14advances the process to step S40when the vehicle1is recognized to be in the power-on state, and advances the process to step S23when the vehicle1is not recognized to be in the power-on state.

In step S23, the notification control unit14displays the “door open warning” screen102shown in the notification screen table100ofFIG.5on the display23and advances the process to step S24. In step S24, the notification control unit14refers to the opening and closing history of the right rear seat door32and the left rear seat door33to determine whether there is an opening and closing history of the right rear seat door32or the left rear seat door33in the current use of vehicle1. The history has been stored in the memory17by the door opening and closing recognition unit13. When there is an opening and closing history of the right rear seat door32or the left rear seat door33, it is inferred that there has been a boarding or luggage placement on a rear seat.

Then, when there is an opening and closing history of the right rear seat door32or the left rear seat door33, the notification control unit14advances the process to step S60, and displays the “rear seat check” screen103shown in the notification screen table100ofFIG.5on the display23. This can prevent forgetting to take an item placed on the rear seat. On the other hand, when there is no opening and closing history of the right rear seat door32and the left rear seat door33, the notification control unit14advances the process to step S26, and does not display the “rear seat check” screen103on the display23in this case.

In step S40, the notification control unit14determines whether the electronic key ride mode is set. Then, the notification control unit14advances the process to step S41in the electronic key ride mode, and displays the “power off & key carrying warning” screen104shown in the notification screen table100ofFIG.5on the display23, (which corresponds to a second notification of the present invention). This prompts the user U to turn off the power and carry the communication terminal, and enables the user U to prevent leaving the vehicle1in the power-on state and to prevent leaving the communication terminal60in the vehicle interior of the vehicle1.

On the other hand, when the ride mode is not in the electronic key ride mode (in the portable key ride mode), the notification control unit14advances the process to step S50. The notification control unit14waits for the door opening and closing recognition unit13to recognize that the driver's seat door30is switched from an open state to a closed state in step S50, and then advances the process to step S51.

In step S51, the notification control unit14determines whether the portable key position recognition unit16recognizes that the portable key50is located outside the vehicle1. Then, the notification control unit14advances the process to step S52when the portable key50is recognized to be located outside the vehicle, and displays the “portable key unrecognized warning” screen105shown in the notification screen table100ofFIG.5, on the display23, (which corresponds to a first notification of the present invention).

Further, in the subsequent step S53, the notification control unit14causes a buzzer24to sound and outputs an alarm sound. Thus, the “portable key unrecognized warning” screen105is displayed and the alarm sound by the buzzer24is output to issue a warning to the user U about leaving the vehicle1in the power-on state with the portable key50in hand, and this enables prompting the power off operation of the vehicle1.

In the above embodiment, the shift position recognition unit15is provided to determine whether the shift position of the shift lever28is at the parking position when the driver's seat door30of the vehicle1is opened, and the “door open” & parking warning” screen101is displayed on the display23. As another embodiment, the shift position recognition unit15may be omitted and the “door open & parking warning” screen101may not be displayed.

In the above embodiment, when the driver's seat door30is opened in power-on state in step S41ofFIG.4in the electronic key ride mode, the notification control unit14displays the “power off & key carrying warning” screen104for prompting the power off and carrying the communication terminal60, on the display23. As yet another embodiment, a screen prompting only power off may be displayed on the display23.

In the above embodiment, as shown inFIG.5, the notification by the notification control unit14is issued by displaying the notification screen on the display23, but the notification may be issued by outputting a voice guidance. Alternatively, the notification may be issued by both displaying a notification screen on the display23and outputting a voice guidance.

Note that,FIGS.1and2are schematic diagrams showing the configurations of the vehicle1and the vehicle control device10classified according to main processing contents in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and the configurations of the vehicle1and the vehicle control device10may be configured using other divisions. Further, the process of each component may be executed by one hardware unit or may be executed by a plurality of hardware units. Further, the processes by the respective components shown inFIGS.3and4may be executed by one program, or may be executed by a plurality of programs.

[5. Configurations Supported by the Above Embodiments]

The above embodiments are specific examples of the following configurations.

(Item 1) A Vehicle Control Device Comprising:

a key authentication unit for performing an authentication process with a portable key used by a user of a vehicle or with a communication terminal used by the user via wireless communication, the communication terminal having a function of an electronic key, the key authentication unit permitting use of the vehicle in a portable key ride mode when an authentication with the portable key is successful, the key authentication unit permitting use of the vehicle in an electronic key ride mode when an authentication with the electronic key is successful;

a power state recognition unit for recognizing a state of power of the vehicle;

a door opening and closing recognition unit for recognizing an open and closed state of a door of the vehicle; and

a notification control unit for issuing a first notification in the portable key ride mode and issuing a second notification in the electronic key ride mode, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from a closed state to an open state while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

According to the vehicle control device of Item 1, when the driver's seat door is opened while the vehicle is powered on, the first notification is made when an authentication process with the portable key has been performed, and the second notification is made when an authentication with the electronic key has been performed. In this way, the notification contents are set according to the key used for authentication, and this enables issuing a proper notification about the key that the vehicle user uses and enables the user to prevent leaving the vehicle while the vehicle is powered on.

(Item 2) The vehicle control device according to Item 1, comprising a shift position recognition unit for recognizing a shift position of a shift operation unit provided in the vehicle,

wherein the notification control unit issues a notification prompting the shift position of the shift operation unit to be the parking position, as the first notification and the second notification, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from a closed state to an open state and the shift position recognition unit recognizes that the shift position of the shift operation unit is other than the parking position, while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

According to the vehicle control device of Item 2, when the driver's seat door is opened while the shift position of the shift operation unit is not at the parking position whether in the portable key ride mode or in the electronic key ride mode, a notification is issued to prompt for shifting the shift position of the shift operation unit to the parking position, and this enables the user to prevent leaving the vehicle while the shift position of the shift operation unit is other than the parking position.

(Item 3) The vehicle control device according to Item 2, wherein

the notification control unit issues a notification prompting for turning off the power in the electronic key ride mode, as the second notification, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from a closed state to an open state and the shift position recognition unit recognizes that the shift position of the shift operation unit is at the parking position, while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

According to the vehicle control device of Item 3, when the driver's seat door is opened while the power is on and the shift position of the shift operation unit is at the parking position in the electronic key ride mode, a notification is issued for turning off the power, and this enables the user who is permitted to use the vehicle with the electronic key of the communication terminal to prevent leaving the vehicle without turning off the power.

(Item 4) The vehicle control device according to Item 1, wherein:

the key authentication unit performs the authentication process with the portable key via wireless communication in an LF (low frequency) band, and performs the authentication process with the communication terminal via wireless communication in a UHF (ultra-high frequency) band;

the vehicle control device comprises a portable key position recognition unit, the portable key position recognition unit recognizing whether the portable key is inside the vehicle based on a response status of the portable key to a transmission of an LF band monitoring signal for the portable key; and

the notification control unit issues a notification giving a notice of that the portable key is not inside the vehicle, as the first notification, and a notification to prompt turning off the power of the vehicle, as the second notification, when the door opening and closing recognition unit recognizes that the driver's seat door of the vehicle is switched from an open state to a closed state after recognizing that door has been switched from a closed state to an open state and the portable key position recognition unit recognizes that the portable key is not inside the vehicle, while the power state recognition unit recognizes that the power is on.

According to the vehicle control device of Item 4, the portable key, which performs wireless communication in an LF band to enable the portable key position recognition unit to recognize whether the key is inside the vehicle, can notify that the portable key is not inside the vehicle to prompt turning off the power when the driver's seat door switches from an open state to a closed state. On the other hand, with the communication terminal, which performs wireless communication in a UHF band and the position cannot be recognized by the same method as the portable key position recognition unit, a notification that prompts turning off the power of the vehicle can be issued when the driver's seat door is opened.

(Item 5) A vehicle comprising the vehicle control device according to any one of Items 1 to 4.

According to the vehicle of Item 5, there can be provided a vehicle having at least one of functions of Items 1 to 4 described above.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST