Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-19
2004-11-09
Beaulieu, Yonel (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
Reexamination Certificate
active
06816763
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device of auxiliary apparatus for vehicle that controls vehicle auxiliary apparatus including peripheral recognition assist means such as a wiper, a headlight or the like, and peripheral recognition means such as an active sensor.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Hitherto, a device for controlling a wiper in accordance with a traveling state of a vehicle has already been put into practical use, as is disclosed in, for example, the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 192724/1996.
Likewise a device for controlling a headlight is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 213228/2001.
In the conventional technique of wiper control, which is described in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 192724/1996, the device is arranged so as to drive the wiper immediately upon detecting the fact that one's vehicle incorporating the control device therein has started. Thus, while achieving an object of an intermittent wiper sensitive to a vehicle speed which object is not to drive the wiper more than required, a sufficiently wide visual range can be assured at the time of starting the vehicle.
Furthermore, in the conventional technique of headlight control, which is described in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 213228/2001, it is arranged so as to cause the headlight to light when vehicle speed of one's vehicle exceeds a second vehicle speed threshold, which is lower than a first vehicle speed threshold, as well as when an acceleration state of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined acceleration threshold. Thus, in the case where the vehicle is accelerated in order to transit from a stop state to a normal speed traveling state, a basic headlight is automatically turned on even if the vehicle travels at a low speed. Whereas the basic headlight is controlled so as not to be turned on automatically in the state of the vehicle being inched along, thus preventing the headlight from being turned ON/OFF at frequent intervals in the state of the vehicle inching along a clogged road.
However, in the mentioned conventional techniques, a problem exists in that the wiper or headlight does not return to a normal operation until one's vehicle starts moving, in the case where the wiper is operated at intermittent intervals, or the headlights are dimmed during stopping one's vehicle, thereby inviting a difficulty in seeing around.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made to solve the above-discussed problem, and has an object of providing a control device of auxiliary apparatus for vehicle that is arranged so as to control vehicle auxiliary apparatus including peripheral recognition assist means such as a wiper or headlight and peripheral recognition means into a normal operation upon detecting that an other's vehicle ahead starts moving during one's vehicle being stopped, thereby making it easy to see around before starting a travel, and enabling an immediate travel motion.
A control device of auxiliary apparatus for vehicle according to the invention includes: vehicle speed detection means for detecting a vehicle speed of one's vehicle; vehicle-ahead start detection means for detecting a start of an other's vehicle ahead when it is detected by the mentioned vehicle speed detection means that the one's vehicle is stopped; and control means for controlling peripheral recognition assist means for assisting a driver to easily recognize around the driver's vehicle and/or peripheral recognition means constituted so as to recognize the surroundings of the driver's vehicle;
in which the mentioned control means controls the mentioned peripheral recognition assist means and/or the mentioned peripheral recognition means to come under suitable conditions for traveling when it is detected by the mentioned vehicle-ahead start detection means that the mentioned vehicle ahead starts moving.
As a result of employing the arrangement as described above, when it is detected by the vehicle-ahead start detection means that the vehicle ahead starts moving, the control means can control the peripheral recognition assist means and/or the peripheral recognition means to come under the suitable conditions for traveling, and provide the conditions of the one's vehicle being capable of immediately starting.
The foregoing and other object, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5249157 (1993-09-01), Taylor
patent: 5672946 (1997-09-01), Kawashima et al.
patent: 6032097 (2000-02-01), Iihoshi et al.
patent: 03099957 (1991-04-01), None
patent: 2001-213228 (2001-08-01), None
Beaulieu Yonel
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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