Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-07
2001-07-31
Fleming, Fritz (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C307S010700, C307S010800, C315S084000, C340S458000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06268663
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric source control device providing a function which prevents battery death for a vehicle. More particularly, this invention relates to a vehicle electric source control device providing a function which prevents battery death caused by leaving interior dome lamps or door lamps to be lighted.
2. Prior Art
A vehicle is usually equipped with an interior dome lamp which throws light over a vehicle interior, and door lamps which throw light on people's foot areas when they get in or get out of the vehicle and inform following vehicles that a door is opened.
The above-mentioned interior dome lamp is controlled by a switch which is changeable, having an “ON mode”, an “OFF mode” and a “DOOR mode”. In case the switch is in the “ON mode”, the interior dome lamp is on at all times. When the switch is changed to “OFF mode”, the interior dome lamp is off. Moreover, when the switch is changed to “DOOR mode”, the interior dome lamp is on when any door is opened, and the interior dome lamp is off when all doors are closed.
Also, the interior dome lamp is left to be on during a predetermined time after all doors are closed in order to make it much easier for a driver to prepare for driving at night.
An Electronic Control Unit (hereinafter referred to as ECU) usually performs the above-mentioned control. The ECU receives a door switch state input and generates an output in response to it, which then operates a lamp main relay and switches the interior dome lamp etc. on or off according to the output.
In the above-stated conventional interior dome lamp control system, battery death is sometimes caused because the interior dome lamp is left on.
There is, for example, a case that a driver switches on the interior dome lamp or the map lamp in a dark place, for example in a tunnel, however after getting out of the tunnel he or she forgets to switch them off and parks the vehicle where surroundings are light.
Also, in case the lamp switch is changed to “DOOR mode, when a driver leaves a vehicle he or she may not realize the door is not completely closed.
The present invention takes the above-mentioned matter into consideration, and the object is to provide a vehicle electric source control device which prevents battery death caused by leaving lamps lighted or by a door that is not completely closed.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves above-stated problems as below.
(1) Means for judging a state of a door switch and an ignition switch, control means for preventing battery death by tuning lamps on or off based on the state of the door switch and the ignition switch, and output means for controlling the lamps in response to the control means are provided.
And the control means turns off the lamps in case the ignition switch is off and also when the door switch is not changed from a door open state to a door close state within a predetermined time.
(2) Means for judging a state of a door switch and an ignition switch, control means for controlling a switching circuit which controls the electric source supply to a lamp system of a vehicle in order to prevent battery death, based on the state of the door switch and the ignition switch, and output means for turning the switching circuit on or off in response to an output of the control means are provided.
And the control means cuts off the electric source supply to the lamp system of a vehicle by turning the switching circuit off in case the ignition switch is off and also when a door state is not changed within a predetermined time.
(3) In (1), (2), timer means which starts a time check in case the ignition switch is off and when the door state is changed is provided in the control means. The timer means is reset and starts a time check when the door state is changed while it counts time.
(4) In (1), (2) and (3), a warning signal generator gives a warning signal to prevent battery death before the control means operates to prevent such battery death.
(5) In (1), (2) and (3), a warning signal generator gives a warning signal in response to the door state, to inform the user that the vehicle is under control for preventing battery death when the control means is operating to prevent such battery death.
According to the present invention, as above-mentioned in paragraph (1), in case the ignition switch is off, and when a door is not closed within the predetermined time, the lamp which is lighted in response to the door switch is put out automatically. For example, if a door is not completely closed, the interior dome lamp (DOOR mode) and the door lamp are not left on, thereby preventing battery death.
Here, in case the ignition switch is on, the engine drives normally, and therefore the control for preventing battery death is not performed.
Still further, according to the present invention, as above-mentioned in paragraph (2), in case the ignition switch is off, and when the door state is not changed within the predetermined time, the electric source supply is cut off by turning the switching circuit which controls the electric source supply to the lamp system of a vehicle off, thereby preventing battery death caused by leaving an interior dome lamp and map lamp on.
Still further, according to the present invention, as above-mentioned in paragraph (3), a timer means which starts a time check in case the ignition switch is off and when the door state is changed, then controls output means after the predetermiined time is provided. The timer means is reset and starts to count time when the door state is changed while it counts time (for example, when a driver leaves a vehicle with a door that is not completely closed, and gets in the vehicle again). Thereby, the control means is not placed in a mode to control for preventing battery death due to the counted time until then.
Further, according to the present invention, as above-mentioned in paragraph (4), as the warning signal generator which gives the warning signal to inform a shifts to preventing battery death before the control means becomes in condition of said preventing is provided, users are not puzzled when the interior dome lamp is put off suddenly. If there is no the signal, users may be astonished as the lamp puts off suddenly without any operation.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, as above-mentioned in paragraph (5), a warning signal is given in response to the door state to inform the user that the vehicle is under control for preventing battery death when the control means is operating to prevent such battery death. Thereby, users realize that control for preventing battery death is operating. Without the warning, users may doubt or not realize that trouble exists. (The control for preventing battery death can be canceled by turning the ignition switch ON or closing all doors, which many users may not know). This function makes possible an immediate judgment as to whether the control system is out of order or the control for preventing battery death is operating when an ECU is inspected for possible problems in the manufacturing line or in maintenance. Also, for example, when a lamp is suddenly put out in the door open state, vehicle mechanics who do not know the control system for preventing battery death very well can sensibly realize that the operation is caused by the ECU for managing the lamp.
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Abe Ken
Imamura Masa-aki
Itabashi Shigeki
Tutumi Hiroshi
Bierman, Muserlian and Lucas
Fleming Fritz
Furukawa Electric., Ltd.
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