Communications: electrical – Miscellaneous
Patent
1999-07-12
2000-10-03
Lee, Benjamin C.
Communications: electrical
Miscellaneous
340439, 340539, 701 24, 455420, B60Q 100
Patent
active
061279471
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a vehicle information communication device and a vehicle information communication system, and particularly relates to a vehicle information communication device and a vehicle information communication system communicating information with a vehicle when characteristics of a vehicle onboard device which characteristics are capable of being changed are changed intentionally by a user, or by geographical factors, etc.
BACKGROUND ART
In recent years, a plurality of electronic control units (hereinafter, called ECUs) have been mounted in a vehicle. This plurality of ECUs are connected to each other by a bus so that a local area network (hereinafter, called a LAN) is constructed. Data can be communicated between these ECUs.
Each of the plurality of ECUs controls the characteristics of a vehicle onboard device. Characteristic values for determining the characteristics of the vehicle onboard devices governed by of each ECU is stored in that ECUs. For example, when the vehicle onboard device is a headlamp, there is an ECU for controlling a turning-on operation in which the headlamp is automatically turned on when the vehicle enters a tunnel and is also automatically turned on in the evening, etc. In this case, the headlamp is turned on when illuminance from an illuminance sensor is less than a predetermined value. This automatic turning-on time, i.e., the predetermined illuminance value can be set as a different value in depending on the user and the local area. Accordingly, there are cases in which a change in the predetermined illuminance value is required.
A general control system for an automobile is proposed as a system capable of changing the control parameter program of each of the ECUs mounted in such a vehicle in accordance with a user's taste (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 6-219187). In this technique, a characteristic value for electronic control of the vehicle is obtained by a controller and is sent to a service center and the analyzed results of the characteristic value can be shown to a driver. Further, it is possible to maintain and check the characteristic value as to whether or not there is a problem with the characteristic value proper to the vehicle.
However, in the conventional system, the characteristic values of the individual vehicle can be maintained and checked, but characteristics arising from the intentions of the user of from the local geography can be automatically reflected. Further, the characteristic values of the individual vehicle can be maintained and checked, but characteristics arising from the intentions of the user or from the local geography cannot be reflected. Furthermore, the characteristic values must be finely adjusted for each individual vehicle. For example, changes in the characteristics arising from the tastes of many users and the characteristic values of a particular vehicle are continually changing. Accordingly, the user's intentions, etc. cannot be reflected by only simply maintaining and checking the characteristic values.
Further, there is a case in which the vehicle onboard device is replaced with a new device or other parts due to the passage of time, device replacement, etc. In this case, the characteristic values of the ECU governing the new vehicle onboard device are different or are unrecorded. Accordingly, it is necessary to set at least the pertinent characteristic values every time the vehicle onboard device is replaced with a new device or other parts.
However, in the conventional system, the characteristic values for electronic control of the vehicle are obtained and are maintained and checked in accordance with the suggestion of the analyzed results of the service center. Accordingly, it is necessary to perform a complicated operation in which the characteristics of all vehicle onboard devices are obtained and the pertinent characteristic values in the maintenance and checking are set to suitable values every time a vehicle onboard device is replaced with a new device or wi
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Hiramatsu Norimasa
Honda Hiroshi
Sakai Kazunori
Tanaka Akihiro
Uchida Toshihiro
Lee Benjamin C.
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisa
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