Vehicle control system

Abstract

A brake control section can select an automatic mode in which a mechanical brake is automatically transitioned from a released state to a braking state in response to the running condition of a vehicle. A diagnostic section outputs a fail signal when an abnormal condition of the brake control section is detected. A power control section automatically stops a drive power source of the vehicle when the running condition of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition for determining a vehicle stop. When the automatic mode of the brake control section is released or when the diagnostic section outputs a fail signal of the brake control section, the power control section is inhibited to automatically stop the drive power source, so that an unintentional movement of the vehicle caused by an inclination of the road surface and the automatic stop of the drive power source can be prevented.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clearly understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the configuration of a vehicle control system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the circuit configuration of the vehicle control system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle control system of FIG. 1 in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the transition of each parameter when the automatic mode of the electric parking brake of FIG. 3 is selected;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the transition of each parameter when the automatic mode of the electric parking brake of FIG. 3 is released;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle control system of FIG. 1 in accordance with a second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the transition of each parameter when the result of a self-diagnosis of the electric parking brake of FIG. 6 is normal; and

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the transition of each parameter when the result of a self-diagnosis of the electric parking brake of FIG. 6 is abnormal.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system comprising: a brake control section for controlling an actuator to provide a transition between a braking state and a released state of a mechanical brake for applying braking force to drive wheels of a vehicle, and being able to select an automatic mode in which the mechanical brake is automatically transitioned from the released state to the braking state in response to a running condition of the vehicle; anda power control section for automatically stopping a drive power source of the vehicle when the running condition of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition for determining a vehicle stop,wherein the power control section inhibits the automatic stop of the drive power source when the automatic mode of the brake control section is released.

2. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, further comprising a manipulation section connected to the brake control section and supplied with a manual input on the mechanical brake, wherein, in response to an input from the manipulation section, the brake control section can select a manual mode for transitioning the mechanical brake from the released state to the braking state, andwherein the power control section inhibits an automatic stop of the drive power source when the manual mode of the brake control section is selected.

3. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, further comprising an inclination detection section for detecting an inclination of a road surface on which the vehicle stops, wherein the power control section inhibits an automatic stop of the drive power source when the automatic mode of the brake control section is released and additionally the inclination detection section detects a predetermined inclination.

4. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the power control section automatically stops the drive power source of the vehicle only when the brake control section selects the automatic mode and additionally the running condition of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition for determining a vehicle stop.

5. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the power control section performs the automatic stop of the drive power source after the mechanical brake transitions from the released state to the braking state.

6. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, further comprising a diagnostic section for diagnosing a function of the brake control section and outputting a fail signal when an abnormal condition is detected, wherein the power control section inhibits the automatic stop of the drive power source when the diagnostic section outputs the fail signal.

7. The vehicle control system according to claim 6, further comprising an inclination detection section for detecting an inclination of a road surface on which the vehicle stops, wherein the power control section inhibits the automatic stop of the drive power source when the diagnostic section outputs the fail signal and additionally the inclination detection section detects a predetermined inclination.