Vehicle control apparatus

Claim 2

A vehicle control apparatus having a plurality of unit control means each provided for a different control function, at least one of said unit controller means having a self-­diagnosis function, characterised by data transfer means for allowing said at least one unit controller means to transfer data for diagnosis to the other unit controller means so that abnormality diagnosis of said at least one unit controller means can be effected by the other unit controller means.

Claim 3

A vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a control mode of said one unit controller means is changed by the other unit controller means is accordance with the judgement result of said abnormality diagnosis.

Claim 4

A vehicle control apparatus comprising a plurality of unit controllers each made for a different control item, the improvement including function diagnosis means for monitoring commonly said plurality of unit controllers so that the control modes of said unit controllers other than said unit controller or controllers from which abnormality is detected can be changed in accordance with the judgement result of said function diagnosis means.

Claim 5

A vehicle control apparatus comprising a plurality of unit controllers each made for a different control item, the improvement including function diagnosis means for monitoring commonly said plurality of unit controllers so that the control modes of said unit controllers other than said unit controller or controllers from which abnormality is detected can be changed in accordance with the judgement result of said function diagnosis means.

Claim 6

A vehicle control apparatus comprising a plurality of unit controllers each made for a different control item, the improvement wherein function diagnosis means for making abnormality judgement of the others of said unit controllers is disposed in at least one of said plurality of unit controllers so that a control mode of said unit controllers other than said unit controller or controllers from which abnormality is detected can be changed in accordance with the judgement result of said function diagnosis means.

Claim 7

A vehicle control apparatus comprising a plurality of unit controllers each made for a different control item, the improvement wherein function diagnosis means for making abnormality judgement of the others of said unit controllers is disposed in at least one of said plurality of unit controllers so that a control mode of said unit controllers other than said unit controller or controllers from which abnormality is detected can be changed in accordance with the judgement result of said function diagnosis means.

Claim 8

A vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one unit controller means from which said abnormality is detected is or are caused to stop the control function thereof.

Claim 9

A vehicle control apparatus comprising a plurality of unit controllers individually provided to control different control items, respectively, said unit controllers each having a self-diagnostic function, wherein said vehicle control apparatus comprises means for sending a signal for diagnosis from at least one, a first unit controller, of said unit controllers to at least one, a second unit controller, of the other unit controllers, and means for changing a control mode of said second unit controllers on the basis of said signal for diagnosis from said first unit controller.

Claim 10

A vehicle control apparatus comprising a plurality of unit controllers individually provided to control different control items, respectively, said unit controllers each having a self-diagnostic function, wherein said vehicle control apparatus comprises means for sending a signal for diagnosis from at least one, a first unit controller, of said unit controllers to at least one, a second unit controller, of the other unit controllers, and means for changing a control mode of said second unit controllers on the basis of said signal for diagnosis from said first unit controller.

Claim 11

A vehicle control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first unit controller is an auto-cruising controller, said second unit controller is changed of its control mode so that a vehicle speed decreases when said auto cruising controller comes to be abnormal.

Claim 12

A vehicle control apparatus comprising a plurality of unit controllers individually provided to control different control items, respectively, said unit controllers each having a self-diagnostic function, wherein said second unit controller is provided with means for receiving data for controlling said first unit controller and effecting diagnosis of said first unit controller to control said second unit controller on the basis of said data when abnormality takes place in said first controller so as to secure safety of the vehicle under uncontrolled condition due to the abnormality.

Claim 13

A vehicle control apparatus comprising a plurality of unit controllers individually provided to control different control items, respectively, said unit controllers each having a self-diagnostic function, wherein said second unit controller is provided with means for receiving data for controlling said first unit controller and effecting diagnosis of said first unit controller to control said second unit controller on the basis of said data when abnormality takes place in said first controller so as to secure safety of the vehicle under uncontrolled condition due to the abnormality.

Claim 14

A vehicle control apparatus comprising an auto-­cruising controller for controlling a vehicle so as to travel at a set speed on the basis of data including an actual vehicle traveling signal detected by a speed sensor and a set speed signal and an engine controller for controlling an engine so as to inject an optimum amount of fuel into said engine by an injector on the basis of engine conditional data including a throttle opening and engine revolution members, wherein said vehicle control apparatus comprises means for transferring a signal relating to the result of diagnosis of said auto-cruising controller to said engine controller, and said engine controller has a function of generating a signal for decreasing a fuel injection amount according to a signal of abnormality from said auto-cruising controller and sending to said fuel injector thereby to obtain security of the vehicle when the abnormality takes place in said auto-cruising controller.

Claim 15

A vehicle control apparatus comprising an auto-­cruising controller for controlling a vehicle so as to travel at a set speed on the basis of data including an actual vehicle traveling signal detected by a speed sensor and a set speed signal and an engine controller for controlling an engine so as to inject an optimum amount of fuel into said engine by an injector on the basis of engine conditional data including a throttle opening and engine revolution members, wherein said vehicle control apparatus comprises means for transferring a signal relating to the result of diagnosis of said auto-cruising controller to said engine controller, and said engine controller has a function of generating a signal for decreasing a fuel injection amount according to a signal of abnormality from said auto-cruising controller and sending to said fuel injector thereby to obtain security of the vehicle when the abnormality takes place in said auto-cruising controller.

Claim 16

A vehicle control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said engine controller has a function of generating a signal to said fuel injector for injecting a fuel injection amount decreased according to passage of time from a time said abnormality takes place in said auto-cruising controller.

Claim 17

A vehicle control apparatus comprising an auto-­cruising controller for controlling a vehicle so as to travel at a set speed on the basis of data including an actual vehicle traveling signal detected by a speed sensor and a set speed signal and an engine controller for controlling an engine so as to inject an optimum amount of fuel into said engine by an injector on the basis of engine conditional data including a throttle opening and engine revolution members, wherein said engine controller is connected to said speed sensor and a speed setting means for setting a desired vehicle traveling speed, and has a function of judging an abnormality of said auto-­cruising controller on the basis of data from said speed sensor and speed setting means.

Claim 18

A vehicle control apparatus comprising an auto-­cruising controller for controlling a vehicle so as to travel at a set speed on the basis of data including an actual vehicle traveling signal detected by a speed sensor and a set speed signal and an engine controller for controlling an engine so as to inject an optimum amount of fuel into said engine by an injector on the basis of engine conditional data including a throttle opening and engine revolution members, wherein said engine controller is connected to said speed sensor and a speed setting means for setting a desired vehicle traveling speed, and has a function of judging an abnormality of said auto-­cruising controller on the basis of data from said speed sensor and speed setting means.

Claim 19

A vehicle control apparatus comprising an auto-­cruising controller for controlling a vehicle so as to travel at a set speed on the basis of data including an actual vehicle traveling speed detected by a speed sensor and a set speed signal, and an engine controller for controlling an engine so as to inject an optimum amount of fuel into said engine by an injector on the basis of engine conditional data including a throttle opening and engine revolution members, wherein a monitor means for monitoring abnormality in said auto-cruising is provided separately from said auto-cruising controller and said engine controller, and connected to both said auto-­cruising controller and engine controller by serial communication interface.

Claim 20

A vehicle control apparatus comprising an auto-­cruising controller for controlling a vehicle so as to travel at a set speed on the basis of data including an actual vehicle traveling speed detected by a speed sensor and a set speed signal, and an engine controller for controlling an engine so as to inject an optimum amount of fuel into said engine by an injector on the basis of engine conditional data including a throttle opening and engine revolution members, wherein a monitor means for monitoring abnormality in said auto-cruising is provided separately from said auto-cruising controller and said engine controller, and connected to both said auto-­cruising controller and engine controller by serial communication interface.