Vehicle assistance apparatus and vehicle comprising same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10434987-B2
Application number	US-201616067332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2016
Priority date	Dec 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

According to an embodiment, there is provided A vehicle assistance apparatus including: a communication unit for receiving a remote start request; a sensor unit for sensing an object around the vehicle; and a processor for detecting a remote start restriction element among the objects around the vehicle, and controlling the remote start request to be restricted and performed according to the detected remote start restriction element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle assistance apparatus comprising:
a communication unit for receiving a remote start request;
a sensor unit for sensing an object around a vehicle; and
a processor for detecting a remote start restriction element among the objects around the vehicle, setting a restriction level with respect to the remote start restriction element, determining a level of the detected remote start restriction element, and controlling a remote start according to the remote start request to be restricted and performed according to the determined level,
wherein the restriction level comprises at least one of:
a first restriction level at which the vehicle is positioned in a remote start unavailable area by regulation,
a second restriction level at which the exhaust gas emission of the vehicle is harmful, or
a third restriction level at which a person other than the driver is positioned within a predetermined distance of the vehicle, and

wherein the processor is configured to:
based on setting the restriction level to the second restriction level, determine a power source of the vehicle, and activate a start of the vehicle according to the determined power source of the vehicle,
based on determining that the vehicle corresponds to a hybrid vehicle, activate the start of the vehicle using electric power, and
based on determining that the vehicle corresponds to an internal combustion engine vehicle or an external combustion engine vehicle, activate the start of the vehicle at an RPM that is lower than a preset RPM.

2. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor maintains a start off state and transmits a remote start unavailable situation to a user through the communication unit when determining the detected remote start restriction element as the first restriction level.

3. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
the remote start restriction element which is determined as the second restriction level is at least one of:
a case where a flower bed is detected on the exhaust unit side, or
a case where the vehicle is disposed in an indoor space.

4. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor maintains a start off state when the detected remote start restriction element is determined to be the second restriction level and turns on the start when the position of the user enters a predetermined distance of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor turns on the start and controls the exhaust gas emission of the exhaust unit when the processor determines the detected remote start restriction element as the second restriction level.

6. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the control of the exhaust gas emission of the exhaust unit includes:
a direction control for changing the exhaust gas emission direction, or
a time control for changing the exhaust gas emission time.

7. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor controls to turn on the start and to block the entry of the outside air of the vehicle when determining the detected remote start restriction element as the second restriction level.

8. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the processor detects whether or not a window of the vehicle is open, and controls the window to be closed when the window is open.

9. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor turns on the start after detecting that the person is out of the predetermined distance of the vehicle in a start off state when determining the detected remote start restriction element as the third restriction level.

10. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor turns off the start while the person is detected within a predetermined distance of the vehicle in a start on state when determining the detected remote start restriction element as the third restriction level.

11. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor controls the exhaust gas emission of the exhaust unit in a start on state when determining the detected remote start restriction element as the third restriction level.

12. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor turns on at a predetermined rpm or less when determining the detected remote start restriction element as the third restriction level.

13. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor detects an idling restriction time by the regulation when determining the detected remote start restriction element as the first restriction level.

14. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor transmits the remote start restriction information to the user's terminal through the communication unit.

15. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 14 ,
wherein the processor transmits the remote start restriction information to the terminal when the remote start restriction element is detected after the vehicle is parked.

16. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor turns off the start and performs a restriction function in a start off state when the remote start restriction element is detected.

17. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 16 ,
wherein the processor turns on a hot wire in the start off state when the user requests heating.

18. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 16 ,
wherein the processor opens the window of the vehicle in the start off state when a user requests cooling.

19. The vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 16 ,
wherein the processor detects a frost on a window of the vehicle and turns on a defrost function in the start off state.

20. A vehicle comprising:
the vehicle assistance apparatus according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yoo Wonseok
• Park Jongoh

Classifications

• B60K28/00

  Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions (electric safety devices on electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00) · CPC title

• B60R25/043

  by blocking the exhaust · CPC title

• B60R25/10

  actuating a signalling device · CPC title

• B60R25/016

  comprising means for shuttering the windscreen or part thereof · CPC title

• B60R25/209 Primary

  Remote starting of engine · CPC title