In-vehicle informing device and informing method

摘要

The present disclosure provides an in-vehicle informing device equipped in a vehicle including an idle stop system so that a driver is prevented from mistaking an engine stop state by the idle stop system for the engine stop state by an OFF position of an ignition switch. The device first determines whether an engine is automatically stopped by the idle stop system. The device determines whether a stop state of the vehicle corresponds to specific drive suspending condition when the engine is automatically stopping by the idle stop system. The device informs the driver that the engine is automatically stopped by the idle reduction function, utilizing an information giving portion equipped in the vehicle when the driver is judged as in the drive suspending state.

主权项

1. An in-vehicle informing device equipped in a vehicle with an idle reduction function which causes an engine of the vehicle to be stopped automatically in response to fulfillment of a predetermined stop condition and thereafter causes the engine to be restarted automatically in response to fulfillment of a predetermined restart condition, the in-vehicle informing device comprising:
a stop cause check section configured to determine whether or not the engine is in an stop state by having been automatically stopped by the idle reduction function; a drive state check section configured to, in cases where the stop cause check section determines that the engine is in the stop state by having been automatically stopped the idle reduction function,
(i) obtain stop state data about a stop state of the vehicle,(ii) determine whether or not the stop state of the vehicle indicated by the stop state data corresponds to a specified drive suspending condition, and(iii) determine that a driver of the vehicle is in a drive suspending state when the drive state check section determines that the stop state of the vehicle indicated by the stop state data corresponds to the specified drive suspending condition; and an alert section configured to, in cases where the drive state check section determines that the driver is in the drive suspending state,
inform the driver that the engine is in the stop state by having been automatically stopped by the idle reduction function, by utilizing an information giving portion equipped in the vehicle, wherein the alert section does not inform the driver that the engine is in the stop state by having been automatically stopped by the idle reduction function when the drive state check section determines that the driver is in a drive continuation state.