# US 10,501,051 B2 · Control device, control method, program, and control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,051 B2 - Document ID: US10501051B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/756,152 - Filed: 2017-08-24 - Published: 2018-12-27 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-15 - Assignees: OMRON Corporation - Applicants: OMRON Corporation - Inventors: Hiromasa Takatsuka; Junichi Wada; Kazuki Kasai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501051B2 ## CPC - B60R 25/04: operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor - B60R 25/104: characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics - B60R 25/31: of human presence inside or outside the vehicle - B60R 25/32: of vehicle dynamic parameters, e.g. speed or acceleration - B62H 5/20: indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices {(alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005)} - B62M 6/45: Control or actuating devices therefor - G08C 17/00: Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link - H04M 1/72415: for remote control of appliances - H04M 11/00: Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems - H04M 11/04: with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems - B60R 2025/0405: {from the external} - B60R 2025/0415: {with safe immobilisation} - B60R 2025/1013: {Alarm systems characterised by the type of warning signal, e.g. visual, audible} - B60R 2325/205: Mobile phones - G08C 2201/93: Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop - H04Q 9/00: Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B62H: CYCLE STANDS; SUPPORTS OR HOLDERS FOR PARKING OR STORING CYCLES; APPLIANCES PREVENTING OR INDICATING UNAUTHORIZED USE OR THEFT OF CYCLES; LOCKS INTEGRAL WITH CYCLES; DEVICES FOR LEARNING TO RIDE CYCLES - B62M: RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR {SINGLE-TRACK} CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of transmissions in vehicles in general B60K; transmission elements per se F16) - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) ## Abstract A control device includes an acquisition unit acquiring a condition of a vehicle upon reception of a control request, an execution ability determination unit determining whether or not the vehicle is in a condition where the control request can be executed safely, an execution control unit executing the control request when the vehicle is determined to be in a condition where the control request can be executed safely, and a changeover control unit implementing control to change over the condition of the vehicle to a condition where the control request can be executed safely. When the vehicle is in a condition where the control request cannot be executed safely, the changeover control unit is activated. After the vehicle becomes in a condition where the control request can be executed safely, the execution control unit executes the control request. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device for controlling a vehicle in accordance with a control request transmitted from an exterior of the vehicle, the control device comprising a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising operation as: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a condition of the vehicle upon reception of the control request; an execution ability determination unit configured to determine whether the acquired condition of the vehicle is in a condition in which the control request can be executed safely; an execution control unit configured to execute the control request in response to the condition of the vehicle being determined to be a condition in which the control request can be executed safely; and a changeover control unit configured to implement control to change over the condition of the vehicle to a condition in which the control request can be executed safely, wherein, the processor is configured with the program to perform operations comprising operations such that, in response to the the execution ability determination unit determining that the vehicle is in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely, the changeover control unit is activated, and in response to the execution ability determination unit determining that the vehicle is in a condition in which the control request can be executed safely, the execution control unit executes the control request. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured with the program to perform operations comprising operations such that the execution ability determination unit determines that the vehicle is in a condition in which the control request can be executed safely in response to a travel speed of the vehicle being no higher than a threshold, and determines that the vehicle is in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely in response to the travel speed of the vehicle being higher than the threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured with the program to perform operations further comprising operation as an imaging unit for capturing an image of a periphery of the vehicle, wherein the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that the execution ability determination unit determines that the vehicle is in a condition in which the control request can be executed safely in a case of determining on the basis of the captured image that the periphery of the vehicle is safe, and determines that the vehicle is in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely in a case of determining on the basis of the captured image that the periphery of the vehicle is unsafe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that the execution ability determination unit determines that the vehicle is in a condition where the control request can be executed safely in response to a user riding in the vehicle, and determines that the vehicle is in a condition where the control request cannot be executed safely in response to no user riding in the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that the execution ability determination unit determines whether a user is riding in the vehicle using a sensor disposed on a seat portion of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a bicycle, and the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that the execution ability determination unit determines that the vehicle is in a condition where the control request can be executed safely in response to a stand that supports the bicycle in a standing attitude being in use, and determines that the vehicle is in a condition where the control request cannot be executed safely in response to the stand being not in use to support the bicycle in standing attitude. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an image generator or a voice generator, and in response to the condition of the vehicle being in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely, the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that the changeover control unit generates an image or a voice prompting a user of the vehicle to change over to a condition in which the control request can be executed safely using the image generator or the voice generator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a bicycle having an assistance function for assisting self-propulsion, and in response to the condition of the vehicle being in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely, the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that the changeover control unit implements control for suppressing self-propulsion using the assistance function. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The control device according to claim 8, wherein, in response to the condition of the vehicle being in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely, the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that the changeover control unit implements control for increasing an amount by which self-propulsion is suppressed in stages using the assistance function. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The control device according to claim 8, wherein, in response to the condition of the vehicle being in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely, the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that the changeover control unit displays a warning indicating that control for suppressing self-propulsion is to be implemented on a display unit, and implements the control for suppressing self-propulsion using the assistance function following the elapse of a predetermined time. ### Claim 11 A control method for controlling a vehicle in accordance with a control request from an exterior of the vehicle, the method comprising: acquiring a condition of the vehicle upon reception of the control request; determining whether the acquired condition of the vehicle is in a condition in which the control request can be executed safely; executing the control request when the vehicle is determined to be in a condition in which the control request can be executed safely; and implementing control for changing over the condition of the vehicle to a condition in which the control request can be executed safely in response to the vehicle being determined to be in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely, wherein in response to the vehicle being determined to be in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely, the control request is executed in response to the condition of the vehicle being changed over to a condition in which the control request can be executed safely. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 11. ### Claim 13 A control system having a control device for controlling a vehicle in accordance with a control request from an exterior of the vehicle, and a management device for transmitting the control request to the control device, the management device comprising a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising operation as: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a condition of the vehicle from the control device; and an execution ability determination unit configured to determine whether the acquired condition of the vehicle is a condition in which the control request can be executed safely, wherein the management device transmits the control request to the control device in response to the vehicle being determined to be in a condition in which the control request can be executed safely, and the management device transmits a changeover control request for changing over the condition of the vehicle to a condition in which the control request can be executed safely to the control device in response to the vehicle being determined to be in a condition in which the control request cannot be executed safely, and transmits the control request to the control device in response to determining that the condition of the vehicle has been changed to a condition in which the control request can be executed safely.