Vehicle control apparatus, vehicle control method, computer program for implementing same method, and data storage medium storing same computer program

#The invention relates to the control of electric power supplied to a brake mechanism that produces braking force using an actuator in accordance with electric signals corresponding to brake operation amount and to a shift mechanism that changes the shift position using an actuator in accordance with electric signals corresponding to shift operation.

#A shift-by-wire shift mechanism is known that changes the shift position of a transmission using an actuator, such as a motor, in accordance with the shift operation by the driver. Likewise, a brake-by-Wire brake mechanism is known that produces braking force using an actuator in accordance with the braking operation by the driver.

#For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-A-2004-256013 describes a parking brake apparatus that reliably prevents a brake mechanism portion from being frozen in an activated state. The parking brake apparatus includes: the brake mechanism portion that applies braking forces to the wheels of the vehicle; a brake actuator that actuates the brake mechanism portion; parking brake commanding means for outputting parking brake command signals; outside temperature sensor for detecting the temperature outside the vehicle and outputting outside temperature detection signals corresponding to the detected outside temperature; and controller. When receiving the parking brake command signals, the controller executes a parking brake control which controls the brake actuator such that braking force is produced at the brake mechanism portion. However, when detecting, based on the outside temperature detection signals from the outside temperature sensor, that the outside temperature falls below a freezing point, the controller executes a brake-release control which controls the brake actuator to maintain the brake mechanism portion in a released state even if the parking brake command signals are input.

#The foregoing and further features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of example embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals are used to represent like elements, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a view showing the configuration of a vehicle incorporating the vehicle control apparatus according to the first example embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a view showing the structure of a shift mechanism;

#Hereinafter, example embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, like parts and components are denoted by like numerals, and the descriptions on such elements and components will not be repeated since their functions are the same.

#Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle incorporating a vehicle control apparatus according to a first example embodiment of the invention has an SBW-ECU (Shift-By-Wire Electronic Control Unit) 1000, a P-switch (Parking switch) 1100, an SBW actuator 1200, an ECB-ECU (Electronic Control Brake ECU) 1300, an ECB 1400, an EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) 1500, a main electric power source 200, an SBW auxiliary electric power source 202, an ECB capacitor 204, a relay circuit 206, an electric power source monitoring circuit 208, an open door sensor 210, a seat sensor 212, and a brake pedal travel sensor 214. In the first example embodiment, the vehicle may be any type of vehicle, such as a vehicle using an engine as a drive power source, a hybrid vehicle using an engine and an electric motor as drive power sources, an electric vehicle using an electric motor as a drive power source, or a fuel cell vehicle using an electric motor as a drive power source.

#The vehicle control apparatus of the first example embodiment is constituted of the main electric power source 200, the SBW auxiliary electric power source 202, the ECB capacitor 204, the SBW-ECU 1000, the ECB-ECU 1300, and the relay circuit 206.