A method of starting a vehicle may include, in response to an expected driver entry, stroking a clutch configured to couple an engine to an electric machine for a predetermined time period. The method may further include, in response to an engine start request received during the predetermined time period, providing power to the electric machine to spin the electric machine at a speed at least equal to a target engine cranking speed.

A method of starting a vehicle may include, in response to an expected driver entry, stroking a clutch configured to couple an engine to an electric machine for a predetermined time period. The method may further include, in response to an engine start request received during the predetermined time period, providing power to the electric machine to spin the electric machine at a speed at least equal to a target engine cranking speed.

The present invention relates to motor safety devices as used in increasing numbers for the killing of engines or disengaging propulsion units from motors, when there are no operators to maintain control of an apparatus or vehicle such as jet-ski, boat, go-kart and the like or personnel to oversee use of a motorised tool or the like. Motor boat operators on a boat have been known to fall overboard without being detected by the operator of the boat. Such runaway boats have been known to seriously injure the operator of the boat in the water since a runaway boat tends to circle back to the place where the operator has fallen overboard. The present invention is also applicable to other types of equipment such as motorised gymnasium equipment, hand operated power tools, such as agricultural and arboriculturist equipment and wood working tools.

The present invention relates to motor safety devices as used in increasing numbers for the killing of engines or disengaging propulsion units from motors, when there are no operators to maintain control of an apparatus or vehicle such as jet-ski, boat, go-kart and the like or personnel to oversee use of a motorised tool or the like. Motor boat operators on a boat have been known to fall overboard without being detected by the operator of the boat. Such runaway boats have been known to seriously injure the operator of the boat in the water since a runaway boat tends to circle back to the place where the operator has fallen overboard. The present invention is also applicable to other types of equipment such as motorised gymnasium equipment, hand operated power tools, such as agricultural and arboriculturist equipment and wood working tools.

The invention relates to a machine (1) for handling loads (24), comprising: —a frame (2) equipped with a driving station (15), —a load handling system (4) carried by the frame, a device (6) for controlling the load handling system (4), wherein this control device (6) that can be manually actuated by an operator comprises a manual part (61) configured to be manually grasped, —a control unit (5), the control unit (5) being configured to receive control signals from said control device (6), —a member (7) for activating the manually actuatable control device (6), wherein the control unit (5), in the actuated state of the activating member (7), is configured to authorize the control of the handling system (4) as a function of at least the control signals received from the control device (6), characterized in that the driving station (15) is equipped with a detection system (16) for detecting a presence or absence of the operator at said station (15), this detection system (16) comprising at least one presence sensor (17) distinct from the control device (6), and characterized in that the control unit (5), in the non-actuated state of the activating member (7) and after passing from the actuated state to the non-actuated state of the activating member (7), is configured to prevent or authorize the control at least of the handling system (4) with the control device (6) at least as a function of the absence or presence status of the operator detected by the system (16) for detecting a presence of the operator at said station (15).

A PTO shaft driving device in a working machine, includes a parking switch to detect parking of a vehicle body, a first switch located on a manipulator located on the vehicle body to output a PTO shaft control command that is either a driving command to drive a PTO shaft located on the vehicle body or a stopping command to stop the PTO shaft, a second switch located at a position different from the manipulator to output a PTO shaft control command that is either a driving command to drive the PTO shaft or a stopping command to stop the PTO shaft, a first permission switch to selectively permit or prohibit a stationary work when the parking switch detects the parking, and a controller configured or programmed to control driving of the PTO shaft. The controller is configured or programmed to selectively drive or stop the PTO shaft according to the PTO shaft control command from the first switch or the second switch when the stationary work is permitted by the first permission switch.

A PTO shaft driving device in a working machine, includes a parking switch to detect parking of a vehicle body, a first switch located on a manipulator located on the vehicle body to output a PTO shaft control command that is either a driving command to drive a PTO shaft located on the vehicle body or a stopping command to stop the PTO shaft, a second switch located at a position different from the manipulator to output a PTO shaft control command that is either a driving command to drive the PTO shaft or a stopping command to stop the PTO shaft, a first permission switch to selectively permit or prohibit a stationary work when the parking switch detects the parking, and a controller configured or programmed to control driving of the PTO shaft. The controller is configured or programmed to selectively drive or stop the PTO shaft according to the PTO shaft control command from the first switch or the second switch when the stationary work is permitted by the first permission switch.

A system including a vehicle electronic control unit, an imaging device, and a controller is disclosed. The controller includes a processor and memory storing computer-readable medium including executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to capture an image of an operator of a vehicle by the imaging device, determine a facial expression of the operator, and transmit a vehicle operation command to the vehicle electronic control unit. The vehicle operation command causes the vehicle electronic control unit to perform a vehicle operation action based on the facial expression of the operator and an operation state of the vehicle.

A driver status monitor test method is for testing if a driver status monitor generates an alarm operation in accordance with driver motion images. A photographing unit of the driver status monitor is configured to take photographs of the driver motion images. The driver status monitor test method includes a test motion selecting step and a driver motion image displaying step. The test motion selecting step includes selecting at least one test motion for testing the driver status monitor by a user interface. The driver motion image displaying step includes displaying the driver motion images by a display. The driver motion images are a plurality of predetermined image frames in accordance with the test motion. The driver motion images include at least one of a face image, a forelimb image and a torso image.

A vehicle idling stop control device has switches that detect an operation of opening a driver's door and an unbuckling of a driver's seat belt as disembarkation operations by a driver. When a disembarkation operation performed by the driver is detected during an idling stop, the idling stop is cancelled and the engine is restarted upon detecting a disembarkation operation performed by a driver during the idling stop. Also, restarting of the idling stop is prevented due to ending of the disembarkation operation performed by the driver until after the vehicle starts traveling. Thus, unnecessary automatic stopping and automatic restarting of the engine are thereby avoided when the vehicle sets off without the driver actually exiting the vehicle.