Supply line structure for supplying energy to electrical components of a motor vehicle

• US 20030057771A1
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kuehn, Timo, Stiegler, Frank, Enders, Thorsten, Schirmer, Juergen, Dostert, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

A supply line structure for supplying energy to electrical components of a motor vehicle, and for the transmission of information between at least a portion of the components (so-called Powerline Communications). To improve the channel characteristics of the information transmission via the supply line structure, it is proposed that the supply lines be arranged in a star configuration having at least one star point, the or each star point an impedance which corresponds to the characteristic impedance of the individual supply line branches running into it. To that end, it is proposed in particular that at the or each star point, an additional series resistor, frequency-dependent for frequencies below 100 MHz, be disposed in the incoming supply line branches. The series resistor is preferably configured as a ferrite sleeve.

Claims

1. A supply line structure for supplying energy to electrical components of a motor vehicle and for transmitting information between at least a portion of the electrical components, comprising:

supply lines arranged in a star configuration having at least one star point, the at least one star point exhibiting an impedance corresponding to a characteristic impedance of individual supply line branches running thereinto.

2. The supply line structure as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an additional series resistor arranged at the at least one star point in each of the individual supply line branches.

3. The supply line structure as recited in claim 2, wherein each additional series resistor has the same resistance value in all individual supply line branches.

4. The supply line structure as recited in claim 2, wherein:

a value of the additional series resistor at the at least one star point is yielded by the equation;

$r_{\mathrm{star}}^{*}=\frac{Z_{\mathrm{series}}·<br><br>n+Z_L<br><br>\left(2-n\right)}{Z_{\mathrm{series}}·<br><br>n+Z_L·<br><br>n}$

with a reflection factor r*_star and a number n of individual supply line branches feeding into the at least one star point, the reflection factor (r*_star) being yielded at one of the individual supply line branches in which an incoming wave is running, and by consideration of the additional series resistor in the one of the individual supply line branches.

5. The supply line structure as recited in claim 3, wherein:

a value of the additional series resistor at the at least one star point is yielded from the equation;

$Z_{\mathrm{series}}=Z_L·<br><br>\frac{n-2}{n}$

6. The supply line structure as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the additional series resistor is frequency-dependent below a frequency of 100 MHz.

7. The supply line structure as recited in claim 6, wherein:

at a frequency of 0 Hz, the additional series resistor has a very small resistance value, and

in a frequency range of interest for a powerline communications, the additional series resistor has a resistance value of Z_series.

8. The supply line structure as recited in claim 6, wherein:

at a frequency of 0 Hz, the additional series resistor has a resistance value of 0 ohm, and

in a frequency range above 100 MHz, the additional series resistor has a resistance value of Z_series.

9. The supply line structure as recited in claim 6, wherein:

the additional series resistor includes at least one ferrite sleeve positioned in an area of the at least one star point around a connecting line.