Current distribution system for a vehicle

• US 20030090152A1
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IWS International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IWS International Incorporated
• Inventors: Juntunen, Asko, Lamberg, Lauri, Pohjola, Jorma
• Granted Patent: US 6,747,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• 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: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A current distribution system for a vehicle, wherein a high-level data bus (9′) and a low-level data bus (9) are consistent with different protocols and are in a data transfer communication with each other by way of an adapter (3). Intelligent nodes (19) associated with at least the low-level data bus (9) are provided with a standard kernel software and with node-specific configuration files, whereby the kernel software is adapted to represent the desired functions of a node, including the reception and transmission of control messages, as well as a controlled current supply to electrical devices (20) in a vehicle. The node configuration files are stored as a system configuration in the adapter (3), from which a proper node configuration file can be loaded into a given node (19).

Claims

1. A current distribution system for a vehicle, comprising

a current source (1);

a first cable (4, 5) for feeding a current from the current source (1) to first-level devices (17);

a first number of intelligent nodes (16) between the first cable (4, 5) and the first-level devices (17);

a first data bus (9′

), which constitutes a communication link according to a first protocol with said first intelligent nodes (16);

characterized in that the system additionally comprises

a second cable (6, 7) for feeding a current from the current source (1) to second-level actuators (20);

a second number of intelligent nodes (19) between the second cable (6, 7) and the second-level actuators (20) for guiding the current supply to the actuators;

a second data bus (9), which constitutes a communication link according to a second protocol between said second intelligent nodes (19);

a node software, which comprises a standard kernel software controlling processors present in the nodes of at least the second number of nodes (19);

a plurality of node configurations, each containing configuration data for an individual node (19), which is stored as node configuration files in each node and by which the node software of each individual node (19) is adapted to match the desired functions of the node (19); and

an adapter (3), by which the first data bus (9′

) and the second data bus (C9) are in a communication link with each other and which has a memory (14) for storing said node configuration files therein as a system configuration, from which a proper node configuration file can be loaded into a given node (19).

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that, as a vehicle is started for the first time, the node configuration files present in the nodes (19) of at least said second number of nodes are adapted to be loaded from the nodes (19) into the memory (14) of the adapter (3).

3. A system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adapter (3) performs periodically a verification of the node configuration files of the nodes (19) in relation to the node configuration files present in its memory (14) and loads a node configuration file into such a node (19), which lacks a node configuration file or which has a node configuration file different from the possibly updated node configuration file of the adapter (3).

4. A system as set forth in any of claims 1-3, characterized in that the adapter (3) converts the data according to a second protocol (IWS) to the data according to a first protocol (CAN) and/or vice versa, depending on whether the direction of data transfer is from the second data bus (9) to the first (9′

) or vice versa.

6. A system as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that said first data transfer protocol comprises a so-called CAN protocol.

7. A system as set forth in claim 4 or 6, characterized in that said second data transfer protocol (IWS) comprises a simplified version of the first data transfer protocol, wherein the information package representing each function contains fewer elements and/or is lower in frequency than the information packages of the first data transfer protocol.

8. A system as set forth in any of claims 1-7, characterized in that, in at least some of the nodes (19), each individual node is provided with a number of node configurations representing various function modes of the system, which include three or more of the following function modes:

a normal condition function mode, a test function mode, an abnormal condition function mode, a service condition function mode, and a 00-function mode in which the node does nothing until a command comes from the adapter (3).

9. A system as set forth in any of claims 1-8, characterized in that said second cable (6, 7) includes a number of cable branches, the ends of which connect to junction modules (2a) which, being coupled to each other, constitute a power supply to the current lines of cable branches (4-7) and combine the data lines (9) of the second-level cable branches (6, 7) for a data bus, whereby the nodes (19) of the separate cable branches (6, 7) are also in a direct data transfer communication with each other.

10. A system as set forth in any of claims 1-9, characterized in that said data transfer communication occurring through the adapter (3) between the data buses (9′

, 9) using various data transfer protocols (CAN, IWS) is limited to the transfer of only such control messages which carry an indication or an address designating this transfer.

11. A system as set forth in any of claims 1-10, characterized in that the system includes two adapters (3, 3b) provided with identical functions and memories, that the adapter in active mode transmits regularly a message, the absence of which activates the other adapter to function.

5. A system as set forth in any of claims 14, characterized in that the nodes (14) associated with a system display (18) and the diagnostics sensors (17) for engine operation are included in said first number of nodes connected to said first data bus (9′

).