Method for integrating a device into a vehicle communications network

• US 20040015272A1
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Vollmer, Vasco, Hofmann, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 6,873,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• 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: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40078 Bus configuration home automation networks H04L12/2803; arrangements for maintenance or administration H04L41/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24

Abstract

A method of adding a device to a vehicle communications network. The method is used to announce a device added to the vehicle communications network to the other devices already connected to the vehicle communications network and to make the newly added device controllable for other devices via a driver. Either a default driver or a special driver is used, the special driver being loaded from the device itself or via a telecommunications network or by the user. The device recognized is entered into a database together with the particular driver. The newly added device is recognized either by a message from the newly added device to the bus manager or by an initialization phase triggered by the newly added device. If the database for entries is exhausted, the entries for devices not connected to the vehicle communications network for the longest period of time are deleted. A bus according to IEEE 1394 may be used as the vehicle communications network.

Claims

1. A method of adding a new device to a vehicle communications network, devices being connected to the vehicle communications network (1) at different locations in a vehicle;

the new device (12) being added to the vehicle communications network (1);

the added device (12) being recognized by a bus manager (2),

wherein the bus manager (2) determines, on the basis of a database (3), whether there is a special driver or a default driver for the device (12) that has been recognized;

a special driver is requested for the device (12) recognized, if there is only a default driver for the device (12) recognized; and

the device (12) that has been recognized is entered into the database (3), and the other devices of the vehicle communications network (1) are notified that a new device (12) has been added to the vehicle communications network (1).

2. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the added device (12) is recognized through a message from the added device (12) to the bus manager (2).

3. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the added device (12) is recognized by the bus manager (2) on the basis of an initialization phase of the vehicle communications network, the initialization phase being triggered by the added device (12).

4. The method as recited in claim 2 or 3,

wherein the special driver is loaded by the added device (12).

5. The method as recited in claim 2 or 3,

wherein the special driver is requested, using visual and/or acoustic output of a first device (5, 6, 7) of the vehicle communications network, the special driver then being loaded via an interchangeable storage device (4) of a second device of the vehicle communications network (1).

6. The method as recited in claim 2 or 3,

wherein the special driver is downloaded by the bus manager (2) via a telecommunications network connectable to the vehicle communications network (1).

7. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein entries for devices removed from the vehicle communications network (1) are kept in the database (3) together with the particular special drivers, until the capacity of the database is exhausted, and the entries for the devices that have been connected to the vehicle communications network (1) for the longest period of time are then deleted.

8. The method as recited in claim 7,

wherein preselected entries for devices are marked to prevent deletion from the database.

9. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the default driver for the added device (12) is used until a special driver is loaded.

10. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein a bus according to IEEE 1394 is used as the vehicle communications network (1).

11. A device for implementing the method as recited in one of claims 1 through 10, which is added to the vehicle communications network.

12. A device for implementing the method as recited in one of claims 1 through 10, which has the bus manager (2).

13. (New) A method of adding a new device to a vehicle communications network, other devices being connected to the vehicle communications network at different locations in a vehicle, the method comprising:

adding the new device to the vehicle communications network;

configuring a bus manager to recognize the new device that has been added, and to determine based on a database whether there is one of a special driver and a default driver for the new device;

requesting the special driver for the new device that has been recognized, if there is only the default driver for the new device;

entering the new device into the database; and

notifying the other devices of the vehicle communications network that the new device has been added to the vehicle communications network.

14. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein the new device that has been added is recognized through a message from the new device to the bus manager.

15. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein the new device that has been added is recognized by the bus manager based on an initialization phase of the vehicle communications network, the initialization phase being triggered when the new device is added.

16. (New) The method of claim 14, further comprising:

configuring the new device to load the special driver.

17. (New) The method of claim 14, wherein the special driver is requested, using at least one of a visual output and an acoustic output of a first device of the vehicle communications network, and the method further comprises:

loading the special driver via an interchangeable storage device of a second device of the vehicle communications network.

18. (New) The method of claim 14, further comprising:

downloading the special driver by the bus manager via a telecommunications network connectable to the vehicle communications network.

19. (New) The method of claim 13, further comprising:

keeping entries for removed devices that have been removed from the vehicle communications network in the database together with particular special drivers, until a capacity of the database is exhausted; and

deleting the entries for unconnected devices that have not been connected to the vehicle communications network for a longest period of time.

20. (New) The method of claim 19, further comprising:

marking preselected entries for the devices to prevent deletion from the database.

21. (New) The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using the default driver for the new device that has been added until the special driver is loaded.

22. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a bus according to IEEE 1394 is used as the vehicle communications network.

23. (New) An arrangement for a vehicle communications network having different locations in a vehicle for connecting devices, comprising:

a new device configured to be added to the vehicle communications network and to be one of recognized by a bus manager and capable of sending a message to the bus manager so that the new device is recognized, the new device further configured to be entered into a database, wherein, according to the database, a determination is made whether there is one of a special driver and a default driver for the new device, the special driver being requested for the new device if there is only the default driver for the new device, and other devices of the vehicle communications network being notified that the new device has been added to the vehicle communications network.

24. (New) An arrangement for adding a new device to a vehicle communications network, other devices being connected to the vehicle communications network at different locations in a vehicle, comprising: