Automotive switch fabric with improved QoS and method

• US 20040254700A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Jordan, Patrick, Remboski, Donald, Levenson, Samuel M., Fehr, Walton L.
• Application Number:
  US10/865,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254700A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/433 with asynchronous transmission, e.g. token ring, register insertion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40208 characterized by the use of a particular bus standard
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/247 using M:N active or standby paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/72 using reservation actions during connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/746 Reaction triggered by a failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/803 : Application aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 : QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/908 : Local area network

Abstract

A vehicle communication network (200) includes a plurality of network elements (208-212) and a plurality of communication links (214-230) communicatively coupling the network elements in a point-to-point configuration. Message traffic on the communication links is controlled by at least one of controlling the communication links and controlling message traffic access to the communication links.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of network nodes;

the network nodes being interconnected by connection media for point-to-point communication, the connection media being operable in accordance with one or more communication protocols; and

a flow control mechanism associated with the connection media, the flow control mechanism operable to control message traffic on the connection media between a first network node and a second network node.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism comprises an arbitration mechanism.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, the arbitration mechanism being operable to either preclude message traffic on the connection media or throttle message traffic on the connection media between the first network node and the second network node.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, the arbitration mechanism being operable to throttle message traffic on the connection media between the first network node and the second network node to a set average level.

5. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the arbitration mechanism is operable to assert a dominant state on the connection media, the dominant state precluding message traffic on the connection media between the first network node and the second network node.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism comprises a message class associated with the message traffic between the first network node and the second network node.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the message class defines a quality of service (QoS) level associated with the message traffic.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism is operable to disable the connection media between the first network node and the second network node for either a predetermined percentage of time or a predetermined period of time.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism is operable responsive to level of message traffic on the connection media between the first network node and the second network node.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism is responsive to receipt of a token defining a permitted level of message traffic to or from a network node.

11. In a vehicle a method of controlling message traffic on connection media communicatively coupling a first network node and a second network node, the method comprising:

providing a flow control mechanism associated with the connection media, the flow control mechanism operable to control message traffic on the connection media, and

controlling message traffic on the connection media by at least one of controlling the connection media capacity and controlling message traffic access to the connection media.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the connection media access comprises arbitrating message traffic access to the connection media.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein arbitrating message traffic access comprises either of precluding message traffic on the connection media and throttling message traffic on the connection media.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein arbitrating message traffic access comprises throttling message traffic on the connection media between the first network node and the second network node to a set average level.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein arbitrating message traffic access comprises asserting a dominant state on the connection media, the dominant state precluding message traffic on the connection media between the first network node and the second network node.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling message traffic access to the connection media comprises assigning a message class to the message traffic.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the message class defines a quality of service (QoS) level associated with the message traffic.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the connection media capacity comprises disabling the connection media between the first network node and the second network node for either a predetermined percentage of time or a predetermined period of time.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the flow control mechanism is operable responsive to level of message traffic on the connection media between the first network node and the second network node.

20. The method of claim 11, comprising providing a token to a network node, the token defining a permitted level of message traffic to or from the network node.