Wireless communication in vehicles

• US 20050164672A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Schwab, Manfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,084,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/345
• 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: F16H 61/0006 Electronic control units for transmission control, e.g. connectors, casings or circuit boards

Abstract

In a device for communication on a communication path between control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) which are actuated by a driver of a vehicle and emit control signals and devices (4, 8) of the vehicle which receive control signals and convert the control signals into reactions in or on the devices, the control signals are transmitted from the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and to the devices (4, 8) in wireless manner at least on sections of the communication path.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A device for communication along a communication path between control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) which are actuated by a driver of a vehicle and emit control signals and devices (4, 8) of the vehicle which the receive control signals and convert the control signals to responses in or on the devices,

wherein the control signals are transmitted in a wireless manner from the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) to the devices (4, 8) at least along a portion of the communication path, and the controlled device of the vehicle is the transmission control (8) of an automatic or automated transmission (6).

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein on the entire communication path, between the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and a transmission control (4, 8), is a direct wireless transmission path.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the communication path comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion of the communication path is a wireless transmission between the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and an interpolated electronic control device (10) which controls further processing of the control signals according to prescribed computation rules and, during the second portion of the communication path, relays the control signals to at least the transmission control (4, 8).

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a wireless transmission path.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a cable path (34).

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a bus system.

17. The device according to claim 13, wherein the interpolated control device is a central vehicle computer (10).

18. The device according to claim 13, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a CAN bus system.

19. A communication device for communicating on a communication path, the communication device comprising;

a plurality of vehicle control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) which are actuated by a driver of a vehicle and emit control signals for controlling operation of the vehicle;

a plurality of devices (4, 8) of the vehicle, which receive the control signals from the plurality of control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and convert the control signals to control operation of the vehicle, the control signals being transmitted in a wireless manner from the at least one of plurality of control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) to at least one of the plurality of devices (4, 8) along the communication path, and at least one of the plurality of devices (4, 8) is a motor control (4) and at least one of the plurality of devices (4, 8) is a transmission control (8) of one of an automatic or automated transmission (6).

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein on the entire communication path, between the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and a transmission control (4, 8), is a direct wireless transmission path.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein the communication path comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion of the communication path is a wireless transmission between the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and an interpolated electronic control device (10) which controls further processing of the control signals according to prescribed computation rules and, during the second portion of the communication path, relays the control signals to at least the transmission control (4, 8).

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a wireless transmission path.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a cable path (34).

24. The device according to claim 21, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a bus system.

25. The device according to claim 21, wherein the interpolated control device is a central vehicle computer (10).

26. The device according to claim 21, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a CAN bus system.