Vehicle network with time slotted access and method

• US 20060259204A1
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Levenson, Samuel M., Fehr, Walton L., Remboski, Donald J., Jordan, Patrick D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,733,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4035 in which slots of a TDMA packet structure are assigned based on a contention resolution carried out at a master unit TDM/TDMA multiplex systems per se H04J3/1694; hybrid switching systems H04L12/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle network and method for communicating information within a vehicle. The network includes a plurality of network elements joined by communication links. A data frame is provided for communicating information between a first device and a second device attached to the network. A network element in the network is capable of mapping a first resource on an incoming communication link of the network element to a second link resource of an outgoing communication link of the network element. The network element further has ports for receiving the data frame from the first link resource of the incoming communication link and for communicating the data frame to the second link resource of the outgoing communication link. The mapping may be done statically or dynamically such as based on information stored in the network element or based on information stored in the data frame.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information within a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a network including a plurality of network elements communicatively linked by communication links, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a data frame;

mapping a first link resource on an incoming communication link of one of the plurality of network elements to a second link resource of an outgoing communication link of the network element, the second link resource being different than the first link resource, at least one of the incoming communication link and the outgoing communication link being a time slotted communication link;

receiving the data frame from the first link resource of the incoming communication link and communicating the data frame to the second link resource of the outgoing communication link.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the incoming communication link comprises a time slotted communication link and the first link resource comprises a time slot.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the outgoing communication link comprises a time slotted communication link and the second link resource comprises a time slot.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein the incoming communication link comprises an event triggered link and the first link resource comprises an event triggered transport frame.

5. The method in claim 1, wherein the outgoing communication link comprises an event triggered link and the second link resource comprises an event triggered transport frame.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein the step of mapping the first link resource to the second link resource includes statically mapping the first link resource to the second link resource.

7. The method in claim 6, wherein the static mapping is based upon information stored within one of the plurality of network elements.

8. The method in claim 1, wherein the step of mapping the first link resource to the second link resource includes dynamically mapping the first link resource to the second link resource.

9. The method in claim 8, wherein the dynamic mapping is based upon routing information contained within the data frame.

10. A vehicle network comprising:

a plurality of network elements joined by communication links;

a data frame for communicating information between a first device and a second device, the first device connected to at least one of the network elements and the second device connected to at least one of the network elements;

a processor in at least one of the network elements, the processor capable of mapping a first resource on an incoming communication link of the network element to a second link resource of an outgoing communication link of the network element; and

at least one port in the at least one network element for receiving the data frame from the first link resource of the incoming communication link and at least one port in the at least one network element for communicating the data frame to the second link resource of the outgoing communication link.

11. The vehicle network in claim 10, wherein the incoming communication link comprises a time slotted communication link and the first link resource comprises a time slot.

12. The vehicle network in claim 10, wherein the outgoing communication link comprises a time slotted communication link and the second link resource comprises a time slot.

13. The vehicle network in claim 10, wherein the incoming communication link comprises an event triggered link and the first link resource comprises an event triggered transport frame.

14. The vehicle network in claim 10, wherein the outgoing communication link comprises an event triggered link and the second link resource comprises an event triggered transport frame.

15. The vehicle network in claim 10, wherein the mapping of the first link resource to the second link resource includes statically mapping the first link resource to the second link resource.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein the static mapping is based upon information stored within one of the plurality of network elements.

17. The method in claim 10, wherein the mapping of the first link resource to the second link resource includes dynamically mapping the first link resource to the second link resource.

18. The method in claim 17, wherein the dynamic mapping is based upon routing information contained within the data frame.

19. A method of communicating information within a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a network including a plurality of network elements communicatively linked by communication links, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a data packet from a first link, the data packet being assigned a first time slot assignment;

determining a second time slot assignment for the data packet, the second time slot assignment being different than the first time slot assignment; and

sending the data packet on a second link, the data packet being assigned to the second time slot assignment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining a second time slot assignment for the data packet is done in an intermediary network element and the second time slot assignment is based on static information stored within intermediary network element.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining a second time slot assignment for the data packet is done in an intermediary network element and the second time slot assignment is based on dynamic information stored within data packet.