Relay connection unit and junction connector

• US 20070274328A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Sonoda, Toshiyuki, Uchino, Takeo, Isoyama, Yoshikazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,869,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention provides a relay connection unit that relay message and make sufficient number of branches to be able to connect a plurality of ECUs. The relay connection unit includes: reception connectors to which a plurality of insertion connectors of communication lines can respectively be connected; a branch connection unit that divides the reception connectors into a plurality of groups, the branch connection unit branch-connecting the communication lines through the reception connectors belonging to the respective groups; a plurality of vehicle-mounted LAN communication units respectively connecting to each of the groups of the reception connectors via the branch connection unit, which are configured to perform transmission/reception of messages; and a relay processing unit that relays an incoming message received via one of the vehicle-mounted LAN communication units to another of the vehicle-mounted LAN communication units of another relay connection unit in accordance with a relaying destination.

Claims

1. A relay connection unit comprising:

reception connectors to which a plurality of insertion connectors of communication lines can respectively be connected;

a branch connection unit that divides the reception connectors into a plurality of groups, the branch connection unit branch-connecting the communication lines through the reception connectors belonging to the respective groups;

a plurality of vehicle-mounted LAN communication units respectively connecting to each of the groups of the reception connectors via the branch connection unit, which are configured to perform transmission/reception of messages; and

a relay processing unit that relays an incoming message received via one of the vehicle-mounted LAN communication units to another vehicle-mounted LAN communication units in accordance with a relaying destination.

2. The relay connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the branch connection unit is a matrix circuit in which switching circuits are arranged in lines between first conductors connected to the reception connectors and second conductors connected to the vehicle-mounted LAN communication units, the switching circuits being configurable to pass/block electrical signals bi-directionally.

3. The relay connection unit according to claim 2, further comprising:

a connection adjustment unit that monitors communication status of messages via the second conductors, the connection adjustment unit changing the setting of corresponding one of the switching circuits to dynamically adjust groupings of the reception connectors when the status of communications using any of the second conductors degrades.

4. The relay connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the branch connection unit is a conductor for branch-connecting between the vehicle-mounted LAN communication unit and the reception connectors within the groups.

5. The relay connection unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connector provided between the branch connection unit and the vehicle-mounted LAN communication unit, the connector allowing the reception connectors and the branch connection unit to be connected and disconnected with respect to the vehicle-mounted LAN communication unit and the relay processing unit.

6. A junction connector comprising:

reception connectors to which a plurality of insertion connectors of communication lines can respectively be connected;

a branch connection unit that divides the reception connectors into a plurality of groups, the branch connection unit branch-connecting the communication lines through the reception connectors belonging to the respective groups; and

unit-side insertion connectors branch-connected to the respective groups of the reception connectors via the branch connection unit, and being formed so as to match the number of a plurality of unit-side reception connectors provided on a relay connection unit, and being configured so as to be capable of being connected to the unit-side reception connectors in a batch.