RELAY CONNECTOR UNIT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20080218246A1
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: KANAZAWA, Akiyoshi, GOHARA, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/415
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge

Abstract

A relay connector unit for communicating an electronic control unit with a plurality of electronic devices includes: a first connecting unit connected to the electronic control unit; a second connecting unit having a plurality of circuits connected to the electronic devices respectively; and a transferring unit connected to the first connecting unit and the second connecting unit. The transferring unit transmits first information received by the first connecting unit from the electronic control unit to at least one of the electronic devices through a corresponding circuit, on the basis of circuit identifying data included in first information, the circuit identifying data indicating the corresponding circuit to be transferred to or from. The transferring unit appends the circuit identifying data to second information received from one of the electronic devices through the corresponding circuit to transmit the second information to the electronic control unit through the first connecting unit.

Claims

1. A relay connector unit for communicating an electronic control unit with a plurality of electronic devices, comprising:

a first connecting unit connected to the electronic control unit;

a second connecting unit having a plurality of circuits connected to the electronic devices respectively; and

a transferring unit connected to the first connecting unit and the second connecting unit,

wherein the transferring unit transmits first information received by the first connecting unit from the electronic control unit to at least one of the electronic devices through a corresponding circuit connected to the at least one of the electronic devices, on the basis of circuit identifying data included in first information, the circuit identifying data indicating the corresponding circuit to be transferred to or from; and

wherein the transferring unit appends the circuit identifying data to second information received from one of the electronic devices through the corresponding circuit to transmit the second information to the electronic control unit through the first connecting unit.

2. The relay connector unit according to claim 1, wherein the transferring unit appends address data assigned to the relay connector unit to the second information.

3. The relay connector unit according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting unit is connected to the electronic control unit through a first wire harness;

and

wherein the circuits are connected to the electronic devices through a plurality of corresponding second wire harnesses respectively.

4. An electronic device control system, comprising:

a relay connector unit which includes;

a first connecting unit;

a second connecting unit having a plurality of circuits; and

a transferring unit connected to the first connecting unit and the second connecting unit;

a plurality of electronic devices;

an electronic control unit which controls the electronic devices;

a first wire harness which connects the first connecting unit to the electronic control unit; and

a plurality of second wire harnesses which connects the circuits to the electronic devices, respectively,

wherein the transferring unit transmits first information received by the first connecting unit from the electronic control unit to at least one of the electronic devices through a corresponding circuit connected to the at least one of the electronic devices, on the basis of circuit identifying data included in first information, the circuit identifying data indicating the corresponding circuit to be transferred to or from;

wherein the transferring unit appends the circuit identifying data to second information received from one of the electronic devices through the corresponding circuit to transmit the second information to the electronic control unit through the first connecting unit; and

wherein the electronic control unit includes a transmitting and receiving unit which transmits the first information to the first connecting unit and receives the second information from the first connecting unit.