METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIC CONFIGURATION OF MULTIPROCESSOR SYSTEM

• US 20090045972A1
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micropairing Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Medius Inc
• Inventors: Preston, Dan Alan, Lutter, Robert Pierce
• Granted Patent: US 8,045,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.720
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• 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 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

A multiprocessor system used in a car, home, or office environment includes multiple processors that run different real-time applications. A dynamic configuration system runs on the multiple processors and includes a device manager, configuration managers and data manager. The device manager automatically detects and adds new devices to the multiprocessor system, and the configuration manager automatically reconfigures which processors run the real-time applications. The data manager identifies the type of data generated by the new devices and identifies which devices in the multiprocessor system are able to process the data.

Claims

1. An audio system for a vehicle comprising:

a) a wired audio source coupled to an audio amplifier;

b) a processor coupled to the audio amplifier and to a display;

c) a wireless network sensor coupled to the processor and configured to inform the processor when it detects a wireless audio source brought into or near the vehicle;

d) speakers coupled to at least the audio amplifier; and

e) the processor further including a memory with stored program instructions that are executable to (i) communicate with the detected wireless audio source, (ii) identify the detected wireless audio source from among a plurality of different types of wireless audio sources, (iii) indicate the type of the detected wireless audio source on a display, and (iv) make the detected wireless audio source available to the audio system to enable playing of audio information from the wireless audio source on at least one of the audio system speakers.

2. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the processor includes a memory with stored program instructions that are executable to provide an operator of the vehicle with an option of connecting another wireless or wired audio sources to at least another one of the audio system speakers.

3. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the processor includes a memory with stored program instructions that are executable to provide an occupant of the vehicle with an option of connecting another wireless or wired audio sources to at least another one of the audio system speakers.

4. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the wireless network sensor comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

5. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the speakers comprise a wireless headset that is wirelessly coupled to the amplifier.

6. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the identity of the detected wireless audio source is indicated on the display as an iconic representation of the detected wireless audio source.

7. The audio system of claim 6 where the detected wireless audio source is either a cell phone or an MP3 player.

8. The audio system of claim 7 wherein the iconic representation indicates that the detected wireless audio source is either a cell phone or an MP3 player.

9. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the processor identifies the sensed wireless audio source from among a group of devices including at least a cell phone and an MP3 player.

10. A method of operating a vehicle audio system having a wired audio source, a display and multiple speakers comprising:

a) sensing the availability of a wireless audio device that is located within or proximate to the vehicle;

b) identifying the wireless audio device type from among a plurality of different wireless audio device types;

c) playing sound from the wireless audio device through at least a first one of the speakers of the vehicle audio system; and

d) providing a car operator with an option of coupling the wired audio source or another wireless audio source to at least a second one of the speakers of the vehicle audio system.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the wireless audio device couples to the vehicle audio system via Bluetooth.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising indicating availability of the wireless audio device on the display.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein indicating the availability of a wireless audio device on the display includes showing an iconic representation of the wireless audio device or its type.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein a speaker of the vehicle speaker system includes a speaker or speakers of a wireless headset operable with the vehicle audio system.

15. A method of operating an audio system in a vehicle comprising:

a) sensing the availability of a wireless speaker proximate the vehicle;

b) informing the audio system that the wireless speaker is available to emit sound; and

c) directing an audio signal from the audio system to be played on the available wireless speaker.

16. The method of claim 15 where the wireless speaker is a speaker in a wireless headset.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the wireless speaker is a speaker in a wireless audio device.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the wireless speaker is a speaker coupled to a wireless audio device.

19. A method of playing audio on an audio system of a vehicle comprising:

a) receiving at the vehicular audio system MP3 encoded audio;

b) operating the audio system to decode the MP3 encoded audio; and

c) playing the decoded MP3 audio over a speaker included in the audio system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the audio system wirelessly receives the MP3 encoded audio.