VEHICLE COMMUNICATION NETWORK INCLUDING WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20120106469A1
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: YOUSEFI, NARIMAN, KIM, YONGBUM, WALLEY, JOHN, CHEN, SHERMAN (XUEMIN), DIAB, WAEL W., ILYADIS, NICHOLAS
• Granted Patent: US 8,976,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/00 Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle with power supply from force of nature, e.g. sun or wind, B60L8/00; for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• 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: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/03 characterised by material, e.g. composite B60R19/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/76 Arrangements for rearranging, permuting or selecting data according to predetermined rules, independently of the content of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6275 : based on priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/76 : using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/821 : Prioritising resource allocation or reservation requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 : Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• 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 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 : Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/102 : characterised by the element, parameter or selection affected or controlled by the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/08 : Load balancing or load distribution transferring a connection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 : for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 : for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 : Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 : based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 : Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A wired and wireless vehicle communication network includes network node modules, switch modules, bridge-routing modules, and a network manager. The network manager is operable to determine a wired packet communication mode and/or a wireless packet communication mode. When the network is in the wireless packet communication mode, the network manager coordinates wireless communication of packets among the network node modules, the switch modules, and the bridge-routing modules based on individual content of the packets and wireless channel mapping. When the network is in the wired packet communication mode, the network manager coordinates wired communication of packets among the network node modules, the switch modules, and the bridge-routing modules based on the individual content of the packets and in accordance with a global vehicle network communication protocol.

Claims

1. A wireless vehicle communication network comprises:

a plurality of wireless network node modules;

a plurality of wireless switch modules;

a plurality of wireless bridge-routing modules; and

a network manager operable to coordinate wireless communication of packets among the plurality of wireless network node modules, the plurality of wireless switch modules, and the plurality of wireless bridge-routing modules based on individual content of the packets and wireless channel mapping.

2. The wireless vehicle communication network of claim 1, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

allocating a channel of a set of channels within a frequency band for at least a portion of conveyance of one of the packets from a source to a destination via at least one of;

one of the plurality of wireless network node modules, one of the plurality of wireless switch modules, and one of the plurality of wireless bridge-routing modules.

3. The wireless vehicle communication network of claim 2, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises at least one of:

a permanent allocation of the channel when the one of the plurality of packets is of a first content type;

a semi-permanent allocation of the channel when the one of the plurality of packets is of a second content type; and

a dynamic allocation of the channel when the one of the plurality of packets is of a third content type.

4. The wireless vehicle communication network of claim 2, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

a permanent allocation of the channel when the source or the destination is a first type of device;

a semi-permanent allocation of the channel when the source or the destination is a second type of device; and

a dynamic allocation of the channel when the source or the destination is a third type of device.

5. The wireless vehicle communication network of claim 2, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

allocating a second channel of a set of channels within a frequency band for a second portion of the conveyance of the one of the packets from the source to the destination.

6. The wireless vehicle communication network of claim 1, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

allocating channels within a frequency band in cellular pattern among a plurality of regions within the wireless vehicle communication network to reduce channel interference from overlapping channel use in different ones of the plurality of regions.

7. A wired and wireless vehicle communication network comprises:

a plurality of network node modules;

a plurality of switch modules;

a plurality of bridge-routing modules; and

a network manager operable to;

determine at least one of a wired packet communication mode and a wireless packet communication mode;

for the wireless packet communication mode, coordinate wireless communication of packets among the plurality of network node modules, the plurality of switch modules, and the plurality of bridge-routing modules based on individual content of the packets and wireless channel mapping; and

for the wired packet communication mode, coordinate wired communication of packets among the plurality of network node modules, the plurality of switch modules, and the plurality of bridge-routing modules based on the individual content of the packets and in accordance with a global vehicle network communication protocol.

8. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 7, wherein the global vehicle network communication protocol comprises at least one of:

information regarding a network fabric formatting of the packets;

information regarding packet transmission prioritization schemes;

information regarding network management processing; and

information regarding vehicle network operation parameters.

9. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 7, the network manager is further operable to, when the wireless packet communication mode and the wired packet communication mode are both active:

determine whether the wireless packet communication mode is a wireless link aggregation mode; and

when the wireless packet communication mode is the wireless link aggregation mode, coordinate transmission of a first packet in accordance with the wired packet communication mode and transmission of a second packet in accordance with the wireless packet communication mode.

10. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 7, the network manager is further operable to, when the wireless packet communication mode and the wired packet communication mode are both active:

determine whether the wireless packet communication mode is a wireless hot-standby mode; and

when the wireless packet communication mode is the wireless hot-standby mode, coordinate concurrent transmission of a packet in accordance with the wired packet communication mode and in accordance with the wireless packet communication mode.

11. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 7, the network manager is further operable to, when the wireless packet communication mode and the wired packet communication mode are both active:

determine whether the wireless packet communication mode is a wireless network control mode; and

when the wireless packet communication mode is the wireless network control mode, coordinate transmission of a first packet in accordance with the wired packet communication mode and transmission of a network data packet in accordance with the wireless packet communication mode.

12. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 7, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

allocating a channel of a set of channels within a frequency band for at least a portion of conveyance of one of the packets from a source to a destination via at least one of;

one of the plurality of wireless network node modules, one of the plurality of wireless switch modules, and one of the plurality of wireless bridge-routing modules.

13. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 12, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises at least one of:

a permanent allocation of the channel when the one of the plurality of packets is of a first content type;

a semi-permanent allocation of the channel when the one of the plurality of packets is of a second content type; and

a dynamic allocation of the channel when the one of the plurality of packets is of a third content type.

14. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 12, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

a permanent allocation of the channel when the source or the destination is a first type of device;

a semi-permanent allocation of the channel when the source or the destination is a second type of device; and

a dynamic allocation of the channel when the source or the destination is a third type of device.

15. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 12, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

allocating a second channel of a set of channels within a frequency band for a second portion of the conveyance of the one of the packets from the source to the destination.

16. The wired and wireless vehicle communication network of claim 7, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

allocating channels within a frequency band in cellular pattern among a plurality of regions within the wireless vehicle communication network to reduce channel interference from overlapping channel use in different ones of the plurality of regions.

17. A vehicle network module comprises:

a wired network interface;

a wireless network interface; and

a processing module operable to;

determine at least one of a wired packet communication mode and a wireless packet communication mode;

for the wireless packet communication mode, utilize the wireless network interface to wirelessly communicate packets with one or more elements of a vehicle communication network based on individual content of the packets and wireless channel mapping; and

for the wired packet communication mode, utilize the wired network interface to wiredly communicate packets with the one or more elements of a vehicle communication network based on the individual content of the packets and in accordance with a global vehicle network communication protocol.

18. The vehicle network module of claim 17, wherein the global vehicle network communication protocol comprises at least one of:

information regarding a network fabric formatting of the packets;

information regarding packet transmission prioritization schemes;

information regarding network management processing; and

information regarding vehicle network operation parameters.

19. The vehicle network module of claim 17, the processing module is further operable to, when the wireless packet communication mode and the wired packet communication mode are both active:

determine whether the wireless packet communication mode is a wireless link aggregation mode; and

when the wireless packet communication mode is the wireless link aggregation mode, utilize the wired network interface to convey a first packet in accordance with the wired packet communication mode and utilize the wireless network interface to convey a second packet in accordance with the wireless packet communication mode.

20. The vehicle network module of claim 17, the processing module is further operable to, when the wireless packet communication mode and the wired packet communication mode are both active:

determine whether the wireless packet communication mode is a wireless hot-standby mode; and

when the wireless packet communication mode is the wireless hot-standby mode, utilize the wired network interface to transmit a packet in accordance with the wired packet communication mode and utilize the wireless network interface to concurrently transmit the packet in accordance with the wireless packet communication mode.

21. The vehicle network module of claim 17, the processing module is further operable to, when the wireless packet communication mode and the wired packet communication mode are both active:

determine whether the wireless packet communication mode is a wireless network control mode; and

when the wireless packet communication mode is the wireless network control mode, utilize the wired network interface to convey a first packet in accordance with the wired packet communication mode and utilize the wireless network interface to convey a network data packet in accordance with the wireless packet communication mode.

22. The vehicle network module of claim 17, wherein the wireless channel mapping comprises:

allocating channels within a frequency band in cellular pattern among a plurality of regions within the vehicle communication network to reduce channel interference from overlapping channel use in different ones of the plurality of regions.