Multiplex transmission apparatus

• US 5,375,120 A
• Filed: 03/29/1993
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Nobutoki, Yoshikazu, Hirano, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US08/038,831
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 370/85.1, 370/85.2, 370/85.3, 370/85.6, 370/85.13, 370/94.3, 307/10.1, 307/36, 307/37, 307/38, 340/825.06, 340/825.17, 340/825.5, 340/825.51, 340/825.16
• US Class Current: 370/358
• 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 2016/0322 Temporary code for documents to be reclassified to G08C, H04L or H04Q

Abstract

A multiplex transmission apparatus including first-type control nodes connected to a multiplex transmission path, which generate a predetermined signal without operation process to received control information and generated information, and second-type nodes which perform the predetermined operation process to received control information and generated information, and generate a control signal. The first and second type nodes are appropriately used corresponding to control functions.

Claims

1. A multiplex transmission apparatus including a plurality of control nodes connected to a common multiplex transmission path in a decentralized manner, said plurality of control nodes classified into a plurality of types of nodes corresponding to control functions, comprising:

communication control means, located in each of said plurality of control nodes, for performing a communication function dependent upon the type of node; and

operation process means, located in a specific control node among said plurality of control nodes, for performing a predetermined operation process,

wherein the communication control means in the specific control node controls signal communication between the multiplex transmission path and the operation process means, and said operation process means performs an operation generating a first control signal based on control information received from the multiplex transmission path, while nodes other than the specific control node generate a second control signal based on control information received from the multiplex transmission path without performing operation process.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first actuator connected to the specific control node, said first actuator being controlled by the first control signal; and

a second actuator connected to the nodes other than the specific control node, said second actuator being controlled by the second control signal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first signal generating device connected to the specific control node, and generating a first signal supplied to the specific control node, wherein said operation process means in the specific control node performs operation process for generating a first transmission control signal based on the first signal generating from said first signal generating device; and

a second signal generating device connected to the nodes other than the specific control node, and generating a second transmission control signal, without performing operation process, based on a second signal generated from said second signal generating device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multiplex transmission path comprises a low-speed transmission path and a high-speed transmission path, and the plurality of control nodes are classified into nodes connected to the low-speed transmission path, nodes connected to the high-speed transmission path and nodes connected to both the low-speed transmission path and the high-speed transmission path.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the nodes connected to both the low-speed transmission path and the high-speed transmission path perform operation process for generating a control signal based on control information received from the multiplex transmission paths.

6. The apparatus according to claims 4, wherein the nodes connected to the low-speed transmission path comprise:

a single controller to transmit control information to and receive control information from the low-speed transmission path, and to perform a predetermined operation process; and

an input-output portion to input and output a predetermined control signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the nodes connected to the high-speed transmission path comprise:

a transceiver to transmit control information to and receive control information from the high-speed transmission path;

an input-output portion to input and output a control signal; and

an operation controller located between said transceiver and said input-output portion to perform a predetermined operation process.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multiplex transmission path further comprises a connecting portion to connect one of the plurality of nodes other than the specific control node to the multiplex transmission path, and wherein when the node other than the specific control node is connected to the connecting portion, said operation process means generates the second control signal in the node.

9. A multiplex transmission apparatus including a plurality of control nodes connected to a common multiplex transmission path in a decentralized manner, the plurality of control nodes classified into a plurality of types of nodes corresponding to control functions, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver located in each of said plurality of control nodes to perform a communication function dependent upon a type of node; and

an operation control unit located in a specific control node among the plurality of control nodes to perform a predetermined operation process,

wherein the transceiver in the specific control node controls signal communication between the multiplex transmission path and the operation control unit, and the operation control unit performs an operation generating a first control signal based on control information received from the multiplex transmission path, while nodes other than the specific control node generate a second control signal, without performing operation process, based on control information received from the multiplex transmission path.

10. A multiplex transmission apparatus, comprising:

a common multiplex transmission path;

a first control node connected to said common multiplex transmission path, said first control node including

an operation control unit to receive control information from the common multiplex transmission path and perform a predetermined operation process to generate a first control signal based on the received control information, and a first communication unit to control signal communication between the multiplex transmission path and the operation control unit; and

a second control node connected to said common multiplex transmission path, said second control node including

a second communication unit to generate a second control signal, without performing operation process, based on control information received from the multiplex transmission path.