On-vehicle multiplex communication system and manufacturing method thereof

• US 6,327,263 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harness System Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakatsuji, Naohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US09/189,976
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 370/359, 370/407, 370/425, 370/462, 370/449, 370/360, 370/111, 370/441, 370/442, 370/438, 370/445, 340/825.07, 340/825.08, 340/825.51, 340/184, 340/164, 307/10.1, 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 370/442
• 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

In a multiplex communication system, as to all of the vehicles, the arbitrarily-mounted apparatuses can be connected to the transmission path, and also only the arbitrarily-mounted apparatus having the specific output circuit is separately and selectively can be connected to the transmission path, depending upon such a specific attribute condition when the individual vehicle is supplied, and this specific output circuit is suitable for this specific attribute condition. Accordingly, as the arbitrarily-mounted apparatus suitable for the respective attribute conditions, all of the output functions, all of the output functions which are not required for these attribute conditions can be excluded, and the useless output circuits can be omitted, resulting in a cost reduction. Thus, it is possible to realize the space-saving on-vehicle multiplex communication system. At the same time, only the minimum number of arbitrarily-mounted apparatus is merely added so as to change the other vehicle sorts and the other vehicle destination regions.

Claims

1. An on-vehicle multiplex communication system for performing communication with a distributed process operation among a plurality of communication apparatus via a transmission path, said communication system comprising:

one or more essential communication apparatus commonly mountable on a vehicle being produced according to different attribute conditions;

one or more arbitral communication apparatus configured and separately provided to meet the specific needs of the vehicle and selectively mountable on the vehicle;

wherein said one or more essential communication apparatus is configured to be connected to the transmission path and include;

(a) one or more input circuits which are configured to correspond to all input elements of the vehicle having both said essential and said specific input elements, whereby said one or more input circuits are capable of connecting said all input elements;

(b) one or more essential output circuits which are configured to connect only essential output elements commonly required among all output elements of the vehicle, and

(c) one or more control circuits which are configured to control the drive of each of said one or more essential output circuits;

wherein said one or more arbitral communication apparatus is configured to be connected to the transmission path and include;

(a) one or more specific output circuits which are configured to only connect one or more specific output elements required to drive only one or more specific functional elements particular to the specific needs of the vehicle, and

(b) one or more control circuits which are configured to control the drive of each of said one or more specific output circuits; and

wherein communication is performed via the transmission path between said one or more essential communication apparatus and said one or more arbitral communication apparatus in response to an input signal of each of said input circuits of said one or more essential communication apparatus to control at least one of said essential output circuits and said specific output circuits.

2. The on-vehicle multiplex communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the arbitrarily-mounted communication apparatus are responsive to a sleep condition request under which the operation of the specific output circuit is stopped for a predetermined time period.

3. The on-vehicle multiplexing communication system of claim 1, wherein the transmission path uses frequency division multiplexing.

4. The on-vehicle multiplexing communication system of claim 1, wherein the transmission path uses time division multiplexing.

5. The on-vehicle multiplexing communication system of claim 1, wherein the transmission path uses code division multiplexing.

6. The on-vehicle communication system of claim 1 wherein each essentially-mounted communication apparatus includes a plurality of output circuits adapted to drive output elements commonly used on all vehicle types.

7. The on-vehicle communication system of claim 1 wherein each essentially-mounted communication apparatus includes a plurality of output circuits adapted to drive output elements commonly used on all vehicle types.

8. The on-vehicle multiplexing system of claim 2, wherein the transmission path uses frequency division multiplexing.

9. The on-vehicle multiplexing system of claim 2, wherein the transmission path uses time division multiplexing.

10. The on-vehicle multiplexing system of claim 2, wherein the transmission path uses code division multiplexing.

11. The on-vehicle communication system of claim 2 wherein each essentially-mounted communication apparatus includes a plurality of output circuits adapted to drive output elements commonly used on all vehicle types.

12. The on-vehicle communication system of claim 2 wherein each essentially-mounted communication apparatus includes a plurality of output circuits adapted to drive output elements commonly used on all vehicle types.

13. The on-vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein at least two arbitrarily mounted communication apparatus are optionally selected to be mounted on the vehicle in accordance with the needs of the vehicle type.

14. Manufacturing method for a multiplex communication system for performing communication via a transmission path, comprising:

producing one or more essential communication apparatus commonly mountable on a vehicle according to different attribute conditions;

wherein said one or more essential communication apparatus is configured for connection to the transmission path and includes;

configuring one or more input circuits to correspond to all input elements of the vehicle with both essential and specific input elements;

configuring one or more essential output circuits to connect only essential output elements commonly required among all output elements of the vehicle; and

configuring one or more control circuits to control the drive of each of said one or more essential output circuits;

producing one or more arbitral communication apparatus configured to be separately provided to meet the specific needs the vehicle and selectively mountable on the vehicle;

wherein said one or more arbitral communication apparatus is configured for connection to the transmission path and includes;

configuring one or more specific output circuits to only connect one or more specific output elements required to drive only one or more specific functional elements particular to the specific needs of the vehicle; and

configuring one or more control circuits to control the drive of each of said one or more specific output circuits; and

wherein communication is performed via the transmission path between said one or more essential communication apparatus and said one or more arbitral communication apparatus in response to an input signal from each of said input circuits of said one or more essential communication apparatus to control at least one of said essential output circuits and said specific output circuits.

15. The manufacturing method for a communication system of claim 14 wherein the essentially-mounted communication apparatus includes a plurality of output circuits adapted to drive output elements commonly used on all vehicle types.

16. The manufacturing method for the communication system of claim 14, wherein at least two arbitrarily mounted communication apparatus are optionally selected to be mounted on the vehicle in accordance with the needs of the vehicle type.

17. Manufacturing method for a multiplex communication system for performing communication via a transmission path, comprising:

producing one or more essential communication apparatus commonly mountable on a vehicle according to different attribute conditions;

wherein said one or more essential communication apparatus is configured for connection to the transmission path and includes;

configuring one or more input circuits to correspond to all input elements of the vehicles with both essential and specific input elements;

configuring one or more essential output circuits to connect only essential output elements commonly required among all output elements of the vehicle; and

configuring one or more control circuits to control the drive of each of said one or more essential output circuits;

producing one or more arbitral communication apparatus configured to be separately provided to meet the specific needs of the vehicle and selectively mountable on the vehicle;

wherein said one or more arbitral communication apparatus is configured for connection to the transmission path and includes;

configuring one or more specific output circuits to only connect one or more specific output elements required to drive only one or more specific finctional elements particular to the specific needs of the vehicle; and

configuring one or more control circuits to control the drive of each of said one or more specific output circuits;

producing one or more arbitral communication apparatus responsive to a sleep condition request to stop operation of the specific output circuit for a predetermined time period; and

wherein communication is performed via the transmission path between said one or more essential communication apparatus and said one or more arbitral communication apparatus in response to an input signal from each of said input circuits of said one or more essential communication apparatus to control at least one of said essential output circuits and said specific output circuits.

18. The on-vehicle communication system of claim 17 wherein the essentially-mounted communication apparatus includes a plurality of output circuits adapted to drive output elements commonly used on all vehicle types.

19. The manufacturing method for the communication system of claim 17, wherein at least two arbitrarily mounted communication apparatus are optionally selected to be mounted on the vehicle in accordance with the needs of the vehicle type.