Automatic serial bus transmission sequencer

• US 6,460,096 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Ward, Alan R., Hesse, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US09/382,334
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 710/3, 710/56, 710/107, 710/126, 709/207
• US Class Current: 710/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40163 by assigning priority to messages according to a message field
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

A messaging system for a vehicle is disclosed. The messaging system includes a primary controller for transmitting and receiving information. The primary controller generates an array of data messages. A communication module is connected to the primary controller for receiving and storing the array of data messages in a memory. The communication module includes a sequencing controller for sequencing through the array of data messages and selecting individual data messages for transmission by the communication module. A data bus is connected to the communication module and provides a communication link between at least one additional vehicle node connected to the data bus.

Claims

1. A messaging system for vehicle comprising:

a primary controller for transmitting and receiving information, the primary controller generating an array of data messages;

a communication module connected to the primary controller, the communication module having a first memory arranged to store the array of data messages at specific memory register locations, the data messages being written to the specific memory register locations by the primary controller;

a second memory arranged to store an array of address pointers, the array of address pointers being written to the second memory by the primary controller and pointing to the specific memory register locations of the first memory; and

a sequencing controller arranged to continuously sequence through the array of address pointers and select individual address pointers; and

a data bus connected to the communication module and providing a communication link between at least one additional vehicle node connected to the data bus, the data bus being arranged to transmit the data messages pointed to by the selected individual address pointers.

2. The messaging system of claim 1 wherein the communication module further includes a sequence time period module for receiving an initialization signal from the primary controller and implementing a sequencing algorithm.

3. The messaging system of claim 2 wherein the sequencing algorithm controls the sequencing controller.

4. The messaging system of claim 1 wherein the sequencing controller sequences through consecutive address pointers in the first memory.

5. The messaging system of claim 4 wherein the sequencing controller sequences through address pointers in the first memory at periodic time intervals.

6. The messaging system of claim 1 wherein the communication module includes an on demand message module for receiving message data from the primary controller and generating on demand messages for transmission onto the data bus.

7. The messaging system of claim 1 wherein the communication module includes an on demand in-frame response (IFR) module for receiving IFR data from the primary controller and generating IFR messages for transmission onto the data bus.

8. The messaging system of claim 1 wherein the communication module receives in-frame response (IFR) messages from the data bus and transfers the IFR messages to the primary controller.

9. The messaging system of claim 1 wherein the array of data messages includes a plurality of message packets having an opcode describing the message packet type, each opcode being optionally followed by one or more message data bytes.

10. The messaging system of claim 9 wherein the message data bytes contain information which is periodically generated and updated by the primary controller.

11. A messaging system for a vehicle comprising:

a primary controller for transmitting and receiving information;

an array of data messages generated by the primary controller, the array of data messages being organized into a plurality of message packets;

an array of address pointers which point to individual message packets within the array of data messages;

a communication module connected to the primary controller, the communication module including a first memory for receiving and storing the array of data messages and a second memory for receiving and storing the array of address pointers, the communication module further including a sequencing controller for continuously sequencing through the second memory and selecting an address pointer;

an address multiplexer for receiving the address pointer and addressing the first memory, the first memory transmitting a message packet;

a transmit controller connected to the first memory for receiving the message packet, the transmission controller transferring the message from the first memory to a transmit buffer; and

a data bus connected to the transmit controller and providing a communication link between the transmit buffer and at least one additional vehicle node connected to the data bus.

12. The messaging system of claim 11 wherein each message packet includes an opcode describing the message packet type, each opcode being optionally followed by one or more message data bytes.

13. The messaging system of claim 12 wherein the message data bytes contain information which is periodically generated and updated by the primary controller.

14. The messaging system of claim 11 wherein the address pointers are organized into a predetermined sequence by the primary controller.

15. The messaging system of claim 11 wherein the communication module further includes a receive controller connected to the data bus for receiving data messages generated by another node connected to the data bus and routing the data messages to the primary controller.

16. The messaging system of claim 15 wherein the communication module further includes a receive ring buffer for receiving data messages from the receive controller and placing the data messages into a continuous memory ring structure, wherein the data messages stored within the memory ring structure are periodically transferred to the primary controller.

17. A messaging system for a vehicle comprising:

a primary controller for transmitting and receiving information;

an array of data messages generated by the primary controller, the array of data messages being organized into a plurality of message packets, each message packet including an opcode describing the message packet type, each opcode being optionally followed by one or more message data bytes, the message data bytes containing information which is periodically generated and updated by the primary controller;

an array of address pointers which point to individual message packets within the array of data messages, the address pointers being organized into a predetermined sequence by the primary controller;

a communication module connected to the primary controller, the communication module including a first memory for receiving and storing the array of data messages and a second memory for receiving and storing the array of address pointers, the communication module further including a sequencing controller for continuously sequencing through the second memory and selecting an address pointer;

an address multiplexer for receiving the address pointer and addressing the first memory, the first memory transmitting a message packet;

a transmit controller connected to the first memory for receiving the message packet, the transmission controller transferring the message from the first memory to a transmit buffer;

a data bus connected to the transmit controller and providing a communication link between the transmit buffer and at least one additional vehicle node connected to the data bus; and

a receive controller connected to the data bus for receiving data messages generated by another node connected to the data bus and routing the data messages to the primary controller.