Motor vehicle data transmission system and data transmission method

• US 6,512,307 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2000
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Ilg, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): DeBeradinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US09/535,540
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 340/310.01
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• 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: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0292 Arrangements specific to the receiver end

Abstract

A communication system for a motor vehicle including a first voltage supply line, a second voltage supply line, a first electronic apparatus, and a second electronic apparatus. The first electronic apparatus is connected to the first and second voltage supply lines and transmits data over the first and second voltage supply lines. The second electronic apparatus is also connected to the first and second voltage supply lines and receives data over the first and second voltage supply lines.

Claims

1. A data communication system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first voltage supply line at a first voltage relative to ground;

a second voltage supply line at a second voltage relative to ground;

a first electronic apparatus connected to each of the first and second voltage supply lines, the first electronic apparatus adapted to transmit a first set of the data over each of the first and second voltage supply lines; and

a second electronic apparatus connected to each of the first and second voltage supply lines, the second electronic apparatus adapted to receive the first set of data over each of the first and second voltage supply lines.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage nominally is greater than the second voltage.

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

a first voltage source providing the first voltage on the first voltage supply line; and

a second voltage source providing the second voltage on the second voltage supply line.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first filter connecting the first electronic apparatus to the first voltage supply line;

a second filter connecting the first electronic apparatus to the second voltage supply line;

a third filter connecting the second electronic apparatus to the first voltage supply line; and

a fourth filter connecting the second electronic apparatus to the second voltage supply line.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth filters are selected from a group consisting of a frequency filter and a band-pass filter.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic apparatus includes a modulator adapted to transmit the first set of the data, and the second electronic apparatus includes a demodulator adapted to receive the first set of the data.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the demodulator includes a switch selectively coupling the demodulator to one of the first and second voltage supply lines.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic apparatus includes a first modem adapted to transmit the first set of the data and adapted to receive a second set of the data, and the second electronic apparatus includes a second modem adapted to receive the first set of the data and adapted to transmit the second set of the data.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the first modem includes a first switch adapted for receiving the second set of the data selectively from one of the first and second voltage supply lines, and the second modem includes a second switch adapted for receiving the first set of the data selectively from one of the first and second voltage supply lines.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a line coupler connecting the first and second voltage supply lines, the line coupler preventing transmission of the first and second voltages between the first and second voltage supply lines and permitting transmission of the first set of the data between the first and second voltage supply lines.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic apparatus includes a first voltage supply input connected to each of the first and second voltage supply lines, and the second electronic appartus includes a second voltage supply input connected to each of the first and second voltage supply lines.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a first decoupler between the first voltage supply line and the first voltage supply input;

a second decoupler between the second voltage supply line and the first voltage supply input;

a third decoupler between the first voltage supply line and the second voltage supply input; and

a fourth decoupler between the second voltage supply line and the second voltage supply input.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth filters include a diode preventing transmission of the first and second voltages between the first and second voltage supply lines.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first electronic apparatus includes a first voltage regulator connected to the first voltage supply input and the second electronic apparatus includes a second voltage regulator connected to the second voltage supply input, the first voltage regulator providing a generally constant first operating voltage to the first electronic apparatus and the second voltage regulator providing a generally constant second operating voltage to the second electronic apparatus.

15. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first voltage source providing the first voltage on the first voltage supply line;

a second voltage source providing the second voltage on the second voltage supply line, the second voltage nominally is less than the first voltage;

a first frequency filter connecting the first electronic apparatus to the first voltage supply line;

a second frequency filter connecting the first electronic apparatus to the second voltage supply line;

a third frequency filter connecting the second electronic apparatus to the first voltage supply line;

a fourth frequency filter connecting the second electronic apparatus to the second voltage supply line;

a line coupler connecting the first and second voltage supply lines, the line coupler preventing transmission of the first and second voltages between the first and second voltage supply lines and permitting transmission of the first set of the data between the first and second voltage supply lines;

a first diode between the first voltage supply line and the first voltage supply input, the first diode preventing transmission of the second voltage to the first voltage supply input;

a second diode between the second voltage supply line and the first voltage supply input, the second diode preventing transmission of the first voltage to the first voltage supply input;

a third diode between the first voltage supply line and the second voltage supply input, the third diode preventing transmission of the second voltage to the second voltage supply input;

a fourth diode between the second voltage supply line and the second voltage supply input, the fourth diode preventing transmission of the first voltage to the second voltage supply input;

a first voltage regulator connecting the first and second voltage supply lines to the first electronic apparatus and providing a generally constant first operating voltage; and

a second voltage regulator connecting the first and second voltage supply lines to the second electronic apparatus and providing a generally constant second operating voltage.

16. A method of communicating data for a vehicle, the vehicle having a first battery supplying a first voltage to a first on-board power supply network and having a second battery supplying a second voltage to a second on board power supply network, the first voltage nominally being greater than the second voltage, the method comprising:

connecting a first electronic apparatus to each of the first and second on-board power supply networks;

connecting a second electronic apparatus to each of the first and second on-board power supply networks;

transmitting the data from the first electronic apparatus over each of the first and second on-board power supply networks; and

receiving the data at the second electronic apparatus from each of the first and second on-board power supply networks.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

supplying a first operating voltage to the first electronic apparatus from the first and second on-board power supply networks; and

supplying a second operating voltage to the second electronic apparatus from the first and second on-board power supply networks.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the receiving the data includes switching between the first and second on-board power supply networks.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

coupling the first and second on-board power supply networks, the coupling preventing transmission of the first and second voltages between the first and second on-board power supply networks and permitting transmission of the data between the on-board power supply networks.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

regulating operating voltages of the first and second electronic apparatuses.