Data bus, particularly in motor vehicles

• US 6,871,250 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Froeschl, Joachim, Krammer, Josef, Kaindl, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US10/431,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20040003153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 710/104, 710/105, 710/110, 710/305, 710/313, 370/300, 340/423, 340/476
• US Class Current: 710/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4035 in which slots of a TDMA packet structure are assigned based on a contention resolution carried out at a master unit TDM/TDMA multiplex systems per se H04J3/1694; hybrid switching systems H04L12/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40234 Local Interconnect Network LIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention relates to a data bus comprising slave nodes executing functions based on addressed command telegrams of an electronic main control unit which is also connected to said data bus. The command telegrams contain an identification field for addressing the commands whereby a reduced number of identification data is provided for said identification field. All functions which can be executed by the form of slave nodes on the data bus are respectively associated with at least one function number. Each slave node comprises a first non-volatile memory area, wherein the function numbers of the functions, which can be executed by a respective slave node are securely stored. Each slave node comprises a second programmable memory area, wherein identification information provided for the identification field can be stored associated with each function number stored by means of a special command telegram from the electronic main control unit to each function number stored in the first memory area.

Claims

1. A data bus system for use in motor vehicles and automation technology, comprising:

a data bus;

an electronic main control unit coupled to the data bus;

slave nodes coupled to the data bus, the slave nodes executing functions based upon addressed command messages from the electronic main control unit, wherein the command messages contain an identifier field for addressing the commands and for which a limited amount of identifying information is provided;

wherein each function executable by the slave nodes of the data bus is assigned at least one function number, each slave node having a first, non-volatile memory area in which the function numbers of the functions executable by appropriate slave nodes are permanently stored; and

wherein each slave node has a second, programmable memory area, in which, for each of the function numbers stored in the first memory area, a piece of identifying information for the identifying field is storable, as a result of a special command message from the electronic main control unit.

2. Data bus system according to claim 1, wherein the slave nodes contain a coding device for creating an additional identifying code, via which the slave nodes in the special command message from the electronic main control unit can be made distinguishable when necessary.

3. Data bus system according to claim 1, wherein for the identifier field of the special command message, a definite piece of identifying information is provided, via which all slave nodes can be addressed.

4. Data bus system according to claim 2, wherein for the identifier field of the special command message, a definite piece of identifying information is provided, via which all slave nodes can be addressed.

5. Data bus system according to claim 3, wherein after the identifying field in the special command message, at least the function number and the identifying information allocated to it follow.

6. Data bus system according to claim 4, wherein after the identifying field in the special command message, at least the function number and the identifying information allocated to it follow.

7. Data bus system according to claim 3, wherein after the identifying field in the special command message, at least the function number and the identifying information assigned to the combination of function number and identifying code follow.

8. Data bus system according to claim 4, wherein after the identifying field in the special command message, at least the function number and the identifying information assigned to the combination of function number and identifying code follow.

9. Data bus system according to claim 1, wherein a piece of identifying information that is stored for at least a predetermined first time for a function or function number in a slave node, is stored by the main control unit for at least a predetermined second time beyond the predetermined first time, for another function or function number in any slave node.

10. Data bus system according to claim 2, wherein a piece of identifying information that is stored for at least a predetermined first time for a function or function number in a slave node, is stored by the main control unit for at least a predetermined second time beyond the predetermined first time, for another function or function number in any slave node.

11. Data bus system according to claim 3, wherein a piece of identifying information that is stored for at least a predetermined first time for a function or function number in a slave node, is stored by the main control unit for at least a predetermined second time beyond the predetermined first time, for another function or function number in any slave node.

12. Data bus system according to claim 5, wherein a piece of identifying information that is stored for at least a predetermined first time for a function or function number in a slave node, is stored by the main control unit for at least a predetermined second time beyond the predetermined first time, for another function or function number in any slave node.

13. Data bus system according to claim 7, wherein a piece of identifying information that is stored for at least a predetermined first time for a function or function number in a slave node, is stored by the main control unit for at least a predetermined second time beyond the predetermined first time, for another function or function number in any slave node.

14. A slave node for a data bus system for use in motor vehicles and automation technology wherein slave nodes execute functions based upon addressed command messages from an electronic main control unit that is coupled to a data bus and wherein the command messages contain an identifier field for addressing the commands, a limited amount of identifying information being provided for the identifier field, comprising:

a first, non-volatile memory area in which function numbers of functions executable by the slave node are permanently stored;

a second, programmable memory area in which, for each function number stored in the first memory area, a piece of identifying information provided for the identifier field is storable via a special command message received from the main control unit.

15. The slave node according to claim 14, further comprising a coding device to enable an additional identification code to be flexibly created.

16. An electronic main control unit for a data bus system for use in motor vehicles and automation technology wherein slave nodes coupled to the data bus execute functions based upon addressed command messages from the electronic main control unit coupled to the data bus, said command messages containing an identifier field for addressing the commands and for which a limited amount of identifying information is provided, each function executable by the slave nodes of the data bus being assigned at least one function number, the electronic main control unit comprising:

means for creating a special command message by which a piece of identifying information for the identifier field is storable in a slave node for each function number stored therein.

17. A method of using a data bus for a motor vehicle having slave nodes that execute functions based upon addressed command messages from an electronic main control unit that is also connected to the data bus, wherein the command messages contain an identifier field for addressing the commands for which a limited amount of identifying information is provided, the method comprising the acts of:

for each function executable by slave nodes of the data bus, assigning at least one function number permanently storable in the slave nodes; and

as a result of a special command message from the electronic main control unit, for each of the function numbers permanently stored in the slave nodes, programming identifying information allocated to the function numbers that can be stored in the slave nodes.