Intra-vehicle LAN system combining electric power supply

• US 7,049,938 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Hatano, Yasuo, Hattori, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/491,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20040245854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.11, 340/825.5, 340/539.1, 340/10.52, 340/825.72, 340/14.69, 307/10.1, 307/11
• US Class Current: 340/12.32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An intra-vehicle LAN system combining electric power supply includes a main controller having control signal generation device for generating a control signal used to control each of on-vehicle electric equipments and outputting the control signal to an electric power supply line through which electric power is supplied to the electric equipments and an electric equipment control unit being provided between the electric power supply line and each of the electric equipments to detect the control signal transmitted through the electric power supply line and to control each of the electric equipments. In this system, the generated control signal contains an ID for specifying each of the electric equipments.

Claims

1. An intra-vehicle LAN system combining electric power supply, comprising:

a main controller having control signal generation means for generating a control signal containing an ID used to control each of on-vehicle electric equipments and outputting said control signal to an electric power supply line through which electric power is supplied to each of said electric equipments; and

an electric equipment control unit being provided between said electric power supply line and each of said electric equipments to detect said control signal containing said ID transmitted through said electric power supply line and to control each of said electric equipments,

wherein said electric equipment control unit comprises;

signal detection means for detecting said control signal transmitted through said electric power supply line;

a control switch adapted to control each of said electric equipments in accordance with said detected control signal;

detection means for detecting a control state of each of said electric equipments; and

state signal generation means for generating a state signal corresponding to said detected control state of each of said electric equipments and outputting said state signal to said electric power supply line towards a side of said main controller.

2. An intra-vehicle LAN system combining electric power supply, comprising:

a main controller having control signal generation means for generating a control signal used to control each of on-vehicle electric equipments and outputting said control signal to an electric power supply line through which electric power is supplied to each of said electric equipments;

an electric equipment control unit that includes a transmitter having a unit for adding an ID, said transmitter being connected to said electric power supply line near each of said electric equipments, detects said control signal transmitted through said electric power supply line and adds said ID to said control signal to transmit a resultant signal by wireless;

a receiver provided in each of said electric equipments and having a unit for receiving said control signal transmitted by wireless from said transmitter and identifying said ID added to said control signal; and

a control switch provided in each of said electric equipments and adapted to control each of said electric equipments in accordance with said control signal received by said receiver.

3. The intra-vehicle LAN system according to claim 2, wherein said electric equipment control unit further comprises:

detection means for detecting a control state of each of said electric equipments; and

state signal generation means for generating a state signal corresponding to said detected control state of each of said electric equipments and outputting said state signal to said electric power supply line towards a side of said main controller.