Wireless communication in vehicles

• US 7,084,748 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Schwab, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US10/505,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20050164672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/825.69, 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/439
• 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: F16H 61/0006 Electronic control units for transmission control, e.g. connectors, casings or circuit boards

Abstract

In a device for communication on a communication path between control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) which are actuated by a driver of a vehicle and emit control signals and devices (4, 8) of the vehicle which receive control signals and convert the control signals into reactions in or on the devices, the control signals are transmitted from the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and to the devices (4, 8) in wireless manner at least on sections of the communication path.

Claims

1. A communication device for communication along a communication path between control elements (18, 20, 22, 24), which are actuated by a driver of a vehicle and emit control signals, and controlled devices (4, 8) of the vehicle which receive the control signals and convert the control signals to responses in or on the controlled devices;

wherein the control signals are transmitted in a wireless manner from the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) to the controlled devices (4, 8) at least along a portion of the communication path, and one controlled device of the vehicle is the transmission control (8) for one of an automatic and automated transmission (6); and

the communication path comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion of the communication path is a wireless transmission between the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and an interpolated electronic control device (10) which controls further processing of the control signals according to prescribed computation rules and, during the second portion of the communication path, relays the control signals to at least the transmission control (4, 8).

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a wireless transmission path.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a cable path (34).

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a bus system.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the interpolated electronic control device is a central vehicle computer (10).

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a CAN bus system.

7. A communication device for communicating over a communication path, the communication device comprising:

a plurality of vehicle control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) which are actuated by a driver of a vehicle and emit control signals for controlling operation of the vehicle;

a plurality of controlled devices (4, 8) of the vehicle which receive the control signals from the plurality of control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and convert the control signals to control operation of the vehicle, the control signals being transmitted in a wireless manner from at least one of the plurality of control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) to at least one of the plurality of controlled devices (4, 8) along the communication path, and at least one of the plurality of controlled devices (4, 8) is a motor control (4) and at least one of the plurality of devices (4, 8) is a transmission control (8) for one of an automatic and an automated transmission (6); and

the communication path comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion of the communication path is a wireless transmission between the control elements (18, 20, 22, 24) and an interpolated electronic control device (10) which controls further processing of the control signals according to prescribed computation rules and, during the second portion of the communication path, relays the control signals to at least the transmission control (4, 8).

8. The communication device according to claim 7, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a wireless transmission path.

9. The communication device according to claim 7, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a cable path (34).

10. The communication device according to claim 7, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a bus system.

11. The communication device according to claim 7, wherein the interpolated electronic control device is a central vehicle computer (10).

12. The communication device according to claim 7, wherein the second portion of the communication path is a CAN bus system.