Vehicle network and method of communicating data packets in a vehicle network

• US 7,272,496 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2003
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Jordan, Patrick, Remboski, Donald, Levenson, Samuel M., Dong, Hai, Johnson, Hugh, Fehr, Walton, Reinold, Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/464,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 701/210, 701/29, 701/33, 701/48, 710/29, 710/15, 710/152, 340/825.16, 370/285, 370/466, 370/43, 370/503, 370/352, 370/218, 370/230, 370/245, 370/254, 370/386, 370/395.5, 370/400, 370/901, 370/902, 370/908, 714/43, 709/222, 709/238
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• 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 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/433 with asynchronous transmission, e.g. token ring, register insertion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40208 characterized by the use of a particular bus standard
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/247 using M:N active or standby paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/72 using reservation actions during connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/746 Reaction triggered by a failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/803 : Application aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 : QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/908 : Local area network

Abstract

A vehicle communication network (200) includes a plurality of network elements (202–212) and a plurality of communication links (214–230) communicatively coupling the network elements in a point-to-point configuration. At least a portion of the plurality of communication links are specified in accordance with a shared-access bus protocol. The plurality of communication links are arranged to communicate data packets between the network elements, and data packets are modified for transport via the plurality of communication links.

Claims

1. A vehicle communication network, comprising:

a plurality of network elements disposed within a vehicle;

a plurality of point-to-point communication links joining the network elements in a point-to-point configuration, the plurality of point-to-point communication links being arranged to communicate data packets between the network elements, and at least a portion of the plurality of point-to-point communication links being specified in accordance with at least two different shared-access bus protocols;

wherein the plurality of network elements include at least one network element linked to two or mow other network elements through corresponding point-to-point communication links that are each distinct from each other, two or more of the corresponding point-to-point communication links being specified in accordance with the at least two different shared-access bus protocols; and

wherein the at least one network element operates (i) to receive a data packet and (ii) to route the data packet over a given one of the corresponding point-to-point communication links.

2. The vehicle communication network of claim 1, wherein the at least one network element further operates to modify the data packet prior to routing the data packet over the given one of the corresponding point-to-point communication links.

3. The vehicle communication network of claim 2, wherein the data packet is specified in accordance with a first shared-access bus protocol and the given one of the corresponding point-to-point communication links is specified in accordance with a second shared-access bus protocol that is different from the first shared-access bus protocol, and wherein the at least one network element modifies the data packet for transport via the second shared-access bus protocol.

4. The vehicle communication network of claim 2, wherein the at least one network element modifies the data packet to include quality of service information.

5. The vehicle communication network of claim 2, wherein the at least one network element modifies the data packet to include route information.

6. The vehicle communication network of claim 2, wherein the data packet contains an arbitration field, and wherein the at least one network element modifies the arbitration field.

7. The vehicle communication network of claim 1, wherein the corresponding point-to-point communication links include at least one point-to-point communication link specified in accordance with a protocol that is not a shared-access bus protocol.

8. The vehicle communication network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of point-to-point communication links and network elements are configured as a switch fabric.

9. A method of providing communications within a vehicle, comprising:

providing within a vehicle a plurality of network elements;

communicatively joining the network elements in a point-to-point configuration using a plurality of point-to-point communication links, the plurality of point-to-point communication links being arranged to communicate data packets between the network elements, and at least a portion of the plurality of point-to-point communication links being specified in accordance wit at least two different shared-access bus protocols;

arranging the plurality of network elements to provide at least one network element that is linked to two or more other network elements through corresponding point-to-point communication links that are each distinct from each other, two or more of the corresponding point-to-point communication links being specified in accordance with the at least two different shared-access bus protocols; and

configuring the at least one network element to operate such as (i) to receive a data packet and (ii) to route the data packet over a given one of the corresponding point-to-point communication links.