Method and device for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle

• US 7,319,923 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Tischer, Christian, Hoenninger, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/949,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/36, 340/425.5, 702/183, 702/188, 714/25, 714/46
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40006 Architecture of a communication node current supply arrangements H04L12/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

A method and a device for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle in which at least one first processor is provided in at least one control device, which is used for the control of functions of the operational sequences of the vehicle, and at least one second processor of a vehicle-external portable technical unit as coprocessor is able to be connected to the at least one control device, using connection means and is used in addition to the at least one first processor for the control of functions of the operational sequences.

Claims

1. A method for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle, at least one first processor being included in at least one control device of the vehicle, the method comprising:

controlling functions of the operational sequences of the vehicle using the first processor;

connecting at least one second processor of a vehicle-external portable technical unit as a coprocessor to the at least one control device via a connector;

controlling at least one of the functions of the operational sequences using the at least one second processor; and

dividing the functions into first functions and second functions, wherein only the second functions are performed by the second processor.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the functions performed by the second processor from the control device to the technical unit.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing the functions performed by the second processor in a memory of the technical unit.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first functions include hardware-dependent functions with respect to the control device or the first processor.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first functions include real-time-critical functions with respect to the control of the operational sequences of the vehicle.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first functions include safety-critical functions with respect to the control of the operational sequences of the vehicle.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second functions include at least one of running-time-intensive functions and computing-time-intensive functions, with respect to the control of the operational sequences of the vehicle.

8. The method as recited in claims 1, wherein the second functions include supplementary functions with respect to the control of the operational sequences of the vehicle, which are included only in the technical unit.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

structuring the functions in accordance with a predefined software structure concept.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the functions are structured in accordance with a Cartronic concept.

9. A method for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle, at least one first processor being included in at least one control device of the vehicle, the method comprising:

controlling functions of the operational sequences of the vehicle using the first processor;

connecting at least one second processor of a vehicle-external portable technical unit as a coprocessor to the at least one control device via a connector;

controlling at least one of the functions of the operational sequences using the at least one second processor; and

dividing the functions into various priority groups, the second processor being used only for functions of at least one predefined priority group.

12. A device for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle, comprising:

at least one control device including at least one first processor, the at least one first processor configured to control functions of the operational sequences of the vehicle;

a connector; and

at least one second processor of a vehicle-external portable technical unit, the connector configured to connect the at least one second processor to the at least one control device as a coprocessor, the second processor being configured to be used in addition to the at least one first processor for the control of the operational sequences;

wherein the functions are divided into first functions and second functions, and wherein the second processor is configured to control only the second functions.

13. The device as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector is configured as a line-conducting arrangement.

14. The device as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector is configured as a wireless arrangement.

15. The device as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector includes a first interface unit, which is connected to a communication system of the vehicle and which indirectly connects the technical unit and the control device via the communication system of the vehicle.

16. The device as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector includes a second interface unit, which is one of connected to or included in the control device, to directly connect the technical unit and the control device.

17. The device as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector includes an adapter by which a communication takes place between technical unit and control device.

18. A vehicle-external portable technical unit, comprising:

a second processor; and

an interface unit configured to connect the technical unit to a first processor of a control device in a vehicle for the control of operational sequences in this vehicle, so that the second processor, as coprocessor, is used in addition to the first processor for the control of the operational sequences;

wherein the operational sequences are divided into first operational sequences and second operational sequences, and wherein the second processor is used only for the control of the second operational sequences.

19. The vehicle-external portable technical unit as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

an adapter by which a communication takes place between the technical unit and the control device.

20. A control device for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle, comprising:

at least one first processor configured to control functions of the operational sequences of the vehicle; and

an interface unit to connect the control device to at least one second processor of a vehicle-external portable technical unit, so that the second processor as coprocessor is used in addition to the at least one first processor for the control of the operational sequences;

wherein the operational sequences are divided into first operational sequences and second operational sequences, and wherein the second processor is used only for the control of the second operational sequences.

21. The control device as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

an adapter by which a communication takes place between technical unit and control device.