Method for synchronization of data transmission comprising at least one first radio system and at least one additional radio system

• US 7,336,644 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2004
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Bienert, Matthias, Berndt, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Sonny
• Application Number:
  US10/544,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 370/459, 370/503, 370/350, 370/280, 370/337, 370/321, 370/322, 370/324, 370/509, 370/512, 370/319
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0464 to avoid signal interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an assembly for synchronizing data transmission, comprising at least one first radio system and at least one additional radio system. According to said method, the transmission behavior of the first radio system or systems is evaluated at one point in time x and at least one time interval that follows said point x is calculated in advance between the data blocks. During said interval there is no transmission by the first radio system or systems, or a transmission is expected and the additional radio system or systems can be controlled so that data is transmitted during a time interval of this type.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing data transmissions with at least one first radio system and at least one additional radio system, which comprises:

evaluating a transmission behavior of the at least one first radio system at a point in time x;

calculating in advance at least one future time window between data blocks following the point in time x during which no transmission of the at least one first radio system will be undertaken or transmission is expected;

controlling the at least one additional radio system to transmit data within the at least one time window; and

operating the at least one first radio system to transmit and receive asynchronously with a plurality of transmission devices on a common transmission frequency, so that time intervals arise wherein no transmission occurs or is expected.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first radio system and the at least one additional radio system operate independently of one another with a common transmission frequency.

3. In a motor vehicle, the method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one first radio system forms a part of a tire pressure monitoring device and the at least one additional radio system forms a part of an access control system of the motor vehicle.

4. A method of synchronizing data transmissions with at least one first radio system and at least one additional radio system, which comprises:

transmitting data with the at least one first radio system dependent on a state thereof at different transmission rates;

evaluating the transmission behavior of the at least one first radio system at a point in time x and within one state thereof with fixed transmission rates;

calculating in advance at least one time window between data blocks following the point in time x during which no transmission of the at least one first radio system is undertaken or transmission is expected; and

controlling the at least one additional radio system to transmit data within the at least one time window.

5. A method of synchronizing data transmissions with at least one first radio system and at least one additional radio system, which comprises:

evaluating a transmission behavior of the at least one first radio system at a point in time x;

calculating in advance at least one time window between data blocks following the point in time x during which no transmission of the at least one first radio system is undertaken or transmission is expected;

controlling the at least one additional radio system to transmit data within the at least one time window; and

recording a length of time between two transmission blocks with a counter assigned to each respective transmission device, and counting down a counter state of the counter at an end of the transmission block.

6. A radio configuration, comprising:

at least one first radio system with a plurality of transmission devices operating asynchronously;

at least one additional radio system;

an evaluation unit configured to calculate in advance a future time window during which said at least one first radio system does not transmit or expect a transmission, said evaluation unit including a counter for each of said transmission devices of said at least one first radio system, and each counter being configured to count downward; and

said at least one additional radio system having an activatable transmission device configured to transmit during the future time window calculated by said evaluation unit.

7. The configuration according to claim 6, wherein said evaluation unit is integrated in a central control unit.

8. In a motor vehicle, the configuration according to claim 6, wherein said at least one first radio system forms a part of a tire pressure monitoring device and said at least one additional radio system forms a part of an access control system of the motor vehicle.

9. A radio configuration, comprising:

at least one first radio system;

at least one additional radio system with a plurality of transmission devices operating asynchronously;

an evaluation unit configured to calculate in advance a future time window during which said at least one first radio system does not transmit or expect a transmission; and

said at least one additional radio system having an activatable transmission device configured to transmit during the future time window calculated by said evaluation unit;

said evaluation unit including a counter for each of said transmission devices of said at least one first radio system, each counter being configured to count downward.