Multimedia unit having multiple transceivers for use in a vehicle

• US 7,400,234 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keurig, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.), Becker GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Becker, Michael, Bahren, Frank, Stiegler, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US10/012,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,436 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/500, 455/3.1, 455/6.1, 455/99, 370/245, 370/456
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/42 Loop networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network

Abstract

In a ring-shaped MOST network installed in a motor vehicle, several units are linked to one another by several linkage sections. They function as data source, data sink, or transceiver. At least some of the units have two or more transceiver modules. To relieve the processors of such units with more than one transceiver module, only one network controller is present in such a unit for all its transceiver modules.

Claims

1. A multimedia unit for use in a vehicle multimedia system that includes a plurality of multimedia units connected to a ring-shaped bus, said multimedia unit comprising a plurality of transceiver units configured to communicate over the ring-shaped bus, wherein said multimedia unit includes a network controller that controls the communication of said plurality of transceiver units over the ring-shaped bus.

2. The multimedia unit of claim 1, wherein said plurality of transceivers are configured and arranged to communicate over a ring-shaped Media Oriented Systems Transport bus.

3. The multimedia unit of claim 2, wherein the multimedia unit is configured as a radio receiver.

4. The multimedia unit of claim 2, wherein the multimedia unit is configured as a television set.

5. The multimedia unit of claim 2, wherein the multimedia unit is configured as a CD player.

6. The multimedia unit of claim 2, wherein the multimedia unit is configured as a DVD player.

7. The multimedia unit of claim 2, wherein the multimedia unit is configured as a disk changer.

8. The multimedia unit of claim 2, wherein the multimedia unit is configured as a cassette recorder.

9. The multimedia unit of claim 2, wherein the multimedia unit is configured as a navigation system.

10. The multimedia unit of claim 2, wherein the multimedia unit is configured as a multimedia network operating and control unit.

11. A motor vehicle multimedia system, comprising:

a ring-shaped data bus; and

a plurality of multimedia units connected to said ring-shaped bus, at least one of said multimedia units comprises a plurality of transceiver units and a network controller, wherein said multimedia units are configured and arranged to communicate over said ring-shaped bus and said network controller controls the communication of its associated said plurality of transceiver units over said ring-shaped bus.

12. The motor vehicle multimedia system of claim 11, wherein said ring-shaped data bus is configured and arranged as a Media Oriented Systems Transport bus.

13. A motor vehicle multimedia system, comprising:

a data bus; and

a plurality of multimedia units each connected to said data bus, and at least one of said multimedia units comprises a plurality of transceiver units and a network controller, wherein said multimedia units are configured and arranged to communicate over said bus and said network controller controls the communication of its associated said plurality of transceiver units over said data bus.

14. The motor vehicle multimedia system of claim 13, wherein said data bus is configured and arranged as a Media Oriented Systems Transport bus.