Method for initializing a distributed software architecture and an electronic system

• US 7,565,420 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Vollmer, Vasco, Hofmann, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): BATES, KEVIN T
• Application Number:
  US10/481,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,685 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709220-222, 709/223, 709/225, 709/208, 710/107, 710/110
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for initializing a distributed software architecture as well as an electronic system. A control module for a network function is made available in the form of a DCM. This control module is registered in a registry as a DCM. The present invention permits extending a distributed software architecture, e.g., in accordance with the HAVi standards, by network and system administration functions, which, in particular, permit the application to motor vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for initializing a distributed software architecture, comprising:

providing a first software control module for a network function, the control module being in the form of a device control module (DCM); and

registering the control module in a registry as a DCM;

wherein the control module includes a plurality of functional modules each having the form of a functional control module (FCM); and

wherein the functional modules perform the following network administration functions;

administration of current-saving modes in the network;

performing one of error recognition and error removal;

one of authenticating and controlling an access control in the network;

performing an extended connection management for administering a transmitting capacity; and

administering data encryption in the transmission of data between devices in the network.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the functional modules perform network functions specific to motor vehicles.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first control module is made available by a first network user, the method further comprising:

making available a second control module by a second network user; and

selecting between the first and the second control modules;

wherein a number of network users is greater than two, and at least one of the network users does not have a control module.

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

selecting one of the network users as a bus manager; and

if the selected bus manager includes a control module, registering the control module of the selected bus manager in the registry.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein only a network user that includes a control module is selected as the bus manager.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

querying the registry by at least one of the network users that have a control module, whether any control module is already registered in the registry; and

if a control module is registered in the registry, transmitting a software element identifier of the registered control module to the network user that initiated the query.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

querying the registry by at least one of the network users that have a control module, whether any control module is registered in the registry; and

if no control module is registered in the registry, registering a control module of a network user that is not the bus manager.

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

sending data regarding a property of a control module of a network user that is not registered in the registry, to a network user whose control module is registered in the registry; and

selecting, by the network user whose control module is registered in the registry, at least one component of the control module of the network user that is not registered in the registry.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

if the network user whose control module is registered in the registry has made a selection of the at least one component of the control module of the network user that is not registered in the registry, registering the selected at least one component of the control module in the registry; and

sending a software element identifier of the selected at least one component of the control module.

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

making available a second control module by a second network user;

selecting between the first and the second control modules;

selecting one of the network users as a bus manager, and if the selected bus manager includes a control module, registering the control module of the selected bus manager in the registry, wherein only a network user that includes a control module is selected as the bus manager;

sending data regarding a property of a control module of a network user that is not registered in the registry, to a network user whose control module is registered in the registry, and selecting, by the network user whose control module is registered in the registry, at least one component of the control module of the network user that is not registered in the registry; and

registering the selected at least one component of the control module in the registry if the network user whose control module is registered in the registry has made a selection of the at least one component of the control module of the network user that is not registered in the registry, and sending a software element identifier of the selected at least one component of the control module;

wherein a number of network users is greater than two,

wherein at least one of the network users does not have a control module,

wherein the functional modules perform network functions specific to motor vehicles, and

wherein the first control module is made available by a first network user.

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

querying the registry by at least one of the network users that have a control module, whether any control module is already registered in the registry; and

if a control module is registered in the registry, transmitting a software element identifier of the registered control module to the network user that initiated the query.

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

querying the registry by at least one of the network users that have a control module, whether any control module is registered in the registry; and

if no control module is registered in the registry, registering a control module of a network user that is not the bus manager.

13. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed on a computer, carries out a method comprising:

making available a first control module for a network function by a first network user, the first control module being in the form of a device control module (DCM),

wherein the control module includes a plurality of functional modules each having the form of a functional control module (FCM); and

wherein the functional modules perform the following network administration functions;

administration of current-saving modes in the network;

performing one of error recognition and error removal;

one of authenticating and controlling an access control in the network;

performing an extended connection management for administering a transmitting capacity; and

administering data encryption in the transmission of data between devices in the network;

making available a second control module for a network function by a second network user, the second control module being in the form for a DCM, wherein a number of network users is greater than two, and at least one of the network users does not have a control module;

selecting one of the network users as a bus manager; and

if the selected bus manager includes a control module, registering the control module of the selected bus manager in the registry.

14. An electronic system, comprising:

at least one network user element that has a control module for a network function, the control module being in the form of a device control module (DCM); and

a network user element including a registry for registering the control module as a DCM;

wherein the control module includes a plurality of functional modules each having the form of a functional control module (FCM); and

wherein the functional modules perform the following network administration functions;

administration of current-saving modes in the network;

performing one of error recognition and error removal;

one of authenticating and controlling an access control in the network;

performing an extended connection management for administering a transmitting capacity; and

administering data encryption in the transmission of data between devices in the network.

15. The electronic system as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

a bus system for network functions of a motor vehicle.

16. The electronic system as recited in claim 14, wherein a first network user having a first control module and a second network user having a second control module are provided, the first and the second control module each having communications functions for selection of at least a portion of one of the control modules for registration in the registry.

17. The electronic system as recited in claim 16, wherein the first control module functions as a master control module, and wherein the second control module functions as a slave control module that interacts with the master control module.

18. The electronic system as recited in claim 17, wherein the slave control module includes functional control modules (FCM) for local functions.