Data bus interface for a control unit, and control unit having a data bus interface

• US 7,594,054 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Joos, Eugen, Michelberger, Steffen
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cerullo; Jeremy S
• Application Number:
  US11/215,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 710/305, 714/11
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A data bus interface for a control unit, in particular for a motor vehicle control unit is described, as well as a control unit, in particular a motor vehicle control unit, having a data bus interface for accessing a data bus for communicating with another control unit via the data bus. A data bus interface may be used with a particularly high degree of flexibility and be manufactured economically. The data bus interface includes two arithmetic units, in particular two microprocessors, which communicate with each other via an internal data bus; and two transceivers which are connected either to the same external data bus or to two different external data buses and are interconnected with the two arithmetic units in such a way that the two arithmetic units are connected either to the same external data bus or to the two different data buses.

Claims

1. A data bus interface for a control unit of a motor vehicle control unit, the interface comprising:

two arithmetic units which directly communicate with each other via an internal data bus without the use of an intervening memory; and

two transceivers which are configured to be selectively both connectable to a same external data bus and each connectable individually to a different one of two different external data buses, the two transceivers being interconnected with the two arithmetic units in such a way that the two arithmetic units are configured to be selectively both connectable to a same one of the two transceivers and each connectable to a different one of the two transceivers;

wherein a receiving terminal of a second of the two arithmetic units is connected via a jumper element to a connecting line between a receiving terminal of a first of the two arithmetic units and a terminal of a first of the two transceivers, and

wherein if the two arithmetic units are connected to the same external data bus, the jumper element is closed, and if the two arithmetic units are connected to the two different external data buses, the jumper element is open.

2. The data bus interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the two arithmetic units are microprocessors.

3. ( The data bus interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal data bus includes two lines which are connected to the two arithmetic units without transceivers external to the two arithmetic units.

4. The data bus interface as recited in claim 3, wherein the two lines are connected to the two arithmetic units via open collector terminals.

5. The data bus interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the two arithmetic units are connected to the transceivers via push-pull terminals.

6. The data bus interface as recited in claim 1, wherein a first terminal of the two arithmetic units is connected to a first terminal of one of the two transceivers via an AND gate.

7. The data bus interface as recited in claim 6, wherein a second terminal of the two arithmetic units is connected to a second terminal of the one of the two transceivers.

8. The data bus interface as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

an additional jumper element parallel to the AND gate, the additional jumper element being provided between the first terminal of the first arithmetic unit and the first terminal of the one of the two transceivers.

9. The data bus interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal data bus is connected to one of the two transceivers, a connection between the internal data bus and the one transceiver being established and interrupted via a switching element.

10. The data bus interface as recited in claim 9, wherein the switching element is a third jumper element provided between two lines of the internal data bus.

11. The data bus interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal data bus operates according to a Controller Area Network (CAN) standard.

12. The data bus interface as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the external data buses operates according to a Controller Area Network (CAN) standard.

13. The data bus interface of claim 1, further comprising:

an interconnection element configured to selectively connect the internal data bus to one of the two transceivers to enable information on the internal data bus to appear at an output of one of the two transceivers.

14. The data bus interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the two arithmetic units are microprocessors, wherein the internal data bus includes two lines which are connected to the two arithmetic units without transceivers external to the two arithmetic units, wherein the two lines are connected to the two arithmetic units via open collector terminals, wherein the two arithmetic units are connected to the transceivers via push-pull terminals.

15. The data bus interface as recited in claim 14, wherein a first terminal of the two arithmetic units is connected to a first terminal of one of the two transceivers via an AND gate, and wherein a second terminal of the two arithmetic units is connected to a second terminal of the one of the two transceivers.

16. The data bus interface as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

an additional jumper element parallel to the AND gate, the additional jumper element being provided between the first terminal of the first arithmetic unit and the first terminal of the one of the two transceivers;

wherein a first terminal of the two arithmetic units is connected to a first terminal of one of the two transceivers via an AND gate.

17. The data bus interface as recited in claim 14, wherein the internal data bus is connected to one of the two transceivers, a connection between the internal data bus and the one transceiver being established and interrupted via a switching element, wherein the switching element is a third jumper element provided between two lines of the internal data bus, wherein the internal data bus operates according to a Controller Area Network (CAN) standard, and wherein at least one of the external data buses operates according to a Controller Area Network (CAN) standard.

18. A data bus interface comprising:

a first arithmetic unit connected to a first end of at least one data transmission line, and a second arithmetic connected to a second end of the at least one data transmission line, wherein the first and second arithmetic units are configured to communicate data directly to each other via the at least one data transmission line; and

a first transceiver and a second transceiver interconnected with the first and second arithmetic units via interconnection elements, wherein at least one of the interconnection elements has a plurality of states which are selectable to selectively enable connection of both the first and second arithmetic units to a same one of the first and second transceivers and connection of each of the first and second arithmetic units to a different one of the first and second transceivers.

19. The data bus interface of claim 18, wherein the at least one interconnection element includes at least one jumper element having a selectable open and a closed state.

20. The data bus interface of claim 19, wherein the at least one jumper element includes a first jumper element connected to a transmit terminal of the first arithmetic unit.

21. The data bus interface of claim 20, wherein the at least one jumper element further includes a second jumper element connected to a receive terminals of both the first and second arithmetic units.

22. The data bus interface of claim 21, wherein if both the first and second arithmetic units are connected to the same external data bus, the first jumper element is open and the second jumper element is closed.

23. The data bus interface of claim 21, wherein if each of the first and second arithmetic units are connected to different external data buses, the first jumper element is closed and the second jumper element is opened.

24. The data bus interface of claim 18, further comprising an AND gate connected to a transmit terminal of both the first and second arithmetic units.

25. The data bus interface of claim 18, further comprising:

a second interconnection element configured to selectively connect the internal data bus to one of the two transceivers to enable information on the internal data bus to appear at an output of one of the two transceivers.

26. A data bus interface comprising:

two arithmetic units which directly communicate with each other via an internal data bus without the use of an intervening memory; and

two transceivers which are interconnected with the two arithmetic units in such a way that the two arithmetic units are selectably connectable to a same one of the two transceivers and connectable to different ones of the two transceivers, the selectable connectivity depending on a selection state of at least one element interconnecting the two transceivers and two arithmetic units.

27. The data bus interface of claim 26, further comprising:

a second interconnection element configured to selectively connect the internal data bus to one of the two transceivers to enable information on the internal data bus to appear at an output of one of the two transceivers.