Audio and/or video system for a motor vehicle

• US 7,926,077 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Gollwitzer, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr; Jean D
• Application Number:
  US10/583,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20070061846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,342 Days
• Field of Search: 725/75
• US Class Current: 725/75
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2755 Ring-type networks with a headend
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0226 Fixed carrier allocation, e.g. according to service
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0232 for downstream transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0247 Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0252 Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs, e.g. for transmissions from-ONU-to-OLT or from-ONU-to-ONU
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0283 WDM ring architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/42 Loop networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6437 Ring

Abstract

The invention relates to an audio and/or video system for a motor vehicle, which comprises an annular, bi-directional, optical network (1) from optical waveguides and audio and/or video devices (2-12) that are interlinked by means of the network (1) in an annular manner. Data are transmitted between the audio and/or video devices (2-12) in the network (1) in a first data channel having a first optical wavelength. The network used is especially a MOST bus known for use in motor vehicles. The invention is characterized in that data are transmitted between the audio and/or video devices (2-12) in the network (1) in a second data channel having a second optical wavelength. Particularly, IP data can be transmitted at a high transmission rate via the second data channel.

Claims

1. An audio/video system for a motor vehicle, comprising a ring-shaped, bidirectional, optical network including optical fibers and audio/video appliances connected to one another in a ring shape by said optical network, wherein data are transmitted between said audio/video appliances in said network in a first data channel configured as a MOST network having a first optical wavelength and in a second data channel configured as an Ethernet having a second optical wavelength, each of said audio/visual appliances having an optical coupler with filters for separating said first and second data channels, wherein said first and second data channels have different bandwidths.

2. The audio/video system of claim 1, wherein the data transmitted in said first data channels are formatted according to a first data format and data transmitted in said second data channel are formatted according to a second data format.

3. The audio/video system of claim 1, wherein the one of the first and second data channels having a larger bandwidth is used to transmit data based on an Internet protocol.

4. The audio/video system of claim 1, wherein data are transmitted in said network on further data channels having other optical wavelengths.

5. The audio/video system of claim 1, wherein the audio/video appliances are configured to communicate on a MOST network and an Ethernet.