Integrated universal input-output interface circuit

• US 8,081,652 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Lammers, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ng, Fan
• Application Number:
  US11/914,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20090213872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,394 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/464
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A circuit for enabling communication between a micro-controller device and a number of data networks using different network protocols comprises a switch circuit and a number of interface circuits. The switch circuit is configured to connect input-output terminals of the data network to corresponding terminals of the interface circuits. The interface circuits are configured to convert the data formatted according to the network protocol of the data network to data formatted in accordance with the micro-controller device communication protocol.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit for connecting a micro-controller device to a data network of an automotive vehicle, the data network using a network communication protocol and the micro-controller device using a controller communication protocol, the circuit comprising:

an input terminal configured to connect to a number of communication lines of the data network;

an output terminal configured to connect to the micro-controller;

a first interface circuit configured to convert an input data stream formatted in accordance with a first network communication protocol into an output data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol;

a second interface circuit configured to convert an input data stream formatted in accordance with a second network communication protocol into an output data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol; and

a switch circuit configured to determine a network communication protocol of the input data stream, wherein;

upon determining the network communication protocol of the input data stream corresponds to the first network communication protocol, the switch circuit connects the input terminal to the first interface circuit, thereby providing the input data stream formatted in accordance with the first network communication protocol to the first interface circuit, the first interface circuit converts the input data stream formatted in accordance with the first network communication protocol to a data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to supply the data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to the output terminal, and

upon determining the network communication protocol of the input data stream corresponds to the second network communication protocol, the switch circuit connects the input terminal to the second interface circuit, thereby providing the input data stream formatted in accordance with the second network communication protocol to the second interface circuit, the second interface circuit converts the input data stream formatted in accordance with the second network communication protocol to a data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to supply the data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to the output terminal.

2. The integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein the switch circuit is configured to access a switch matrix memory for determining from a switch matrix stored in the switch matrix memory which ones of the communication lines of the input terminal are to be connected to communication lines of the first interface circuit and which ones of the communication lines of the input terminal are to be connected to communications lines of the second interface circuit.

3. The integrated circuit according to claim 2, wherein the circuit has an extension terminal for a connection to an external interface circuit, and the switch matrix is provided with data indicating corresponding connections to be made between the communication lines of the input terminal and the communication lines of the first and second interface circuits.

4. The integrated circuit according to claim 3, wherein the integrated circuit has a control input terminal connected to the switch circuit for enabling a connection to an external switch matrix memory.

5. The integrated circuit according to claim 3, wherein the switch matrix memory is a reprogrammable memory.

6. The integrated circuit according to claim 2, wherein the integrated circuit has a control input terminal connected to the switch circuit for enabling a connection to an external switch matrix memory.

7. The integrated circuit according to claim 2, wherein the switch matrix memory is a reprogrammable memory.

8. An integrated circuit for coupling a micro-controller device to a data network of an automotive vehicle, wherein the data network uses a network communication protocol and the micro-controller device uses a controller communication protocol, the circuit comprising:

input terminal means for coupling to a number of communication lines of the data network;

output terminal means for coupling to the micro-controller;

a first interface means for converting an input data stream formatted in accordance with a first network communication protocol into an output data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol;

a second interface means for converting an input data stream formatted in accordance with a second network communication protocol into an output data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol; and

a switch means for determining a network communication protocol of the input data stream, wherein;

upon determining the network communication protocol of the input data stream corresponds to the first network communication protocol, the switch means connect the input terminal to the first interface circuit, thereby providing the input data stream formatted in accordance with the first network communication protocol to the first interface means, the first interface means convert the input data stream formatted in accordance with the first network communication protocol to a data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to supply the data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to the output terminal means, and

upon determining the network communication protocol of the input data stream corresponds to the second network communication protocol, the switch means connect the input terminal to the second interface means, thereby providing the input data stream formatted in accordance with the second network communication protocol to the second interface means, the second interface, means convert the input data stream formatted in accordance with the second network communication protocol to a data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to supply the data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to the output terminal means.

9. An integrated circuit for connecting a micro-controller device to a data network of an automotive vehicle, the data network using a network communication protocol and the micro-controller device using a controller communication protocol, the circuit comprising:

an input terminal configured to connect to a number of communication lines of the data network;

an output terminal configured to connect to the micro-controller;

at least two interface circuits for converting an input data stream formatted in accordance with the network communication protocol into an output data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol;

a switch circuit configured to connect selected ones of the communication lines of the input terminal to a corresponding one of the at least two interface circuits, the corresponding one interface circuit being configured to convert the data stream corresponding to the network communication protocol into a data stream corresponding to the controller communication protocol and to supply the data stream formatted in accordance with the controller communication protocol to said output terminal, wherein the switch circuit is configured to access a switch matrix memory for determining the selected ones of the communication lines to be connected to communication lines of the corresponding interface circuit from a switch matrix stored in the switch matrix memory; and

an extension terminal for a connection to an external interface circuit, wherein the switch matrix is provided with data indicating corresponding connections to be made between selected ones of the communication lines.

10. The integrated circuit according to claim 9, wherein the integrated circuit has a control input terminal connected to the switch circuit for enabling a connection to an external switch matrix memory.

11. The integrated circuit according to claim 9, wherein the switch matrix memory is a reprogrammable memory.