Distribution apparatus, communication system and communication method

• US 8,291,109 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US12/452,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

In view of a communication system including communication apparatuses transmitting data and a distribution apparatus receiving data from each communication apparatus and distributing, it is provided with the distribution apparatus, the communication system and the communication method that implement reducing amounts of storage means utilized for temporally storing data received by the distribution apparatus from each communication apparatus.

While the distribution apparatuses respectively include databases the databases are partitioned into common areas for storing data commonly shared with the distribution apparatuses and synchronized with each other, and non-common areas for storing data basically not transmitted between the ECUs connected to different communication lines. When receiving data from the ECU 4a, the distribution apparatus determines whether the received data should be stored on the common area or on the non-common area.

Claims

1. A first distribution apparatus performing data transmission with a plurality of external devices and a second distribution apparatus, the first distribution apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit that receives data sent from an external device and data sent from the second distribution apparatus;

a storage unit configured with a common area and a non-common area so as to store data received by the receiving unit;

a sending unit configured to send data stored by the storage unit toward the external device or the second distribution apparatus; and

a determining unit configured to perform a determination whether data received from the external device by the receiving unit is a type of data stored on the common area or on the non-common area, wherein

the storage unit stores the data received from the external device by the receiving unit onto the common area when the determining unit determines that the data received from the external device by the receiving unit is a type of data stored on the common area,

the storage unit stores the data received from the external device by the receiving unit onto the non-common area, when the determining unit determines that the data received from the external device by the receiving unit is a type of data stored on the non-common area, and

the storage unit stores the data received from the second distribution apparatus by the receiving unit onto the common area such that data of the common area of the first distribution apparatus and data of a common area of the second distribution apparatus are periodically synchronized,

wherein, the first distribution apparatus and the second distribution apparatus are on-board equipment for a car and an operating status is stored on the common area.

2. A first distribution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores a storage destination information that represents data type to be stored on the common area and data type to be stored on the non-common area;

and

the determining unit performs the determination based on the storage destination information.

3. A first distribution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the external device is an electronic control unit adapting for car;

the first distribution apparatus performs data transmission with a plurality of electronic control units; and

the second distribution apparatus performs data transmission with another plurality of electronic control units.

4. A first distribution apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the storage destination information comprises information regarding data stored in the second external device;

the external device sends sending request data that requests to send a specific data;

the distribution apparatus further comprises a judge unit that judges in accordance with the storage destination information whether the specific data requested by the sending request data is sent to the second distribution apparatus or not; and

the sending unit sends sending request data that requests to send the specific data toward the second distribution apparatus, when the judge unit judges that the specific data is sent to the second distribution apparatus.

5. A first distribution apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage destination information can be modified.

6. A first distribution apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the storage destination information can be modified.

7. A communication system having a plurality of distribution apparatuses each connected to a communication apparatus group configured with a plurality of communication apparatuses transmitting several types of data, wherein

each distribution apparatus is interconnected to another distribution apparatus, and

each distribution apparatus comprises:

a receiving unit that receives data sent from a connected communication apparatus and data sent from another distribution apparatus;

a storage unit configured with a common area and a non-common area so as to store data received by the receiving unit;

a sending unit configured to send data stored by the storage unit to a connected communication apparatus or another distribution apparatus; and

a determining unit configured to perform a determination whether data received from the connected communication apparatus by the receiving unit is a type of data stored on the common area or on the non-common area,

wherein the storage unit stores the data received from the connected communication apparatus by the receiving unit onto the common area when the determining unit determines that the data received from the connected communication apparatus by the receiving unit is a type of data stored on the common area,

the storage unit stores the data received from the connected communication apparatus by the receiving unit onto the non-common area when the determining unit determines that the data received from the connected communication apparatus by the receiving unit is a type of data stored on the common area, and

the storage unit stores the data received from the another distribution apparatus by the receiving unit onto the common area such that data of the common area of the distribution apparatus and data of a common area of the another distribution apparatus are periodically synchronized,

the communication system is an on-board communication system for a car and an operating status is stored on the common area.

8. A communication system according to claim 7, wherein

the storage unit stores a storage destination information that represents data type to be stored on the common area and data type to be stored on the non-common area;

and

the determining unit performs the determination based on the storage destination information.

9. A communication system according to claim 7, wherein each communication apparatus is an electronic control unit.

10. A communication system according to claim 8, wherein

the storage destination information comprises information regarding data stored in said each distribution apparatus;

each communication apparatus sends sending request data that requests to send a specific data;

said each distribution apparatus further comprises a judge unit that judges in accordance with the storage destination information whether the specific data requested by the sending request data is stored in another distribution apparatus or not; and

the sending unit sends sending request data that requests to send the specific data toward said another distribution apparatus, when the judge unit judges that the specific data is stored in said another distribution apparatus.

11. A communication system according to claim 8, wherein said each distribution apparatus further comprises:

a detecting unit that detects a connection of a new communication apparatus;

an obtaining unit that obtains a type of data being sent from the new communication apparatus detected by the detecting unit; and

an adding unit that performs an addition of the data type obtained by the obtaining unit onto the storage destination information, wherein

the sending unit sends the storage destination information after the addition performed by the adding unit toward another distribution apparatus.

12. A communication system according to claim 8, wherein

said each distribution apparatus further comprises:

a detecting unit that detects a disconnection of the connected communication apparatus;

an obtaining unit that obtains a type of data having been sent from the disconnected communication apparatus detected by the detecting unit; and

a deleting unit that performs a deletion of the data type obtained by the obtaining unit from the storage destination information, wherein

the sending unit sends the storage destination information after the deletion performed by the deleting unit toward another distribution apparatus.

13. A communication method incorporating a communication system having a plurality of distribution apparatuses each interconnected to another distribution apparatus and each connected to a communication apparatus group configured with a plurality of communication apparatuses transmitting several types of data, comprising the following computer-implemented steps of:

preparing a storage unit for each distribution apparatus, the storage unit storing received data and being configured with a common area and a non-common area;

allowing said each distribution apparatus to receive data being sent from a communication apparatus and another distribution apparatus that are connected to said each distribution apparatus;

allowing said each distribution apparatus to store the received data on its own storage unit;

allowing said each distribution apparatus to send the data stored on its own storage unit toward a communication apparatus or another distribution apparatus that are connected to said each distribution apparatus; and

allowing said each distribution apparatus to perform a determination whether the received data should be stored on the common area or the non-common area, wherein

the data received from the connected communication apparatus is stored, in accordance with a result of the determination, on the common area when it is determined that the data received from the connected communication apparatus is a type of data stored on the common area,

the data received from the connected communication apparatus is stored, in accordance with a result of the determination, on the non-common area when it is determined that the data received from the connected communication apparatus is a type of data stored on the non-common area,

the data received from the another distribution apparatus is stored on the common area such that the data of the common areas of the plurality of distribution apparatuses are periodically synchronized with each other,

the communication system is an on-board communication system for a car and an operating status is stored on the common area.

14. A communication method according to claim 13, wherein

said each communication apparatus is an electronic control unit.

15. A communication method according to claim 13, further comprising the following computer-implemented step of:

allowing said each distribution apparatus to store a storage destination information that represents data type to be stored on the common area and data type to be stored on the non-common area, wherein

the result of the determination is based on the storage destination information.

16. A communication method according to claim 15, further comprising the following computer-implemented steps of:

allowing said each distribution apparatus to detect a connection of a new communication apparatus;

allowing said each distribution apparatus to obtain a type of data being sent from the detected new communication apparatus;

allowing said each distribution apparatus to perform an addition of the obtained data type onto its own storage destination information; and

allowing said each distribution apparatus to send the storage destination information after performing the addition toward another distribution apparatus.

17. A communication method according to claim 15, further comprising the following computer-implemented steps of:

allowing said each distribution apparatus to detect a disconnection of the connected communication apparatus;

allowing said each distribution apparatus to obtain a type of data having been sent from the disconnected communication apparatus;

allowing said each distribution apparatus to perform a deletion of the obtained data type from the storage destination information; and

allowing said each distribution apparatus to send the storage destination information after performing the deletion toward another distribution apparatus.