Computer system for use in vehicles

• US 8,571,782 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Barkowski, Andre, Siepen, Peter, Mlasko, Torsten, Baierl, Wolfgang, Westendorf, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kiswanto, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/544,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,647 Days
• Field of Search: 701/100, 701/213, 362/147, 362/234, 362/249, 362/253, 362/368, 362/404, 362/405, 362/249.01, 348/552, 345/169, 463/4, 463/17, 463/36
• US Class Current: 701/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/509 Offload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system

Abstract

A computer system for vehicles is provided in which the functions are partitioned among the computers of the computer system. A first computer takes over the driving-related functions, while a second computer having greater computing power takes over entertainment-specific functions.

Claims

1. A computer system in a vehicle, comprising:

at least two computers that perform different tasks,

wherein a distribution of the tasks among the at least two computers takes place according to a significance of functions for a driving of the vehicle, the functions including driving-related functions that are implemented in a first computer of the at least two computers, and non-driving-related functions that are implemented in a second computer of the at least two computers, and at least one driving-related function is temporarily distributed to the second computer for execution, and

wherein a first computer of the at least two computers gives computing-intensive tasks to a second computer of the at least two computers, and the first computer executes the computing-intensive tasks if the second computer is not available.

2. The computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the driving-related functions are vehicle-specific functions.

3. The computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the driving-related functions contain specific information connected with at least one of;

one of an operation, a navigation, and a driving of the vehicle, and

a warning and an orientation of a driver, and

the driving-related functions form a driver-related Human Machine Interface (“

HMI”

) and a driver information system.

4. The computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-driving-related functions are entertainment-specific functions.

5. The computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the driving-related functions include at least one of the following functions;

navigation systems,

one of a Human Machine Interface (“

HMI”

) logic system and an HMI manager that one of controls and evaluates a display and an operation of the vehicle,

one of speech recognition software and speech synthesis software,

a program for outputting one of driving instructions and driver warnings, and

a representation of two-dimensional maps for orientation, and the non-driving-related functions include at least one of the following functions;

an Internet browser,

a service download,

a representation of three-dimensional graphics,

an application for entertaining passengers,

a game,

a video reproduction system,

a digital video broadcast system, and

a connection of connectable portable devices including one of a laptop and a PDA.

6. The computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second computer is a powerful multimedia computer.

7. The computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one interface provided between the first computer and the second computer.

8. The computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first computer is connected to an internal vehicle bus.

9. The computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein a computing-intensive function of a driving-related part is are computed in a non-driving-related part.

10. A computer system in a vehicle, comprising:

a first processing unit in the vehicle, configured to perform critical driving-related functions, wherein the first processing unit is substantially closed from end-user modifications;

a second processing unit in the vehicle, configured to perform an auxiliary set of functions, wherein the second processing unit is configurable by the end-user; and

a data transfer connection between the first and second processing units;

wherein the system is configured to distribute critical driving-related functions to the first processing unit and the second processing unit, based at least in part on an availability of the respective processing units and on how processing-intensive the functions are,

wherein the first processing unit gives processing-intensive tasks to the second processing unit and the first processing unit executes the processing-intensive tasks if the second processing unit is not available, and

wherein the system is configured to distribute the auxiliary set of functions exclusively to the second processing unit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is configured to modify the auxiliary second set of functions based on user input, and wherein the system is configured to restrict modification of the driving-related functions.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the second processing unit is a receiving subsystem with an interface configured to interface with a plurality of equipment added to the system via the interface.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary second set of functions include enhancements of the driving-related functions.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein one enhancement includes interactive graphical maps, and wherein one driving-related function, associated with the one enhancement, includes basic navigation data.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first processing unit is configured as a master processing unit and the second processing unit is configured as a slave processing unit.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the second processing unit is configured with more processing power than the first processing unit.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second processing unit is optimized for multimedia processing.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is configured to modify the auxiliary second set of functions based on user input, wherein the system is configured to restrict modification of the driving-related functions, wherein the second processing unit is a receiving subsystem with an interface configured to interface with a plurality of equipment added to the system via the interface, wherein the auxiliary second set of functions include enhancements of the driving-related functions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein one enhancement includes interactive graphical maps, and wherein one driving-related function, associated with the one enhancement, includes basic navigation data, wherein the first processing unit is configured as a master processing unit and the second processing unit is configured as a slave processing unit, wherein the second processing unit is configured with more processing power than the first processing unit, and wherein the second processing unit is optimized for multimedia processing.

20. A computer system in a vehicle, comprising:

a graphics processor; and

at least two computers that perform different tasks, a distribution of the tasks among the at least two computers being performed in accordance with a significance of functions for guidance of the vehicle,

wherein;

a first one of the computers includes functions related to driving,

a second one of the computers includes functions not related to driving,

the computers are connected to the graphics processor,

the computers communicate with each other via one predefined interface,

a function related to driving primarily performed by the first one of the computers is temporarily distributed to the second one of the computers for execution, and

the first one of the computers gives computing-intensive tasks to the second one of the computers, and the first one of the computers executes the computing-intensive tasks if the second one of the computers is not available.

21. A computer system in a vehicle, comprising:

a graphics processor; and

at least two computers that perform different tasks, a distribution of the tasks among the at least two computers being performed in accordance with a significance of functions for guidance of the vehicle,

wherein;

a first one of the computers includes functions related to driving, wherein a second one of the computers includes functions not related to driving,

the computers are connected to the graphics processor, wherein the computers communicate with each other via one predefined interface,

a critical function related to driving is routed to the second one of the computers via the one predefined interface, the first one of the computers routes computing-intensive tasks to the second one of the computers, and the first one of the computers executes the computing-intensive tasks if the second one of the computers is not available, and

the first one of the computers is a closed system, the second one of the computers is an open system, and the open system permits a user to make changes to software or to a configuration.

22. A computer system in a vehicle, comprising:

at least two computers that perform different tasks, a distribution of the tasks among the at least two computers being performed in accordance with a significance of functions for guidance of the vehicle;

a first graphics processor; and

a second graphics processor;

wherein;

a first one of the at least two computers includes functions related to driving,

a second one of the at least two computers includes functions not related to driving,

the at least two computers communicate with each other via one predefined interface,

the first one of the computers gives computing-intensive tasks to the second one of the computers, and the first one of the computers executes the computing-intensive tasks if the second one of the computers is not available,

the first one of the at least two computers is connected to the first graphics processor,

the second one of the at least two computers is connected to the second graphics processor,

the graphics processors communicate with each other via the one predefined interface, and

the first one of the at least two computers is a closed system, the second one of the at least two computers is an open system, and the open system permits a user to make changes to a software program or to a configuration.