Converter/multiplexer for serial bus

• US 8,730,818 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Morey Corporation
• Original Assignee: The Morey Corporation
• Inventors: Isaac, Emad S., Champa, Jeff A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohebbi, Kouroush
• Application Number:
  US12/761,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20110255411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a converter/multiplexer and associated method of use therefor or converting and multiplexing parallel inputs, a modem, a GPS, or even modem information into a single multimaster broadcast serial bus standard for connecting electronic control units, and more specifically, to a multiplexer for transforming analog, digital, frequency, GPS, or modem inputs into a CAN bus data transmittal over LAN and/or PAN and interrelation with a similarly equipped receiving module. Further, the converter/multiplexer is used alone or in a group as part of a larger system for multiplexing and demultiplexing signals for serial bus processing and also for guidance when the converters are cabled by operators using stored configurations.

Claims

1. A converter for multiplexing multiple inputs to a plurality of buses, the converter comprising:

a central processing unit connected to at least two inputs for receiving parallel data from each of the at least two inputs;

at least a first transceiver connected to the central processing unit for merging the at least two serial inputs into a first serial output format to a serial bus; and

at least a second transceiver connected to the central processing unit for merging the at least two serial inputs into a second serial output format to a CAN bus.

2. The converter of claim 1, further comprising a third transceiver connected to the central processing unit for merging the at least two serial inputs into a third serial output format to either a wireless antenna or a SNA connector, for transmitting the serial output via a wireless protocol.

3. The converter of claim 2, wherein the transmission over the serial output is for an optical cable, or an Ethernet over twisted cable.

4. The converter of claim 1, further comprising a third transceiver for transmitting the serial output of the third transceiver over a protocol taken from a group consisting of a local area network protocol, a personal area network protocol, a low-power digital radio protocol, and a hypertext transfer protocol.

5. The converter of claim 2, wherein the first transceiver is a first UART with asynchronous input/output connected serially with a microtransceiver with auto shutdown, the second transceiver is a CAN transceiver, and the third transceiver is a low-power transceiver.

6. The converter of claim 5, wherein the low-power transceiver transmits the serial output over a high-level communication protocol using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.

7. The converter of claim 1, wherein the inputs are selected from a group consisting of an analog input, a digital input, a frequency input, modem data, or GPS data.

8. The converter of claim 1, wherein the inputs are at least one analog input and at least one digital input.

9. The converter of claim 1, further comprising a real-time clock for regulating the central processing unit and the inputs.