Onboard vehicle communication system

• US 10,780,783 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2017
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shin, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Aung, Sai
• Application Number:
  US15/812,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20180141439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An onboard vehicle communication system includes a first ECU configured to manage charge information of a vehicle, a gateway connected to the first ECU, a second ECU connected to the gateway, an onboard vehicle communication device configured to communicate with the outside of the vehicle, and a local bus that connects the first ECU and the onboard vehicle communication device. The first ECU is configured to transmit charge information of the vehicle to the onboard vehicle communication device via the local bus when an external charge device is charging a vehicle.

Claims

1. An onboard vehicle communication system comprising:

a first electronic control unit (first ECU) including a first ECU microcontroller and a first ECU communication transceiver, the first ECU microcontroller including a processor for executing programs stored in memory and a communication circuit for receiving and transmitting information, wherein the first ECU configured to manage charge information of a vehicle;

a gateway connected to the first ECU via a first global bus;

a second electronic control unit (second ECU) including a second ECU microcontroller and a second ECU communication transceiver, the second ECU microcontroller including a processor for executing programs stored in memory and a communication circuit for receiving and transmitting information, wherein the second ECU connected to the gateway via a second global bus, which is a communication bus that differs from the first global bus;

an onboard vehicle communication device configured to transmit information managed by the first ECU and the second ECU to the outside of the vehicle; and

a local bus, which is a communication bus that is not connected to the gateway, wherein the local bus connects the first ECU and the onboard vehicle communication device, wherein

the first ECU is configured to transmit charge information of the vehicle to the onboard vehicle communication device via the local bus and transmitting the charge information of the vehicle from the first ECU to the gateway is prohibited when an external charge device is charging the vehicle, and

the first ECU, the gateway, the second ECU, the onboard vehicle communication device, the first global bus, the second global bus, and the local bus are installed inside the vehicle.

2. The onboard vehicle communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the onboard vehicle communication device includes

a controller and

a communication transceiver configured to communicate a communication message via the local bus under control of the controller, and

the controller and the communication transceiver are connected by a signal line that permits transmission of a communication message from the communication transceiver to the controller and not connected by a signal line that permits transmission of another communication message from the controller to the communication transceiver.

3. The onboard vehicle communication system according to claim 2, wherein

the communication transceiver is a first communication transceiver,

the onboard vehicle communication device further includes a second communication transceiver configured to communicate a communication message via a third global bus, which is a communication bus that differs from the first global bus and the second global bus, under control of the controller, and

the second communication transceiver and the controller are connected by a signal line that permits transmission of a communication message from the second communication transceiver to the controller and connected by a signal line that permits transmission of a communication message from the controller to the second communication transceiver.

4. The onboard vehicle communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the onboard vehicle communication device is connected to the gateway via a third global bus, which is a communication bus that differs from the first global bus and the second global bus.

5. The onboard vehicle communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the onboard vehicle communication device includes

a controller and

a communication transceiver configured to communicate a communication message via the local bus, and

the controller and the communication transceiver are connected by a signal line so that direct transmission of a communication message from the communication transceiver to the controller is permitted and direct transmission of another communication message from the controller to the communication transceiver is restricted.