In-vehicle apparatus

• US 20090299572A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyanishi, Atsushi, Watanabe, Kohichi, Sowa, Hidehiko, Fujikawa, Seiji, Amaya, Junji, Nakashima, Yasuo, Kurose, Hidenori
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide an in-vehicle apparatus and an in-vehicle system that can use a plurality of expansion modules. The in-vehicle apparatus includes a plurality of slots for connecting a plurality of modules, each having a connector for connection, to expand capabilities of the in-vehicle apparatus, and a control unit for identifying the kind of each of the plurality of modules connected to the plurality of slots.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle apparatus comprising:

a plurality of slots for connecting a plurality of modules, each having a connector for connection, to expand capabilities of said in-vehicle apparatus; and

a control unit for identifying the kind of each of said plurality of modules connected to said plurality of slots.

2. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1,

further comprising a management unit for detecting the insertion of a module into each of said modules and for acquiring a module ID from said inserted module,

wherein said control unit determines based on said module ID whether said inserted module is a supported module or not, and registers said module with said management unit when it is determined that said module is a supported module.

3. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein said control unit executes an activation sequence according to the kind of said inserted module.

4. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 3,

further comprising an ejection detection unit for detecting an instruction for ejecting said inserted module,

wherein when said ejection detection unit has detected said module ejection instruction, said control unit executes a termination sequence for said module to be ejected.

5. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein after executing said termination sequence, said control unit issues an instruction to said management unit to delete the registration of said module whose operation has been terminated.

6. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 5,

further comprising a plurality of terminals, provided on each of said plurality of slots, for connecting with the connector of each module, said plurality of terminals including a power supply terminal having the longest length, an insertion detection terminal having the shortest length, and a signal terminal having a length intermediate between said power supply terminal and said insertion detection terminal,

wherein said control unit detects the insertion of a module into each of said plurality of slots by using said insertion detection terminal.

7. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein said plurality of terminals includes an ID terminal for sending an ID for identifying the kind of said module, and

said control unit identifies the kind of said module by using the ID sent from said ID terminal.

8. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of slots include a first slot for connecting a first module having a first connector for connection to add a first function, and a second slot for connecting a second module having a second connector for connection to add a second function, and

said control unit identifies the kind of each of said first and second modules connected to said first and second slots, respectively.

9. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein said first slot is a slot for connecting a module, having a connector for connection and having a first impedance characteristic, to expand capabilities of said in-vehicle apparatus,

said second slot is a slot for connecting a module, having a connector for connection and having a second impedance characteristic different from said first impedance characteristic, to expand capabilities of said in-vehicle apparatus, and

said control unit identifies the impedance characteristics of said modules connected to said first and second slots, respectively.

10. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 9,

further comprising a notifying means for providing a notification when the impedance characteristic of said module does not match the impedance characteristic of said first or second slot with which said module is connected.

11. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 9,

further comprising a switching unit for switching a signal path from said first or second slot when the impedance characteristic of said module does not match the impedance characteristic of said first or second slot with which said module is connected.

12. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 9,

further comprising an adjusting unit for adjusting impedance when the impedance characteristic of said module does not match the impedance characteristic of said first or second slot with which said module is connected.

13. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein said first impedance characteristic corresponds to the impedance characteristic of a broadcast-related module, and said second impedance characteristic corresponds to the impedance characteristic of a communication-related module.

14. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein said first impedance characteristic corresponds to the impedance characteristic of a broadcast-related module, and said second impedance characteristic corresponds to the impedance characteristic of a communication-related module.

15. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein said first impedance characteristic corresponds to the impedance characteristic of a broadcast-related module, and said second impedance characteristic corresponds to the impedance characteristic of a communication-related module.

16. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 13,

further comprising a plurality of terminals, provided on each of said plurality of slots, for connecting with the connector of each module, said plurality of terminals including a power supply terminal having the longest length, an insertion detection terminal having the shortest length, and a signal terminal having a length intermediate between said power supply terminal and said insertion detection terminal,

wherein said control unit detects the insertion of a module into each of said plurality of slots by using said insertion detection terminal.

17. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 14,

further comprising a plurality of terminals, provided on each of said plurality of slots, for connecting with the connector of each module, said plurality of terminals including a power supply terminal having the longest length, an insertion detection terminal having the shortest length, and a signal terminal having a length intermediate between said power supply terminal and said insertion detection terminal,

wherein said control unit detects the insertion of a module into each of said plurality of slots by using said insertion detection terminal.

18. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 15,

further comprising a plurality of terminals, provided on each of said plurality of slots, for connecting with the connector of each module, said plurality of terminals including a power supply terminal having the longest length, an insertion detection terminal having the shortest length, and a signal terminal having a length intermediate between said power supply terminal and said insertion detection terminal,

wherein said control unit detects the insertion of a module into each of said plurality of slots by using said insertion detection terminal.