DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

• US 20100146034A1
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autoetworks Technologies Limited, Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Ryo
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• 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

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A distribution apparatus performing data transmission with a plurality of external devices, comprising:

a receiving unit that receives data being sent from a first external device and data being sent from a second external device;

a storage unit that is configured with a common area and a non-common area and that stores data received by the receiving unit;

a sending unit that sends data stored by the storage unit toward the first external device or the second external device; and

a determining unit that performs a determination whether data received from the first external device by the receiving unit is stored on the common area or on the non-common area, wherein

the storage unit stores the data received from the first external device by the receiving unit onto the common area or onto the non-common area, in accordance with a result of the determination performed by the determining unit; and

the storage unit stores the data received from the second external device by the receiving unit onto the common area.

11. A distribution apparatus according to claim 10, 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.

12. A distribution apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the distribution apparatus is an on-board equipment for car;

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

the second external device is another distribution apparatus adapting for car;

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

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

13. A distribution apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

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

the first 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 stored in the second external device or not; and

the sending unit sends sending request data that requests to send the specific data toward the second external device, when the judge unit judges that the specific data is stored in the second external device.

14. A distribution apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the storage destination information can be modified.

15. A distribution apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the storage destination information can be modified.

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

each distribution apparatus is interconnected to another distribution apparatus;

and

said each distribution apparatus comprises;

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

a storage unit that is configured with a common area and a non-common area and that stores data received by the receiving unit;

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

a determining unit that performs a determination whether data received from the connected communication apparatus by the receiving unit is stored on the common area or on the non-common area,

the storage unit stores the data received from the connected communication apparatus by the receiving unit onto the common area or on the non-common area, in accordance with a result of the determination performed by the determining unit; and

the storage unit stores the data received from said another distribution apparatus by the receiving unit onto the common area.

17. A communication system according to claim 16, 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.

18. A communication system according to claim 16, wherein

the communication system is an on-board communication system for car;

and

each communication apparatus is an electronic control unit.

19. A communication system according to claim 17, 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.

20. A communication system according to claim 17, 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.

21. A communication system according to claim 17, 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.

22. A communication method with a communication system having a plurality of distribution apparatuses each of which is interconnected to another distribution apparatus and is connected to a communication apparatus group that is configured with a plurality of communication apparatuses transmitting several types of data, comprising 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 said own storage unit;

allowing said each distribution apparatus to send the data stored on said 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 or on the non-common area; and

the data received from said another distribution apparatus is stored on the common area.

23. A communication method according to claim 22, wherein

the communication system is an on-board system for car;

and

each communication apparatus is an electronic control unit.

24. A communication method according to claim 22, further comprising a 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.

25. A communication method according claim 24, further comprising 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 the own storage destination information; and

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

26. A communication method according to claim 24, further comprising 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.