AFTERMARKET MODULE ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING OVER A VEHICLE BUS

• US 20130321134A1
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: FRYE, Mark S., EVERHART, Charles A., CEPURAN, Lawrence D., SWANSON, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,928,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.32
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40045 Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

An aftermarket module arrangement for installation into a vehicle having a vehicle bus and an electric power source is disclosed herein. The arrangement includes, but is not limited to, a module configured to communicatively couple with the vehicle bus and to electrically couple with the electric power source via a first electric power line, and further configured to engage in power line communications over the first electric power line. The arrangement further includes an aftermarket module configured to electrically couple with the electric power source over a second electric power line and to engage in power line communications over the second electric power line. The aftermarket module is further configured to communicatively couple with the module via power line communications and to communicate over the vehicle bus through the module.

Claims

1. An aftermarket module arrangement for installation into a vehicle having a vehicle bus and an electric power source, the aftermarket module arrangement comprising:

a module configured to communicatively couple with the vehicle bus and to electrically couple with the electric power source via a first electric power line, the module further configured to engage in power line communications over the first electric power line; and

an aftermarket module configured to electrically couple with the electric power source over a second electric power line and to engage in power line communications over the second electric power line,

wherein the aftermarket module is further configured to communicatively couple with the module via power line communications and to communicate over the vehicle bus through the module when the module is communicatively coupled with the vehicle bus and when the aftermarket module is communicatively coupled with the module.

2. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 1, wherein the module includes a microprocessor configured to control communications between the module and the vehicle bus.

3. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 1, wherein the module includes a power line modulator/demodulator to facilitate power line communications of the module.

4. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 3, wherein the module includes a microprocessor configured to control communications between the module and the vehicle bus and further configured to control the power line modulator/demodulator.

5. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 1, wherein the aftermarket module includes a power line modulator/demodulator to facilitate power line communications of the aftermarket module.

6. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 1, the vehicle including an assembly line data link (ALDL) having an access port and the ALDL being communicatively coupled with the vehicle bus and electrically coupled with the electric power source, wherein the module is configured to engage the access port, to communicatively couple with the vehicle bus through the access port, and to electrically couple with the electric power source through the access port.

7. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 1, wherein the aftermarket module is configured to plug into a power outlet of the vehicle.

8. An aftermarket module arrangement for installation into a vehicle having a vehicle bus and an electric power source, the aftermarket module arrangement comprising:

a module configured to communicatively couple with the vehicle bus and to electrically couple with the electric power source via a first electric power line, the module further configured to engage in power line communications over the first electric power line;

an aftermarket module configured to electrically couple with the electric power source over a second electric power line and to engage in power line communications over the second electric power line; and

a user input module configured to electrically couple with the electric power source over a third electric power line and to engage in power line communications over the third electric power line,

wherein the aftermarket module is further configured to communicatively couple with the module via power line communications and to communicate over the vehicle bus through the module when the module is communicatively coupled with the vehicle bus and when the aftermarket module is communicatively coupled with the module, and

wherein the user input module is configured to communicate with the aftermarket module via power line communications when the user input module and the aftermarket module are each electrically coupled to the electric power source.

9. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 8, wherein the user input module is configured to control the aftermarket module.

10. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 8, wherein the user input module includes a power line modulator/demodulator to facilitate power line communications of the user input module.

11. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 8, wherein the user input module is configured to plug into a power outlet of the vehicle.

12. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 8, wherein the module includes a microprocessor configured to control communications between the module and the vehicle bus.

13. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 8, wherein the module includes a power line modulator/demodulator to facilitate power line communications of the module.

14. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 13, wherein the module includes a microprocessor configured to control communications between the module and the vehicle bus and further configured to control the power line modulator/demodulator.

15. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 8, wherein the aftermarket module includes a power line modulator/demodulator to facilitate power line communications of the aftermarket module.

16. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 8, the vehicle including an assembly line data link (ALDL) having an access port and the ALDL being communicatively coupled with the vehicle bus and electrically coupled with the electric power source, wherein the module is configured to engage the access port, to communicatively couple with the vehicle bus through the access port, and to electrically couple with the electric power source through the access port.

17. The aftermarket module arrangement of claim 8, wherein the aftermarket module is configured to plug into a power outlet of the vehicle.

18. A system comprising:

a telematics module coupled to a first vehicle power supply line and including a module interface for communicating over the first vehicle power supply line;

a bus interface coupled to a vehicle information bus and to a second vehicle power supply line for communicating with both the second vehicle power supply line and the vehicle information bus, wherein the communication with the second vehicle power supply line is responsive to the communication with the vehicle information bus,

wherein the first and second vehicle power supply lines are coupled and wherein the telematics module communicates with the vehicle information bus through the vehicle power supply lines and the bus interface.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the telematics module comprises a rear view mirror and wherein the module interface is contained within a housing of the rear view mirror.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the communication with the vehicle information bus is responsive to the communication with the second vehicle power supply line.