Onboard information processing apparatus and automobile

• US 6,195,597 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US09/292,193
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1-10, 701/33, 701/102, 701/99, 340/980, 340/426, 340/457, 455/422
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3253 Power saving in bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40078 Bus configuration home automation networks H04L12/2803; arrangements for maintenance or administration H04L41/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

The present invention relates to an onboard information processing apparatus suitable for processing carried out by information handling equipment mounted on a movable body such as an automobile and relates to an automobile on which the information processing apparatus is mounted. The onboard information processing apparatus comprises a plurality of pieces of onboard information handling equipment installed in a vehicle. Each of the pieces of onboard information handling equipment has a connection unit for connection with a bus line of a predetermined format. The connection units of the pieces of onboard information handling equipment are connected to each other by the bus line. When a piece of onboard information handling equipment is not used, said connection unit of the piece of onboard information handling equipment is put in a sleep mode, providing electric power only to a minimum number of components requiring electric power.

Claims

1. An onboard information processing apparatus comprising a plurality of pieces of onboard information handling equipment installed in a vehicle wherein:

each of said pieces of onboard information handling equipment has a connection unit for connection with a bus line of a predetermined format;

said connection units of said pieces of onboard information handling equipment have a controller, a link layer and a physical layer and are connected to each other by said bus line; and

when a piece of onboard information handling equipment is not used, said connection unit of said piece of onboard information handling equipment is put in a sleep mode, providing electric power only to a minimum number of components requiring electric power.

2. An onboard information processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said connection unit ends said sleep mode, transiting to a standby mode after a predetermined period of time has lapsed since the start of said sleep mode.

3. An onboard information processing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said connection unit transits back to said sleep mode if neither data is transferred nor operation is carried out during a predetermined period of time following said transition to said standby mode.

4. An onboard information processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein components receiving electric power in a sleep mode of a connection unit include a state saving means for saving states of said connection unit prior to said sleep mode and a clock means for measuring a predetermined period of time.

5. An automobile having a plurality of pieces of onboard information handling equipment installed therein wherein:

each of said pieces of onboard information handling equipment has a connection unit for connection with a bus line of a predetermined format;

said connection units of said pieces of onboard information handling equipment have a controller, a link layer and a physical layer and are connected to each other by said bus line; and

when a piece of onboard information handling equipment is not used, said connection unit of said piece of onboard information handling equipment is put in a sleep mode, providing electric power only to a minimum number of components requiring electric power.