Method,device and bus manager for operating a device that is connected to a motor vehicle communications network

• US 7,158,869 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2001
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Baierl, Wolfgang, Hofmann, Matthias, Vollmer, Vasco
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/070,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20030120396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,026 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/33, 701/36, 340/825.57, 340/825.71, 398/111
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• 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 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A method of operating a device which is connected to a vehicle communications network is described, a switched-off device being reactivated by the bus manager via a frequency pulse transmitted over a power supply line. The device may be switched off by the bus manager or by itself if there is no data communication with the device for a predetermined period of time. The frequency pulse is analyzed by an analyzer circuit of the switched-off device, the analyzer circuit having a frequency-selective filter and a threshold detector. The frequency pulse may be transmitted at a frequency which is valid for only one device or at a frequency for a group of devices or at a frequency for all devices. If the devices are arranged in branches, then all the devices downstream from a switched-off device are also switched off or reactivated.

Claims

1. A method of operating a device which is connected to a vehicle communications network, the method comprising:

detecting, using a bus manager that is connected to the device via the vehicle communications network, that data communication with the device in a switched-off state is necessary, the device in the switched-off state lacking the capacity to receive data sent over a data line; and

subsequently reactivating the switched-off device by the bus manager via a frequency pulse transmitted over a power supply line.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

switching off all functionality of a bit transmission layer of the device, except a functionality enabling the device to respond to the frequency pulse.

3. A method of operating a device which is connected to a vehicle communications network, the method comprising:

detecting, using a bus manager, that data communication with the device in a switched-off state is necessary;

subsequently reactivating the switched-off device by the bus manager via a frequency pulse transmitted over a power supply line;

comparing the frequency pulse with a threshold value by an analyzer circuit of the switched-off device; and

reactivating the switched-off device when a signal power of the frequency pulse exceeds the threshold.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

switching-off the device by a frequency pulse; and

transmitting the frequency pulse at a frequency which is detected by at least one analyzer circuit of a device of the vehicle communications network.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

switching-off all devices downstream from the switched-off device in a branch of the vehicle communications network; and

reactivating devices downstream from the reactivated device.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

switching-off and reactivating the device by the bus manager.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

reactivating the device, which shut itself down, by the bus manager.

8. A device comprising:

an arrangement for connecting to a communications network;

an analyzer circuit connected to a power supply line, the analyzer circuit including a frequency-selective filter and a threshold detector, wherein;

the analyzer circuit is configured to reactivate the device when a frequency pulse transmitted over the power supply line is present, and

the device in a switched-off state lacks the capacity to receive data sent over a data line.

9. A bus manager comprising:

means for detecting that data communication with a device in a switched-off state is necessary, the device being connected to the bus manager via a vehicle communications network, the device in the switched-off state lacking the capacity to receive data sent over a data line; and

means for subsequently reactivating the switched-off device via a frequency pulse transmitted over a power supply line.

10. The bus manager according to claim 9, further comprising:

an arrangement for switching off all functionality of a bit transmission layer of the device, except a functionality enabling the device to respond to the frequency pulse.