Method and communications system for transmitting information in a motor vehicle

• US 7,983,250 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Stiegler, Frank, Enders, Thorsten, Schirmer, Juergen, Kraft, Dieter, Fuehrer, Thomas, Hugel, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELLIOTT IV, BENJAMIN H
• Application Number:
  US10/590,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20070286225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,359 Days
• Field of Search: 370/357, 370/362, 370/364, 370/366, 701/29, 710/1, 710/48, 710/106, 710/117, 710/260, 710/300, 710/305
• US Class Current: 370/362
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/82 Brake-by-Wire, EHB
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40189 by using a plurality of bus systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/417 with deterministic access, e.g. token passing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40241 Flexray
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath

Abstract

A communications system for a motor vehicle, including a plurality of electrical components, a data bus structure to which the components are connected in order to transmit information among the components, and a power line structure to which the components are connected in order to be supplied with power. The information is transmitted in successive cycles over the data bus structure, each cycle including at least one time window for transmitting information at specific points in time and at least one event window for transmitting information in response to specific events. The communications system includes an arrangement for redundantly transmitting information which merely transmits the information transmitted in the at least one time window over the data bus structure at least partially over the power line structure as well.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information in a motor vehicle among electrical components of the motor vehicle, which are connected to a data bus structure of the motor vehicle in order to transmit information and to a power line structure of the motor vehicle in order to be supplied with power, comprising:

transmitting the information in successive, pre-allocated communication cycles over the data bus structure, each cycle of the successive cycles including at least one time window for transmitting a first set of the information at specific points in time and at least one event window for transmitting a second set of the information, which is different from the first set of information, in response to specific events; and

contemporaneously with the transmitting of the first set of the information in the at least one time window, transmitting at least one portion of the first set of the information transmitted in the at least one time window over the power line structure, thereby causing redundant information transmission, wherein;

only the information from the first set of the information which is transmitted within the at least one time window over the databus structure is also transmitted over the powerline structure, and

the power line structure is not used to transmit the second set of information transmitted during the at least one event window.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information is transmitted over the data bus structure in accordance with a Time-Triggered Controller Area Network (TTCAN) protocol.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information is transmitted over the data bus structure in accordance with a FlexRay protocol.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information is transmitted over the data bus structure in accordance with a Time-Triggered Protocol (TTP).

5. A method for transmitting information in a motor vehicle among electrical components of the motor vehicle, which are connected to a data bus structure of the motor vehicle in order to transmit information and to a power line structure of the motor vehicle in order to be supplied with power, comprising:

transmitting at least some information both via the data bus structure and via the power line structure, in order to provide redundant information transmission;

wherein the information is transmitted in successive, pre-allocated communication cycles over the data bus structure, each cycle of the successive cycles including at least one time window for transmitting a first set of the information at specific points in time and at least one event window for transmitting a second set of the information, which is different from the first set of information, in response to specific events, and wherein at least one portion of the first set of the information transmitted in the at least one time window over the data bus structure is transmitted over the power line structure contemporaneously with the transmitting of the first set of the information in the at least one time window,

wherein only the information from the first set of the information which is transmitted within the at least one time window over the databus structure is also transmitted over the powerline structure,

wherein the first set of information includes at least one of time-critical information and safety-critical information and the second set of information includes information that is generated at unpredictable times, and

wherein the power line structure is not used to transmit the second set of information transmitted during the at least one event window.

6. A communications system for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including a plurality of electrical components, a data bus structure to which the components are connected for transmitting information among the components and a power line structure to which the components are connected in order to be supplied with power, the communication system comprising:

an arrangement configured to transmit the information in successive, pre-allocated communication cycles over the data bus structure, each cycle of the successive cycles including at least one time window for transmitting a first set of the information at specific points in time and at least one event window for transmitting a second set of the information, which is different from the first set of information, in response to specific events, the arrangement further configured to redundantly transmit at least some of the first set of the information transmitted in the at least one time window over the data bus structure over the power line structure,

wherein the redundant transmission occurs contemporaneously with the transmitting of the information in the at least one time window,

wherein only the information from the first set of the information which is transmitted within the at least one time window over the databus structure is also transmitted over the powerline structure, and

wherein the power line structure is not used to transmit the second set of information transmitted during the at least one event window.

7. The communications system as recited in claim 6, wherein the information is transmitted over the data bus structure in accordance with a Time-Triggered Controller Area Network (TTCAN) protocol.

8. The communications system as recited in claim 6, wherein the information is transmitted over the data bus structure in accordance with a FlexRay protocol.

9. The communications system as recited in claim 6, wherein the information is transmitted over the data bus structure in accordance with a Time-Triggered Protocol.

10. A communications system for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including a plurality of electrical components, a data bus structure to which the components are connected in order to transmit information among the components, and a power line structure to which the components are connected in order to be supplied with power, the communication system comprising:

an arrangement configured to transmit at least some of the information both via the data bus structure and via the power line structure, the information being transmitted in successive, pre-allocated communication cycles over the data bus structure, each cycle of the successive cycles including at least one time window for transmitting a first set of the information at specific points in time and at least one event window for transmitting a second set of the information, which is different from the first set of information, in response to specific events,

wherein the arrangement is further configured to redundantly transmit at least one portion of the first set of the information transmitted in the at least one time window over the data bus structure over the power line structure,

wherein the redundant transmission occurs contemporaneously with the transmitting of the first set of the information in the at least one time window

wherein only the information from the first set of the information which is transmitted within the at least one time window over the databus structure is also transmitted over the powerline structure, and

wherein the power line structure is not used to transmit the second set of information transmitted during the at least one event window.

11. The communications system as recited in claim 10, wherein the power line structure is not used to transmit information that is transmitted during the at least one event window.