System and method to address devices connected to a bus system

• US 9,672,181 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Barrenscheen, Jens, Pottbaecker, Ansgar, Cortigiani, Fabrizio
• Primary Examiner(s): Unelus, Ernest
• Application Number:
  US14/794,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20150309950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 710110
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/364 using independent requests or grants, e.g. using separated request and grant lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/404 with address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40234 Local Interconnect Network LIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

A system includes a bus system, such as a LIN bus system. A number of components are connected to the bus system. A first component of the components is configured to detect a direction of a current to detect a location of the first component in the bus system. Each of the components can have a unique address.

Claims

1. A method to address components connected to a bus system, the method comprising:

receiving, in a first slave component, a command instructing a second slave component to apply a test signal to the bus system, the first and second slave components being connected to the bus system, the bus system being a local interconnect network (LIN) bus system;

determining, in the first slave component, that the test signal is being applied to the bus system by the second slave component;

detecting, at an observation point of the first slave component, a direction of a current of the test signal flowing from the first slave component while the test signal is being applied, the direction being either a first current direction or a second current direction different from the first current direction, wherein the current of the test signal flows from a first connection of the first slave component to a second connection of the first slave component when flowing in the first current direction, and wherein the current of the test signal flows from the second connection of the first slave component to the first connection of the first slave component when flowing in the second current direction; and

determining, in the first slave component, a location of the second slave component relative to the first slave component on the bus system based on the direction that the current of the test signal flows from the first slave component, wherein the determining the location comprises;

for the first current direction, determining the second slave component is further from a master component than the first slave component along the bus system, and

for the second current direction, determining the second slave component is closer to the master component than the first slave component along the bus system; and

storing the location of the second slave component relative to the first slave component in a memory of the first slave component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bus system comprises a single transmission line.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bus system comprises a plurality of transmission lines.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, in the first slave component, a command instructing a third slave component connected to the bus system to apply a second test signal to the bus system;

determining, in the first slave component, that the second test signal is being applied to the bus system by the third slave component;

detecting, in the observation point of the first slave component, a direction of a current of the second test signal flowing from the first slave component while the second test signal is being applied; and

determining a location of the third slave component relative to the first slave component on the bus system based on the direction that the current of the second test signal flows from the first slave component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the location of the first slave component in the bus system comprises:

determining that the first slave component is positioned in-between a master component and the second slave component on the bus system if the current of the test signal flows in the first current direction; and

determining that the second slave component is positioned in-between the master component and the first slave component on the bus system if the current of the test signal flows in the second current direction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the test signal comprises a dominant logical o.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the receiving the command instructing the second slave component to apply a test signal, assigning a unique slave identification number or address to the first slave component and the second slave component by the master component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein assigning the unique slave identification number or address comprises sending a device identification number of the first slave component and the second slave component to the master component.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the direction of the current of the test signal from the first slave component comprises detecting the direction of the current through a shunt resistor in the first slave component.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the test signal comprises a dominant logical 1.

11. A system comprising:

a local interconnect network (LIN) bus system configured to transport a test signal;

a master component connected to the bus system; and

a plurality of slave components connected to the bus system, the plurality of slave components comprising;

a first slave component, and

a second slave component, wherein the first slave component is configured to detect a direction of a current of the test signal from the first slave component, the direction of the current of the test signal indicating a location of the second slave component relative to the first slave component on the bus system, wherein the location of the first slave component relative to the second slave component is either closer to the master component or further from the master component along the bus system, and wherein the second slave component is configured to receive a command to apply the test signal to the bus system and then apply the test signal to the bus system, wherein the first slave component is configured to determine that the second slave component is closer to the master component than the first slave component when the current is detected to flow in a first direction from the first slave component, wherein the first slave component is configured to determine that the second slave component is further from the master component than the first slave component when the current is detected to flow in a second direction different than the first direction from the first slave component, wherein the current of test signal flows from a first connection of the first slave component to a second connection of the first slave component when flowing in the first direction, and wherein the current of test signal flows from the second connection of the first slave component to the first connection of the first slave component when flowing in the second direction.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the bus system comprises a single transmission line.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the bus system comprises a plurality of transmission lines.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first slave component comprises a first connection, a second connection, and a shunt resistor coupling the first connection to the second connection, and wherein the first slave component is configured to determine the location of the first slave component relative to the second slave component on the bus system by:

determining that the first connection is coupled to a second slave component when the current of the test signal flows from the first connection towards the shunt resistor; and

determining that the second connection is coupled to the second slave component when the current of the test signal flows from the second connection to the shunt resistor.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first slave component is configured to detect the direction of the current via an observation point in the first slave component.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first slave component is configured to store the relative location of the second slave component to the first slave component in a memory of the first slave component.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising a third slave component connected to the bus system between the first slave component and the second slave component.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the test signal comprises a dominant logical o.

19. A vehicle comprising:

a local interconnect network (LIN) bus;

a plurality of components connected to the local interconnect network (LIN) bus system including at least a first component and a second component, wherein the first component is configured to detect a direction of a test signal current from the first component to determine a location of the first component relative to the second component on the LIN bus system, the direction of the test signal current indicating the relative location of the second component to the first component, wherein when the direction of the test signal current is a first direction, the second component is determined to be connected to the LIN bus system in the first direction relative to the first component, wherein when the direction of the test signal is a second direction different from the first direction, the second component is determined to be connected to the LIN bus system in the second direction relative to the first component, wherein the test signal current flows from a first connection of the first component to a second connection of the first component when flowing in the first direction, and wherein the test signal current flows from the second connection of the first component to the first connection of the first component when flowing in the second direction, wherein the first and second components are configured to receive a command instructing the second component to apply the test signal, and wherein the second component is configured to apply the test signal to the LIN bus system in response to the command; and

a plurality of vehicle devices, each vehicle device electrically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of components.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the vehicle is a car or a truck or a motorcycle.

21. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein each vehicle device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a motor for an electrical window-winder, a motor for a side view mirror, a device configured to adjust a headlight, a device configured to adjust a seat position, and a door sensor.

22. The vehicle of claim 19, further comprising a third component connected to the LIN bus system between the first component and the second component.

23. A method comprising:

assigning a unique address to each of a plurality of components connected to a local interconnect network (LIN) bus system;

receiving, at a second component of the plurality of components, a command to apply a test signal to the bus system;

at the second component, applying the test signal to the bus system, the test signal causing a current sink at the second component;

evaluating, via an observation point in a first component of the plurality of components, a direction of a current associated with the test signal through the first component; and

determining, based on the direction of the current, whether the first component is downstream or upstream from the second component on the bus system, the direction of the test signal current indicating a relative location of the second component to the first component, wherein when the direction of the test signal current is directed upstream from the first component, the second component is determined to be upstream of the first component and when the direction of the test signal current is directed downstream from the first component, the second component is determined to be downstream of the first component, wherein the test signal current flows from a first connection of the first component to a second connection of the first component when flowing in the downstream direction, and wherein the test signal current flows from the second connection of the first component to the first connection of the first component when flowing in the upstream direction.

24. A system comprising:

a local interconnect network (LIN) bus system; and

a means for determining a relative location of two slave components in the bus system based on a direction of a current flowing through one of the two slave components while the other of the two slave components applies a test signal to the bus system, wherein the current flows from the one slave component to the other slave component, wherein the direction of the current indicates a direction, upstream or downstream, where the other slave component is connected to the bus system relative to the one slave component, wherein a current direction upstream indicates the other slave component is connected upstream of the one slave component, wherein a current direction downstream indicates the other slave component is connected downstream of the one slave component, wherein the current flows from a first connection of the one slave component to a second connection of the one slave component when flowing in the downstream direction, wherein the current flows from the second connection of the one slave component to the first connection of the one slave component when flowing in the upstream direction, and wherein the two slave components remain connected to the bus system while the determining occurs.