In-vehicle network system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022055556-A1
Application number	US-202117519009-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 4, 2021
Priority date	Jul 9, 2019
Publication date	Feb 24, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An in-vehicle network system includes a power supply, an upper electronic control unit (ECU), an intermediate ECU configured to communicate with the upper ECU, and a plurality of lower ECUs configured to communicate with the intermediate ECU. The intermediate ECU is configured to receive power supplied from the power supply and supply the power supplied from the power supply to the lower ECUs. The lower ECUs are configured to transition, when the power is supplied from the intermediate ECU, from a power-off state to a standby state to wait for an instruction. The power supply is connected to the intermediate ECU via a power line and is not connected via the same power line to the upper ECU.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An in-vehicle network system comprising:
a power supply; an upper electronic control unit; an intermediate electronic control unit configured to communicate with the upper electronic control unit; and a plurality of lower electronic control units configured to communicate with the intermediate electronic control unit, wherein: the intermediate electronic control unit is configured to:
receive power supplied from the power supply, and
supply the power supplied from the power supply to the lower electronic control units;
the lower electronic control units are configured to transition, when the power is supplied from the intermediate electronic control unit, from a power-off state to a standby state to wait for an instruction; and the power supply is connected to the intermediate electronic control unit via a power line and is not connected via the same power line to the upper electronic control unit.

2 . The in-vehicle network system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the intermediate electronic control unit is configured to transmit an instruction to the lower electronic control units in the standby state in response to an instruction transmitted from the upper electronic control unit; and the lower electronic control units are configured to transition from the standby state to a startup state in response to the instruction transmitted from the intermediate electronic control unit.

3 . The in-vehicle network system according to claim 1 , wherein
the intermediate electronic control unit is in a standby state in which the power line is open, until receiving an instruction from the upper electronic control unit.

4 . The in-vehicle network system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the intermediate electronic control unit is connected to the power supply via the power line, and is connected to the lower electronic control units via another power line; and the intermediate electronic control unit is in a standby state in which both the power line and the another power line are open, until receiving an instruction from the upper electronic control unit.

5 . The in-vehicle network system according to claim 3 , wherein
when intermediate electronic control unit is in the standby state, the lower electronic control units are in the power-off state.

6 . The in-vehicle network system according to claim 4 , wherein
when intermediate electronic control unit is in the standby state, the lower electronic control units are in the power-off state.

7 . The in-vehicle network system according to claim 4 , wherein:
while the intermediate electronic control unit is in the standby state and the lower electronic control units are in the power-off state, the upper electronic control unit
determines that it is necessary to start at least one of the lower electronic control units, and
upon determining that it is necessary to start at least one of the lower electronic control units, transmits an instruction to the intermediate electronic control unit, so that the intermediate electronic control unit transitions from the standby state to a startup state in which both the power line and the another power line are closed; and
the intermediate electronic control unit
converts the instruction transmitted from the upper electronic control unit into a format compatible with the at least one of the lower electronic control units, and
transmits the converted instruction to the at least one of the lower electronic control units, so that the at least one of the lower electronic control units transitions from the power-off state to the standby state.

8 . The in-vehicle network system according to claim 7 , wherein
the lower electronic control units are configured to specify an operation to be performed based on the converted instruction transmitted from the intermediate electronic control unit.

9 . The in-vehicle network system according to claim 1 , wherein:
there are a plurality of the intermediate electronic control unit including a first intermediate electronic control unit and a second intermediate electronic control unit, the power supply is connected to the first intermediate electronic control unit and the second intermediate electronic control unit via the same power line, the first intermediate electronic control unit relays communication between the upper electronic control unit and a first group of the lower electronic control units, and the second intermediate electronic control unit relays communication between the upper electronic control unit and a second group, separate from the first group, of the lower electronic control units.

10 . A method for communication in an in-vehicle network system including a power supply, an upper electronic control unit, an intermediate electronic control unit configured to communicate with the upper electronic control unit, and a plurality of lower electronic control units configured to communicate with the intermediate electronic control unit, the method comprising:
receiving, by the intermediate electronic control unit, power supplied from the power supply; supplying, by the intermediate electronic control unit, the power supplied from the power supply to the lower electronic control units; and when the power is supplied from the intermediate electronic control unit, transitioning, by the lower electronic control units, from a power-off state to a standby state to wait for an instruction, wherein the power supply is connected to the intermediate electronic control unit via a power line and is not connected via the same power line to the upper electronic control unit.

11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an instruction for one or more processors in an in-vehicle network system, the in-vehicle network system including a power supply, an upper electronic control unit, an intermediate electronic control unit configured to communicate with the upper electronic control unit, and a plurality of lower electronic control units configured to communicate with the intermediate electronic control unit, the instruction, when executed, causing the one or more processors in the in-vehicle network system to perform:
receiving, by the intermediate electronic control unit, power supplied from the power supply; supplying, by the intermediate electronic control unit, the power supplied from the power supply to the lower electronic control units; and when the power is supplied from the intermediate electronic control unit, transitioning, by the lower electronic control units, from a power-off state to a standby state to wait for an instruction, wherein the power supply is connected to the intermediate electronic control unit via a power line and is not connected via the same power line to the upper electronic control unit.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the intermediate electronic control unit, an instruction to the lower electronic control units in the standby state in response to an instruction transmitted from the upper electronic control unit; and transitioning, by the lower electronic control units, from the standby state to a startup state in response to the instruction transmitted from the intermediate electronic control unit.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the intermediate electronic control unit is in a standby state in which the power line is open, until receiving an instruction from the upper electronic control unit.

14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein:
the intermediate electronic control unit is connected to the power supply via the power l

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hirano Takahiro

Classifications

• Y02D30/50

  in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate · CPC title

• H04L12/12

  Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof · CPC title

• B60R16/0231 Primary

  Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P) · CPC title

• H04L12/10

  Current supply arrangements · CPC title

• B60R16/03

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title