Network component for a vehicle network and corresponding vehicle network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9533635-B2
Application number	US-201214363191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2012
Priority date	Dec 6, 2011
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A network component has a signal processing device having a processor, at least one voltage source that can be connected to a supply network of the vehicle, and at least one coupling device connected to the signal processing device and the voltage source. Lines of at least one network segment of the vehicle network can be connected to the coupling device for the simultaneous signal connection of the network segment to the signal processing device and for the voltage supply of the network segment by the voltage source. The voltage source is configured such that a voltage ratio between at least one supply voltage provided by the voltage source and the voltage provided by the supply network can be selected from a selection of several predetermined voltage ratios.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A network component ( 12 ), in particular a network-capable vehicle component, of a vehicle network ( 10 ), comprising:
a signal processing device ( 22 ) having a processor ( 20 );
at least one voltage source ( 24 ) configured to be connectable to a supply network of the vehicle;
at least one coupling device ( 26 ) connected to the signal processing device ( 22 ) and to the voltage source ( 24 );
at least one network segment ( 18 ) of the vehicle network ( 10 ) having lines ( 16 ) configured to:
be connectable to the coupling device ( 26 ) to simultaneously connect the network segment ( 18 ), for signaling purposes,
be connectable to the signal processing device ( 22 ), and
supply voltage to the network segment ( 18 ) by the voltage source ( 24 ); and

an input device configured to manually select at least one voltage level and a signaling connection ( 40 ) between the processor ( 20 ) of the signal processing device ( 22 ) and the voltage source ( 24 ) for control thereof by the processor ( 20 ),
wherein the voltage source ( 24 ) is configured such that a voltage ratio between at least one supply voltage (Vout, V 1 out, V 2 out) provided by the voltage source ( 24 ) and the voltage (Vin) provided by the supply network of the vehicle can be selected from a plurality of predetermined voltage ratios.

2. The network component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the voltage source ( 24 ) is compatible with a voltage level provided by the supply network, which is a voltage level typical of a vehicle.

3. The network component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the voltage source ( 24 ) has a filter and/or protective circuit configured to eliminate interference voltage components from the supply network.

4. The network component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the network component ( 12 ) is configured to supply at least two network segments ( 18 ) or at least two groups of network segments with supply voltages of different voltage levels.

5. The network component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein either one line pair or two line pairs are connectable to the coupling device for each network segment ( 18 ).

6. The network component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device ( 22 ) has a network switch ( 42 ) configured to switchably connect, for signaling purposes, the at least one network segment ( 18 ) to at least one second network segment of the vehicle network ( 10 ).

7. A vehicle network ( 10 ) having at least one network component ( 12 ) as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one further network component ( 14 ) in the at least one network segment ( 18 ), wherein the at least one further network component ( 14 ) and the at least one network segment ( 18 ) are configured to be supplied with supply voltage by the one network component ( 12 ).

8. The vehicle network as claimed in claim 7 , wherein at least one of at least one further network component ( 14 ) is a network-capable vehicle component.

9. The vehicle network as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the lines ( 16 ) in the at least one network segment ( 18 ) each comprise only one line pair or each comprise two line pairs.

10. The vehicle network as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the vehicle network ( 10 ) has a branched topology from the group consisting of a star topology, a tree topology and a meshed topology.

Assignees

• Continental Automotive Gmbh

Inventors

• Nöbauer Josef
• Rath Andreas

Classifications

• H04B3/548 Primary

  the power on the line being DC (arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02) · CPC title

• H04L2012/40273

  the transportation system being a vehicle · 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

• H04B2203/547

  via DC power distribution · CPC title

• H04L12/40045

  Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus · CPC title