Bus system using plurality of non-overlapping frequency bands for communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9864715-B2
Application number	US-201214346494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2012
Priority date	Sep 29, 2011
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a bus system for transmitting data between data processing units in a network, by means of a bus that consists of two signal lines. The signals at said bus are analog signals which lie within a plurality of non-overlapping frequency bands assigned to the individual data processing units, and these data processing units use a digital communication protocol to communicate with a signal processor unit that comprises a polyphase filter bank, a D/A Converter and a bus-coupling unit being connected downstream of said bank in order to couple the data signal into the bus in a galvanically-isolated manner. The proposed bus system has a simple design with regard to cabling, allows the use of a Standard communication protocol such as Ethernet for the data processing units, and additionally allows data to be transmitted between all network subscribers simultaneously and without restriction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bus system associated with a network partitioned into multiple virtual connections, the bus system comprising:
a bus having two signal lines with analog signals applied on the bus within non-overlapping frequency bands;
a plurality of data processing units, each of the data processing units assigned with a distinct non-overlapping mid-frequency band, the bus connecting the data processing units to the network using direct point-to-point or point-to-multipoint virtual connections based at least on one distinct non-overlapping mid-frequency band; and
a modem unit coupling each data processing unit with the bus using the two signal lines of the bus, the modem unit comprising:
an interface unit connectable with each data processing unit to communicate using the direct point-to-point or point-to-multipoint virtual connections with each data processing unit using a digital communication protocol;
a modulation unit that converts flow of data into a signal that is transferable using the non-overlapping frequency bands;
a filter bank synthesis unit comprising a polyphase filter bank that converts the data of the interface unit on the distinct mid-frequency band assigned to the data processing unit and suppresses interferences between adjacent non-overlapping frequency bands;
a D/A converter that converts the signal of the filter bank synthesis unit into an analog signal;
a bus-coupling unit configured to inductively or capacitively couple the analog signal of the D/A converter that is transmitted onto the bus in a galvanically isolated manner, and to inductively or capacitively decouple one or more analog signals received from the bus in a galvanically isolated manner;
an A/D converter that digitizes the analog signals received from the bus-coupling unit;
a filter bank analysis unit comprising a polyphase filter bank that partitions the digitized signals into the distinct non-overlapping frequency bands, and feeds data to the interface unit based on its assigned non-overlapping frequency band; and
a demodulation unit that demodulates the data of the filter bank analysis unit, and feeds user data to the interface unit, wherein the bus system transmits data using the direct point-to-point or point-to-multipoint virtual connections while minimizing interference between the multiple virtual connections, wherein only every second frequency band of the non-overlapping frequency bands is utilized exclusively.

2. The bus system according to claim 1 , wherein 2 n (n=1 to 6) frequency bands are provided.

3. The bus system according to claim 1 , wherein a first analog low-pass filter is arranged between the D/A converter and the bus-coupling unit.

4. The bus system according to claim 1 , wherein a second analog low-pass filter is arranged between the A/D converter and the bus-coupling unit.

5. The bus system according to claim 1 , wherein on a transmission side of the bus-coupling unit, a driver unit is arranged upstream.

6. The bus system according to claim 1 , wherein data encoding in the modulation unit is performed using quadrature amplitude modulation.

7. The bus system according to claim 1 , wherein the digital communication protocol is IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet), ARINC-429, MIL-STD-1553 or CAN.

8. The bus system according to claim 1 , wherein 8 frequency bands with mid-frequencies of n*0.625 MHz (n=1 . . . 7) are provided.

9. An aircraft comprising a bus system associated with a network partitioned into multiple virtual connections, the bus system comprising:
a bus having two signal lines with analog signals applied on the bus within non-overlapping frequency bands;
a plurality of data processing units, each of the data processing units assigned with a distinct non-overlapping mid-frequency band, the bus connecting the data processing units to the network using direct point-to-point or point-to-multipoint virtual connections based at least on one distinct non-overlapping mid-frequency band; and
a modem unit coupling each data processing unit with the bus using the two signal lines of the bus, the modem unit comprising:
an interface unit connectable with each data processing unit to communicate using the direct point-to-point or point-to-multipoint virtual connections with each data processing unit using a digital communication protocol;
a modulation unit that converts flow of data into a signal that is transferable using the non-overlapping frequency bands;
a filter bank synthesis unit comprising a polyphase filter bank that converts the data of the interface unit on the distinct mid-frequency band assigned to the data processing unit and suppresses interferences between adjacent non-overlapping frequency bands;
a D/A converter that converts the signal of the filter bank synthesis unit into an analog signal;
a bus-coupling unit configured to inductively or capacitively couple the analog signal of the D/A converter that is transmitted onto the bus in a galvanically isolated manner, and to inductively or capacitively decouple one or more analog signals received from the bus in a galvanically isolated manner;
an A/D converter that digitizes the analog signals from the bus-coupling unit;
a filter bank analysis unit comprising a polyphase filter bank that partitions the digitized signals into the distinct non-overlapping frequency bands, and feeds data to the interface unit based on its assigned non-overlapping frequency band; and
a demodulation unit that demodulates the data of the filter bank analysis unit, and feeds user data to the interface unit, wherein the bus system transmits data using the direct point-to-point or point-to-multipoint virtual connections while minimizing interference between the multiple virtual connections, wherein only every second frequency band of the non-overlapping frequency bands is utilized exclusively.

10. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein 2 n (n=1 to 6) frequency bands are provided.

11. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein a first analog low-pass filter is arranged between the D/A converter and the bus-coupling unit.

12. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein a second analog low-pass filter is arranged between the A/D converter and the bus-coupling unit.

13. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein on a transmission side of the bus-coupling unit, a driver unit is arranged upstream.

14. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein data encoding in the narrowband modulation unit is performed using quadrature amplitude modulation.

15. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein the digital communication protocol is IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet), ARINC-429, MIL-STD-1553 or CAN.

16. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein 8 frequency bands with mid-frequencies of n*0.625 MHz (n=1.7) are provided.

Assignees

• Heller Christoph
• Schalk Josef
• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Heller Christoph
• Schalk Josef

Classifications

• H04L12/40032

  Details regarding a bus interface enhancer · CPC title

• H04L2012/4028

  the transportation system being an aircraft · CPC title

• H04L25/0266

  Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling · CPC title

• G06F13/4068

  Electrical coupling · CPC title

• H04L2012/40215

  Controller Area Network CAN · CPC title