Temic Automotive of North America, Inc.

Motorola Corporation

Continental Automotive Systems Corporation

Samuel M Levenson

Walton L Fehr

Patrick Jordan

Jurgen Reinold

Donald J Remboski

Ezzat A Dabbish

Hai Dong

Hugh W Johnson

Larry C Puhl

Jürgen Reinold

Prakash U Kartha

John David Bruner

John R Qualich

Mark S Hansen

Yutal T Koh

Patrick D Jordan

John D Bruner

A power, ground and communication architecture () utilizes hubs (). Each hub () contains computing, communication and power management elements (). Hubs () may be connected to multiple other hubs () to distribute communication and power in a freeform web-type arrangement, specific tree, bus or star arrangements are not required. Standardized wiring harness segments () are used to join the hubs () and control elements. Each of the strands in the web may be an independent point-to-point bus and isolated power line.

Power and communication architecture for a vehicle

A vehicle network and method for communicating information within a vehicle. The network includes a plurality of network elements joined by communication links. A data frame is provided for communicating information between a first device and a second device attached to the network. A network element in the network is capable of mapping a first resource on an incoming communication link of the network element to a second link resource of an outgoing communication link of the network element. The network element further has ports for receiving the data frame from the first link resource of the incoming communication link and for communicating the data frame to the second link resource of the outgoing communication link. The mapping may be done statically or dynamically such as based on information stored in the network element or based on information stored in the data frame.

Vehicle network with time slotted access and method

A system and method for streaming sequential data through a vehicle switch fabric network. This is particular useful in areas such as reprogramming nodes in the automotive switch fabric network where relatively large records or messages need to be transmitted through the switch fabric, although the invention may be used in other areas. In sum, the system and method described herein takes large data records and breaks them down into smaller units (data packets) that fit within the constraints of the physical layer on which communication links in the switch fabric network is built. The smaller data packets are assigned with a message identification and a sequence number. Data packets associated with the same data record or message are assigned with the same message identification but may differ in their sequence number. Each data packet is transmitted over the vehicle switch fabric network to a destination node. At the destination node, the data packets may be reassembled to its original data format based on the message identification and sequence numbers. The reassembled message may then be presented to an application in the node for processing.

System and method for streaming sequential data through an automotive switch fabric

A vehicle communication network () includes a plurality of network elements (-) and a plurality of communication links (-) communicatively coupling the network elements in a point-to-point configuration. A portion of the communication capability is reserved according to a class of message traffic.

Automotive switch fabric with improved resource reservation

A first vehicle obtains from a certification authority a certification that an authentic vehicle is associated with a cryptographic key. The certification certifies that the cryptographic key is bound to information identifying the authentic vehicle, and may be implemented. The first vehicle utilizes the cryptographic key obtained from the certification authority in cryptographic communication with a second vehicle, and determines whether the second vehicle is the authentic vehicle based on whether the cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication. Upon determining the second vehicle is the authentic vehicle, the first vehicle may communicate further with the second vehicle.

Method and system for vehicle authentication of another vehicle

A system and method for tunneling standard bus protocol messages through an automotive switch fabric network. When a bus protocol message arrives on a connecting node in the network, a bus driver in the node will capture the message and store it into a message buffer where the message can be further processed by a tunneling application. Each received bus protocol message will be broken, or combined, to suit the available packet size of the underlying transmit layer of the switch fabric network. Data portions such as message identification, sequence number, port number, bus data type, and data length are reserved in each data packet. If the message is being broken down, the sequence number is used to differentiate the broken segments of the bus protocol message. The bus data type is used to indicate the type of protocol data being transmitted over the switch fabric. The same tunneling application may be used to reassemble the bus protocol message at a receiving node.

System and method for tunneling standard bus protocol messages through an automotive switch fabric network

A method of configuring a network within a vehicle, wherein the network includes a plurality of network elements and a plurality of communication links communicatively coupling the plurality of network elements for point-to-point communication, includes storing a last known configuration state of the network. Then, the network is monitored to determine a change in the configuration state of the network to establish a current configuration state. The current configuration state is then point-to-point propagated through the network via the communication links, and is stored at each of the plurality of network elements.

Discovery process in a vehicle network

A vehicle authenticates a service technician and accesses a technician database to determine whether the service technician is indicated as authorized to perform the service operation. If the service technician is indicated as authorized to perform the service operation, the vehicle allows the service technician to perform the service operation.

Method and system for vehicle authorization of a service technician

A vehicle accesses a configuration database to determine whether a reconfiguration function is authorized. The reconfiguration function may involve, for example, installing the component in the vehicle, removing the component from the vehicle, replacing the component with another component in the vehicle, replacing another component in the vehicle with the component, modifying the component, upgrading the component and rendering the component operable. Upon determining that the reconfiguration function is authorized, the vehicle allows the reconfiguration function to be performed. The reconfiguration function may be authorized based on a type of the vehicle, a type of the component or a combination of configuration elements in a current configuration of the vehicle.

Method and system for authorizing reconfiguration of a vehicle

A vehicle communication network () includes a plurality of network elements () and a plurality of communication links () communicatively coupling the network elements in a point-to-point configuration. At least a portion of the plurality of communication links are specified in accordance with a shared-access bus protocol. The plurality of communication links are arranged to communicate data packets between the network elements, and data packets are modified for transport via the plurality of communication links.

Vehicle network and method of communicating data packets in a vehicle network

The service technician accesses the prospective vehicle and obtains from a certification authority a certification that an authentic vehicle is associated with a cryptographic key. The service technician utilizes the cryptographic key in cryptographic communication with the prospective vehicle via a secure device having limited accessibility but being accessible by the service technician. The service technician determines whether the prospective vehicle is the authentic vehicle based on whether the cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication with the prospective vehicle.

Method and system for technician authentication of a vehicle

A vehicle obtains from a certification authority a certification that an authentic device is associated with a cryptographic key. The certification certifies that the cryptographic key is bound to information identifying the authentic device. The vehicle utilizes the cryptographic key obtained from the certification authority in cryptographic communication with the remote access device, and determines whether the remote access device is the authentic device based on whether the cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication. Upon determining the remote access device is the authentic device, the vehicle may communicate further with the remote access device.

Method and system for vehicle authentication of a remote access device

A component for use in a prospective vehicle obtains from a certification authority a certification that an authentic vehicle is associated with a cryptographic key. The certification certifies that the cryptographic key is bound to information identifying the authentic vehicle. The component utilizes the cryptographic key obtained from the certification authority in cryptographic communication with the prospective vehicle, and determines whether the prospective vehicle is the authentic vehicle based on whether the cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication. Upon determining the prospective vehicle is the authentic vehicle, the component may allow the prospective vehicle to operate the component.

Method and system for component authentication of a vehicle

A vehicle subassembly obtains a prospective component for use in the vehicle subassembly. The vehicle subassembly also obtains from a certification authority a certification that an authentic component is associated with a cryptographic key. The certification certifies that the cryptographic key is bound to information identifying the authentic component. The vehicle subassembly utilizes the cryptographic key obtained from the certification authority in cryptographic communication with the prospective component, and determines whether the prospective component is the authentic component based on whether the cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication.

Method and system for vehicle subassembly authentication of a component

A vehicle communication network () includes a plurality of network elements () and a plurality of communication links () communicatively coupling the network elements in a point-to-point configuration. At least a portion of the plurality of communication links may be specified in accordance with a shared-access bus protocol. The plurality of communication links are arranged to communicate data packets between the network elements.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington Heights, IL, United States of America

Samuel M Levenson