Temic Automotive of North America, Inc.

Motorola Corporation

Continental Automotive Systems Corporation

Brose Fahrzeugteile Gmbh & Co Kg

Walton L Fehr

Samuel M Levenson

Patrick Jordan

Jurgen Reinold

Donald J Remboski

Larry C Puhl

Ezzat A Dabbish

Hai Dong

Hugh W Johnson

Jürgen Reinold

John David Bruner

Judith Lee Gardner

Detlef Russ

John R Qualich

Prakash U Kartha

Thomas Schindler

R John Hansman, Jr

Jeffrey C Pflug

Kenneth W Stanevich

Samual M Levenson

Desmond Hill

Rosalind Picard

John D Bruner

Patrick D Jordan

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 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

System and method for determining a workload level for a driver of a vehicle. The system includes a transceiver, a positioning unit, and a controller. The transceiver is capable of receiving data from a remote location. The data includes a remote workload level and a remote geographic position associated with the remote workload level. The positioning unit is capable of determining a current position of the vehicle. The controller is configured to compare the current position of the vehicle with the remote geographic location. If the current position of the vehicle is within a predetermined range of the remote geographic position, then a workload level for the vehicle will include at least in part the remote workload level.

System and method for determining a workload level of a driver

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 system and method for coordinating parameters in a switch fabric network () of a vehicle (). The network () has a plurality of nodes () that are interconnected by communication links for the transmission of data packets there between. Events in the vehicle () may be handled in connection with a vehicle parameter. One example of a vehicle parameter that may be used in the vehicle is the rotation of a crank shaft in the vehicle. An application uses that information to make a determination whether change a setting of a device in the vehicle (). If so, the application generates a command data packet and transmits the command data packet over the switch fabric network (). The command data packet transmitted by the application includes the new setting for the device along with a value of the vehicle parameter when the new setting should occur in the device. A node () associated with the device receives the data packet and acts on the information in the command data packet based on the value of the vehicle parameter within the data packet.

Parameter coordination in a vehicular communication network

An independent, broadcast medium () is used to communicate an time reference to each element: switch element (), active element (-) or passive element, of an in-vehicle network (). Each element () in the network accepts the time information, i.e., a time reference from the source. The time reference is then used by each element () to adjust an internal clock of the element. Commands may then be sent to the elements to occur at a particular time.

Method and apparatus for time synchronizing an in-vehicle network

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

System and method for guiding a driver of a vehicle () from a starting point to a destination point using an assignment of levels of urgency of navigation cues. The system comprises a navigation unit (), a controller () and a user interface (). The navigation unit () is capable of selecting a route between the starting point and the destination point. The navigation unit () is further capable of generating a plurality of navigation cues to guide the driver along the selected route. The controller () is connected to the navigation unit () and receives navigation cues. The controller () has an urgency calculator () that is capable of assigning a level of urgency to the navigation cues. The controller () may also have a workload manager () that is capable of classifying an activity state of the driver as well as updating the level of urgency of the navigation cue. The user interface () presents the navigation cues based on the level of urgency of the navigation cues.

System and method for assigning a level of urgency to navigation cues

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.

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Mundelein, IL, United States of America

Walton L Fehr