Motor vehicle having a plurality of control devices for providing different vehicle functions in the motor vehicle and method and control device for configuring the control devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (10) comprising a plurality of control devices (13) which are designed to provide respective vehicle functions (21) in the motor vehicle (10), wherein the vehicle functions (21) of the control devices (13) are different and the control devices (13) are connected by a common bus line (15) which leads successively through the respective communication circuit (16) of the control devices (13) and thereby connects the control devices successively in a daisy chain connection. The invention provides that in each of the control devices: each of the vehicle functions is implemented; and a processor is designed to determine a position specification which specifies the position of the respective control device in the daisy chain connection and to select from the implemented vehicle functions a vehicle function which is assigned to the position in accordance with the determined position specification and to provide the selected vehicle function in the motor vehicle for activation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a plurality of control devices configured to provide corresponding vehicle functions, wherein the vehicle functions of these control devices are different. These control devices are connected via a common bus line so that, for example, the control devices can be driven to perform their vehicle functions. The invention also includes a corresponding control device for a motor vehicle and a method for configuring the control devices in a motor vehicle, whereby the control devices establish or provide corresponding vehicle functions, thereby enabling the execution of said vehicle functions. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, vehicles have clearly identifiable control units, often manufactured by storing individual serial numbers or part numbers. If two control units are swapped, resulting in a control unit not being in its intended installation position, this could lead to errors during subsequent installation. If, for example, such an incorrectly assembled control unit is driven via a bus line based on its part number, the control unit will perform the vehicle functions it provides, but it will be in the wrong installation position. An example of such a control unit is one used for a display module, where multiple control units can be connected to the vehicle computer via a bus line, allowing the vehicle computer to output display values ​​to the vehicle passengers.

[0003] As known from document DE 10 2008 004 125 B4, multiple control circuits can be interconnected via a single flat data bus cable, wherein data bits are simultaneously located on all control circuits via parallel data lines extending from the flat cable. To allocate bus addresses for the control circuits, two additional lines are provided, each line having an alternating interruption between each pair of control devices, such that only one of the two lines is electrically connected between these control devices. Signals for triggering new addressing are sequentially sent via these two lines, with the respective addresses to be used predetermined via the parallel data lines. If a control circuit has received an address allocation signal and stored the predetermined bus address, it forwards the address allocation signal to the next control circuit, which then receives the next bus address via the data lines. A controller is necessary to determine the bus addresses, and this controller issues the respective bus addresses to be used via the data lines.

[0004] A method for assigning bus addresses to bus users is known from document DE 10 2005 056 294 B4. Each bus user is supplied with a bus address sequentially by broadcasting the bus address to be assigned to all bus users. However, in addition to the bus line, only one bus user is informed of another signal, which only that bus user can detect, and thus only that bus user stores the bus address to be assigned. Therefore, in addition to the bus line, there is always an additional communication path necessary.

[0005] A method for self-assignment of bus addresses is known from document EP 1 573 974 B1, in which bus users are interconnected in a bus system via a daisy chain. This daisy chain connection is implemented only during address assignment, requiring additional switching mechanisms from the bus users to branch the bus lines. For the address assignment itself, each control device checks whether the electrical characteristics of the branched bus indicate that another control device is connected downstream. If not, such a control device assigns itself an address and changes its circuit state, thereby changing the electrical characteristics of the next control device in the control device, so that the control device there also assigns itself an address. This address assignment is based on accurate measurements of electrical characteristics and time values, which correspondingly requires expensive and accurate circuitry. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention is based on the objective of installing control devices with distinct vehicle functions in motor vehicles at their respective correct installation locations, where the corresponding vehicle functions are required or provided.

[0007] The objective of the invention is achieved by a motor vehicle according to the invention, a control device for a motor vehicle, and a method for configuring the control device in a motor vehicle. Advantageous further extensions of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0008] This invention provides a motor vehicle comprising multiple control circuits or control devices. The control devices are configured to provide corresponding vehicle functions within the motor vehicle, wherein these control devices have different vehicle functions, and these control devices are connected via a common bus line that sequentially guides or lays through the corresponding communication circuits of the control devices, thereby connecting these control devices in a daisy-chain connection. The control devices then share a common bus line, wherein, as will also be described, it is not necessary to have a continuous bus line that also electrically connects all control devices. The bus line guides or lays through the corresponding communication circuits within each control device, so that data or bus messages or bus telegrams are transmitted along the bus line via the communication circuits located on the transmission path. Another name for a daisy-chain connection is a series circuit or a chain circuit.

[0009] To avoid the situation where control devices with different vehicle functions may be installed in interchangeable installation positions in a motor vehicle, according to the present invention: each control device in the control system implements each vehicle function; and the processor circuit is configured to obtain a location specification indicating the position of the corresponding control device in a daisy chain connection (i.e., which control device is in which daisy chain connection), and select, based on the obtained location specification, the vehicle function assigned to that location from the implemented vehicle functions and provide the selected vehicle function (particularly only the selected vehicle function or only multiple vehicle functions assigned to that location) in the motor vehicle for activation. "Implementation" of a vehicle function here means that program code or software for each vehicle function is stored or provided in the processor circuit of the corresponding control device. Each vehicle function can then potentially be provided by each control device in the control system at each installation location. If the vehicle function is a vehicle function combined with hardware or provided by hardware, circuitry, or components, then each control device in the control system is equipped with corresponding hardware and / or corresponding components. Therefore, the control device is universal, meaning it can be installed at each mounting location and can provide or perform vehicle functions specified for that location. Thus, each control device only needs to determine which mounting location it is installed in in order to select the correct vehicle function specified for that location. For this purpose, each control device can execute, for example, a detection routine through its processor circuitry, allowing the control device to automatically identify its location along the daisy chain. The mounting location in the vehicle then corresponds to a corresponding position in the daisy chain connection. Accordingly, the location of the control device within the daisy chain connection can be caused or specified by laying bus lines or connecting cables to the mounting locations, indicating or signaling the corresponding mounting location in the vehicle when the control device is installed in the mounting location and connected to the bus line. If the processor circuit in the control unit identifies a specific location of the corresponding control unit within the daisy-chain connection, then that location is assigned to a corresponding installation location in the vehicle. The processor circuit can select at least one vehicle function in the control unit, assigned to the location in the daisy-chain connection, and thus assigned to that installation location, and operate or provide the selected vehicle function, or provide the selected vehicle function for activation. Specifically, only the vehicle function is provided for activation, and the other implemented vehicle functions remain disabled or inactive. "Provided" means that the corresponding vehicle function can be invoked or triggered in the control unit, for example, through external drive control (e.g., via a bus line) or through user operation.Each control device in the control unit thus represents a component in the motor vehicle, in which all necessary information is provided or stored so that each action within the daisy-chain connection can be performed, in such a way as to provide a set of common and different vehicle functions in the control unit and to enable or provide only the vehicle functions specified for that installation location that are selectable or activated in the motor vehicle.

[0010] The present invention offers the advantage that the control devices can be assembled or installed in any of the multiple mounting positions generally defined for control devices in a motor vehicle without prior classification or selection, and each control device subsequently selects a vehicle function that is appropriate to or suitable for the mounting position based on its position in the daisy chain connection. Therefore, misinstallation of the control devices is avoided when they are installed in the motor vehicle, as each control device can be installed in any of the multiple possible mounting positions for control devices.

[0011] The invention also includes further extensions that produce non-general, additional technical advantages.

[0012] A further extension includes: the bus line is interrupted in each control device by the communication circuit of the control device and thus split into bus branches, such that the two bus lines terminate on each communication circuit or on each communication circuit except the last communication circuit in the daisy-chain connection. Therefore, each pair of control devices is connected via a separate bus branch of the bus line. Each control device, or each preceding control device except the last control device in the daisy-chain connection, is configured to, sequentially along the daisy chain, receive a request message with a location description (entering bus branch) via its communication circuit through one of its bus branches, determine its own location description based on the received location description, and, via its communication circuit through another bus branch in its bus branch (exit bus branch), send a request message with its newly determined location description to the next control device in the daisy-chain connection. Therefore, the bus line is divided into various bus branches by the communication circuit, so that a bus message or bus telegram is transmitted from one control device to the next in the bus line only when the control device itself actively reads the bus message or bus telegram from the incoming bus branch by means of its communication circuit and sends or outputs it to the next control device in the outgoing bus branch. The bus line can be specified for unidirectional or bidirectional communication. The bus line can be single-core or multi-core. The bus line can be designed as flat cable, twisted-pair cable, coaxial cable, or optical fiber, to name just a few examples.

[0013] An exemplary detection routine for obtaining its own position description can be specified in the corresponding control device, for example, by using a counter or the incrementing of a counter value to obtain its own position description. Thus, the first control device, for example, assigns itself a sequence number 1 and notifies the next control device of this sequence number, which then assigns itself a sequence number 2 as its position description by incrementing the count and notifies the next control device of this signal. However, the detection routine can additionally or alternatively obtain its own position description based on the received position description using configuration rules (e.g., a table), which may describe information about the installation location (e.g., "instrument cluster," "head-up display," or "sub-instrument panel"). By sequentially configuring its own position description first in the daisy chain using its detection routine, and then triggering or causing the obtaining of its own position description in the next control device using this position description, the predecessor (i.e., the previous control device) in the daisy chain determines the function or vehicle function in the subsequent control device. Such position allocation or retrieval is implemented in the initialization mode, which can be triggered by the vehicle computer sending a first request message to the first control device in the daisy-chain connection (i.e., the control device at one end of the daisy-chain connection). This first request message may contain, for example, position 0 or -1 as a position description, followed by the retrieval of its own position description in the first control device. Therefore, since the series circuit or daisy-chain connection allows each control device to independently determine its position in the daisy-chain connection or chain after the installation or assembly of each control device, this predecessor-successor principle applies.

[0014] A further extension includes: each control device in the control apparatus is configured to obtain a device-specific bus address for bus communication as a location description, or to form a bus address from the obtained location description (e.g., using a mapping table). To enable the location description to also be used for bus communication, a device-specific bus address for bus communication can be obtained as a location description, or a bus address can be derived or formed from the obtained location description (e.g., "third control device in connection"), which can be achieved, for example, using a mapping table or configuration rules. Therefore, a specific bus address is also generated for each installation location, thereby addressing or controlling the corresponding control device at that installation location belonging to that bus address by addressing the bus message or bus telegram to that bus address.

[0015] Vehicle functions—provided by the corresponding control units based on their position in the daisy-chain connection and / or installation location—can be, for example, output graphics or lighting (Beleuchtung) specified separately for each installation location. Thus, different output graphics or lighting are generated depending on the installation location, to name just a few examples. In this regard, the vehicle function may additionally or alternatively specify that the control unit uses a device-individual bus address in bus communication via the bus line; that is, the control unit is addressed on the bus line by a specific bus address used only by that control unit. In other words, only the corresponding control unit responds to the bus address by executing or processing the corresponding bus message or bus telegram addressed to that bus address. The control unit is thus configured to accept bus messages (process their message content or execute control commands contained in the bus messages) and / or send bus messages at that bus address as a vehicle function or as part of a vehicle function. However, each control unit can communicate on every possible bus address in the manner described, since all vehicle functions are implemented and thus all bus addresses are implemented. However, the corresponding control unit is limited to a bus address that corresponds to its position in the daisy-chain connection. A further extension accordingly includes: the vehicle functionality includes: using a device-specific bus address for bus communication via bus lines.

[0016] A further extension includes: some or all of the control units in the control system have the same structure and / or have the same part number and / or model number. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture the control system in the same or identical manufacturing process. What does not necessarily need to be considered during manufacturing is the final mounting location of each control unit in the motor vehicle. Each control unit, after being installed, is configured itself in the manner described by obtaining the location specification.

[0017] A further extension includes: some or all of the control devices in the control apparatus are respectively connected to the display modules and configured to control the corresponding display modules by means of selected vehicle functions. Therefore, image output can be provided in a motor vehicle through multiple structurally identical display modules, thus eliminating the need for separate measures during display module installation, which would otherwise prevent confusion when the display modules are installed in their mounting positions. The display modules can be, for example, based on micro-LEDs and / or OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) or TFTs. The display modules are addressable via bus lines, allowing the control device to determine or control the display content of the display modules.

[0018] A further extension includes: multiple display modules in the display module are combined in a display mechanism to form a multi-piece display having a total display surface; and the position of the control device of the respective display module within the daisy-chain connection corresponds to the position of its respective display module within the total display surface. In other words, a display device or display can be provided having a total display surface larger than the individual display surface of each display module in the display module. Each display module in the display module represents a corresponding panel of the total display surface. Thus, for example, it can be specified that the display modules are arranged side-by-side and flush, thereby producing a total display surface as a complete surface. The position of the corresponding display surface of each display module within the total display surface (e.g., at the edge or in the center) is encoded according to the position of the control device in the daisy-chain connection, in a manner that provides a corresponding configuration through the bus wiring arrangement in the motor vehicle. Therefore, the total display surface in the motor vehicle can be provided with an advantageously smaller display module without providing an expensive, correspondingly large individual display module that provides the total display surface. Even so, when assembling or providing the total display surface, the replacement of the control device will not cause erroneous display or erroneous display content due to the replacement of the control device.

[0019] A further extension includes: each control device in the control unit has an ASIL, and starting with the first control device in the daisy-chain connection, the control devices are arranged in descending order of their ASIL values. The ASIL describes the protection a corresponding control device provides against failure of the same control device or loss of its functionality. By connecting the control devices in descending order of their ASIL values, if a control device fails and bus communication with subsequent control devices on the bus line is interrupted, only control devices with the same or lower ASIL are affected. Control devices with the same ASIL can, of course, be directly connected sequentially. Therefore, it can be ensured that even if all the remaining control devices or downstream control devices fail, the first control device continues to be addressable or operational via the bus line.

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, at least one bridging switch may be provided in the corresponding communication circuit. This bridging switch, upon detecting a defect, malfunction, or fault in the control device, bridges the electrical disconnect between the connected bus branches, thereby electrically bridging or connecting the incoming and outgoing bus branches in the communication circuit. That is, even when the communication circuit is not activated or switched off, data can be transmitted through the communication circuit in the bus line because the bus branches are electrically connected to each other. For example, transistor switches may be provided as the respective bridging switches. The respective bridging switches may be implemented, for example, through the processor circuitry of the control device and / or through a monitoring unit of the communication circuit itself. The monitoring unit may, for example, have integrated circuitry that can provide, for example, so-called watchdog functionality for the control device.

[0021] Here, the term "first control device" refers to a control device that is directly connected to the vehicle computer or vehicle computer via a bus line, or without an intermediate connection to another control device in the control device group. The last control device in the daisy-chain connection is correspondingly located at the other end. Therefore, in the vehicle computer, each control device in the control device group can be driven differently according to its position in the daisy-chain connection or according to its installation position in the motor vehicle, by using the corresponding vehicle function. In particular, if a specific bus address is specified for each control device as a vehicle function, then in the vehicle computer, the selection of the corresponding bus address can determine which control device, at which installation position, is driven by the vehicle computer via the bus line.

[0022] A further extension includes: a control device (i.e., the first control device) at one end of the daisy chain connection is connected to a vehicle computer of the motor vehicle via a bus line, the vehicle computer being configured to drive the control device via the bus line according to the position of the control device in the daisy chain connection and / or the installation position of the control device and / or the vehicle function of the control device.

[0023] A further extension includes: a bus line additionally leading from a control device at the other end of a daisy-chain connection back to a vehicle computer, the vehicle computer having a control routine configured to send a first message via the bus line to the control device at the daisy-chained end and check whether a second message triggered by that message can be received from the control device at the other end; and signaling an interrupted bus line if no second message occurs. In other words, a loop is formed by the bus line, starting from the vehicle computer, sequentially passing through the communication circuitry of the control devices and returning to the vehicle computer. If the first message is subsequently sent to a first control device, and that control device forwards the message or similarly triggers message generation in a subsequent or downstream control device, then a message (referred to herein as the second message) is eventually generated by the last control device in the daisy chain in a domino effect, which is then transmitted back to the vehicle computer via the returned bus line. If the second message is received, then the vehicle computer confirms that the bus line is intact and all control devices are ready to receive it. If no second message appears after the predetermined maximum waiting time, the bus line is interrupted because the bus line is damaged, for example, and / or one of the control devices is faulty and therefore the daisy chain connection is interrupted by the communication circuitry of the control device. The first message could be, for example, a request message to determine the location of the control device itself. If the last control device in the subsequent daisy chain also sends such a request message to the vehicle computer in the returned bus line (i.e., in the last bus branch), then the vehicle computer knows that the last control device has also determined its location. The second message can even be used to determine the total number of control devices connected to the bus line. Therefore, the first message can trigger a count of the control devices, and the vehicle computer can determine whether the count of the requested control devices corresponds to a predetermined nominal number. If the count is not equal to the nominal number, an error signal can be generated.

[0024] The present invention also provides a control device for a motor vehicle. The control device has a communication circuit for connection to a bus line, and implements multiple predetermined vehicle functions in a processor circuit of the control device. The processor circuit is configured to: obtain a location description indicating the position of the control device within a daisy-chain connection formed by the bus line; and select a vehicle function assigned to that location from the implemented vehicle functions based on the obtained location description, and provide the selected vehicle function in the motor vehicle for activation. Therefore, multiple control devices of this embodiment can be installed in a motor vehicle without the risk of interchangeability.

[0025] Of course, the present invention also provides further extensions of the control device, as described in connection with further extensions of the motor vehicle according to the present invention.

[0026] The present invention also provides a method for configuring control devices in a motor vehicle, thereby providing vehicle functions by the control devices, wherein the vehicle functions of the control devices are different and the control devices are connected by a common bus line that sequentially passes through the control devices and thereby connects the control devices in a daisy chain connection.

[0027] To avoid confusion in the installation of control devices, it is hereby stipulated that each control device in the control system: implements each vehicle function; and a processor circuit obtains a location specification indicating the position of the corresponding control device within a daisy-chain connection, and selects the vehicle function assigned to that position from the implemented vehicle functions according to the obtained location specification, and provides the selected vehicle function in the motor vehicle for activation. If the control devices independently determine their positions in the daisy-chain connection, then the method according to the invention is thus generated during the operation of the motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0028] The present invention also includes further extensions of the method, characterized by features as described in the further extensions of the motor vehicle according to the present invention.

[0029] Other features of the invention arise from the accompanying drawings and description. Features and combinations thereof previously mentioned in the specification, as well as features and combinations thereof mentioned below in the description and / or shown separately in the drawings, may be used not only in the corresponding given combinations, but also in other combinations or individually. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The invention will now be further explained with reference to preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The only accompanying drawing shows:

[0031] The accompanying drawing shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the present invention, which can implement one embodiment of the method according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The accompanying drawing illustrates a motor vehicle 10, which may have a vehicle computer 11 in a manner known per se. The motor vehicle 10 may be designed as, for example, a road vehicle, such as a passenger car. However, this should be understood merely as an exemplary design. The vehicle computer 11 may have processor circuitry 12, which may include, for example, one or more microprocessors. Multiple control devices 13 can be driven by the vehicle computer 11, for which these control devices can be sequentially connected in series or daisy-chain configurations 14 via a bus line 15. The bus line 15 may be single-core or multi-core, as already described. Each control unit in control unit 13 can be connected to bus line 15 via communication circuit 16. This communication circuit can be designed such that data, messages, or telegrams sent from vehicle computer 11 via bus line 15 are received in the communication circuit 16 of the first control unit 13 (addressed here by reference numeral 17), and that bus line 15 is interrupted or split so that data no longer continues to reach the next control unit 13 (addressed here by reference numeral 18), but only in the case where the communication circuit 16 itself sends the data to the next control unit 18, which can then receive the data. In other words, bus line 15 is divided into multiple bus branches 19 by the communication circuit. The communication circuit 16 can be designed in a manner known per se as a so-called bus controller or bus connector.

[0033] The control device 13 may additionally include a processor circuit 20, by means of which vehicle functions 21 can be provided separately within the control device 13. These vehicle functions are different from each other, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings by using different names F1, F2, F3, and F4. Each control device 13 may also provide more than one vehicle function 21, that is, provide a functional range consisting of multiple vehicle functions, wherein the functional ranges of the control device 13 are different from each other. Examples of vehicle functions 21 may be: using a device-specific bus address for a data bus D with bus line 15; driving functions for corresponding display modules 22, which can be connected to the control device and generate different graphics or display content 23; and control functions for different circuits connected to the control device.

[0034] The accompanying drawings exemplarily illustrate how, as function F1, the total mileage 24, interior temperature 25, driving speed 26, and speedometer 27 can be displayed on different display modules 22 shown herein, for illustrative purposes only. The vehicle computer 11 must simply send the current values, and the corresponding display content 23, i.e., the corresponding pixel values, can then be generated by the control unit 13. The drawings also illustrate another embodiment in which three control units in the control unit 13 are arranged in a common display mechanism or a common display 28. For example, three display modules 22—driven by the control unit 13 of the display 28—can provide a common total display surface 29, whereby each display module 22 serves as a panel for providing a portion of the total display surface 29. For this purpose, the display modules 22 can be arranged flush and adjacent to each other in pairs. For example, the display 28 can be a so-called head-up display (HUD) of the motor vehicle 10.

[0035] The display module 22 for the speedometer 27 can be installed, for example, in the instrument cluster of the motor vehicle.

[0036] Although each control unit in control unit 13 provides different vehicle functions 21, control units 13 are preferably structurally identical and / or need not differ from each other when it comes to the manufacture or assembly of motor vehicle 10. Instead, each control unit in control unit 13 can be used in any installation location of control unit 13. For this purpose, all necessary vehicle functions 21 are implemented in each control unit in control unit 13, for example, as corresponding software. Thus, in order for each control unit 13 to activate or provide vehicle functions for the specific installation location of control unit 13 after assembly, the processor circuit 20 of the corresponding control unit 13 identifies which location of control unit 13 is located within the daisy-chain connection 14. For this purpose, a request message 31 can be sent from vehicle computer 11 (which may, for example, operate as a bus master) via data bus D (i.e., bus line 15), which is intercepted or read in the communication circuit 16 of the first control unit 17 in the manner described. Request message 31 may, for example, specify the initial bus address A0 as the sender. With the aid of communication circuit 16, the processor circuit 20 of the first control device 17 can read the request message 31 and subsequently, for example as part of vehicle function 21, generate a specific bus address A1 by incrementing the received bus address A0. This increment can be implemented according to a predetermined rule, symbolically shown in the figures as A0+1. This is an example of a probe routine. Thus, the first control device 17 has a specific bus address A1 and can be identified by the value of the bus address (A1): the first control device is the first control device 17 in the daisy chain connection 14. The first control device 17 can now send a request message 32 to the next control device 18 in the daisy chain connection 14 in its direction, and here as the sender, uses its own bus address A1. In the control device 18, the request message 32 can be read by the processor circuit 20 in the same manner, and, for example as part of vehicle function 21, the control device 18 can generate its own, control device-specific bus address A2 by incrementing the received bus address A1 (symbolically shown as A2=A1+1) using its probe routine. This can be achieved by means of another request message 32 continuing along the daisy chain 14. The last control device 33 in the daisy chain 14 can generate the request message 32, which, in the case of bus branch 19 leading back to the vehicle computer 11, signals to the vehicle computer that all control devices 13 have been reached via bus line 15 and that bus line 15 is functioning correctly. A corresponding individual bus address indicates a location description 34, which is related to or corresponds to the location of the corresponding control device 13 within the daisy chain 14.The corresponding processor circuit 20 of each control device 13, in addition to obtaining a specific, individual bus address for each control device as a location specification 34, can also select a vehicle function 21 from the overall implementation of vehicle functions 21 (i.e., all vehicle functions F1, F2, F3, F4) and activate that vehicle function according to the location specification 34. Therefore, for example, display modules 22 can be structurally identical, and each control device 13 that drives one of the display modules 22 can determine the corresponding individual design of the display content 23 according to the location specification 34, as already described. Furthermore, the display modules 22 can function together within the display 28, and the vehicle computer 11 can determine, via the location specification 34 or the bus address, which part of the overall display content 36 should be displayed on which display module 22. Therefore, by laying bus lines 15 along possible installation locations for the control device 13, the following basic knowledge or information can be determined: that is, where the installation location is relative to the position within the daisy chain connection. This can be stored in the vehicle computer 11 as a configuration table or as a configuration rule. That is, the processor circuit 12 of the vehicle computer 11 can be provided with a position configuration 37, which corresponds to the configuration between the installation location and the position within the daisy chain connection, i.e., the ordinal number (first control device, second control device, etc.).

[0037] Therefore, the described "daisy chain" (daisy chain connection 14) means that the control devices 13 are interconnected and attached to each other via bus lines 15. The goal is that, for example, the successive arrangement of display modules 22 of the display 28 allows them to have the same part number. Therefore, these display modules must be independently identified after assembly in order to display the corresponding display content 23 (e.g., total mileage 24, indoor temperature 25, driving speed 26).

[0038] The problem to be overcome is that multiple (especially more than two) structurally identical devices must be logically assembled sequentially, but subsequently must be able to operate independently. If, for example, an imaging unit (e.g., the host, i.e., vehicle computer 11) is to display content 23 on display 2 (the central display module 22), then it must be ensured that the display data also reaches display 2, even if display 2 may have the same part number as each of the remaining display modules 22 (i.e., displays 1, 3, and 4 in this example). The part number similarity of the cascaded display modules 22 along with their control devices 13 is the most interesting case for cascaded connections, but this concept also applies to components with different part numbers.

[0039] By means of series or daisy-chain connections 14, the position of each control device 13 in the chain of daisy-chain connections 14 can be independently determined after assembly using the explained predecessor-successor principle. Each component has the necessary information to assume each action or vehicle function (such as a main circuit or general circuit) within the chain of daisy-chain connections 14. The predecessor determines the function of the successor in the daisy-chain connection 14. Because the components or control devices 13 are also cascadingly related along the chain (from the perspective of the HU or vehicle computer 11), i.e., ordered according to their ASIL, the failure of one component and the accompanying failures of subsequent components can be logically handled and responded to accordingly.

[0040] List of reference numerals

[0041] 10 motor vehicles

[0042] 11 Vehicle Computers

[0043] 12 processor circuits

[0044] 13 Control devices

[0045] 14 Daisy Chain Connection

[0046] 15 bus lines

[0047] 16 Communication Circuits

[0048] 17 Control Devices

[0049] 18 control devices

[0050] 19 bus branch

[0051] 20 processor circuits

[0052] 21 Vehicle Functions

[0053] 22 display modules

[0054] 23 Display content

[0055] 23 Display Module

[0056] 24 Total Mileage

[0057] 25 indoor temperature

[0058] 26 driving speed

[0059] 27 Speedometer

[0060] 28 monitors

[0061] 29 total display surfaces

[0062] 32 Request Message

[0063] 33 Control Device

[0064] 34 Position Explanation

[0065] 36 Display content

[0066] 37 positions configured

[0067] D data bus

Claims

1. A motor vehicle (10), the motor vehicle including a plurality of control devices (13), the control devices being configured to provide corresponding vehicle functions (21) in the motor vehicle (10), wherein, The vehicle functions (21) of the control devices (13) are different and the control devices (13) are connected by a common bus line (15), which sequentially leads through the corresponding communication circuits (16) of the control devices (13) and thereby connects the control devices (13) in a daisy chain connection (14). The characteristic is that, in each control device (13): a) Implement each vehicle function in vehicle function (21); and b) The processor circuit (20) is configured to obtain a location specification (34) which specifies the location of the corresponding control device (13) within the daisy chain connection (14), and select the vehicle function (21) assigned to the location from the implemented vehicle functions (21) according to the obtained location specification (34) and provide the selected vehicle function (21) in the motor vehicle (10) for activation.

2. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The bus line (15) is interrupted in each control device (13) by the communication circuit (16) of the control device and is thus split into bus branches (19), such that the two bus lines (15) terminate on each communication circuit (16) or on each communication circuit (16) except the last communication circuit in the daisy chain connection (14), and each control device (13) or each previous control device (13) except the last control device in the daisy chain connection (14) is configured to receive, in turn by means of the corresponding communication circuit (16) through one of its bus branches (19) a request message (32) with a position description (34), obtain its own position description (34) according to the received position description (34), and send the request message (32) with the obtained position description (34) of itself through another bus branch in its bus branch (19) by means of its own communication circuit (16) to the next control device (13) in the daisy chain connection (14).

3. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each of the control devices (13) is configured to obtain a device-specific bus address for bus communication as a location description (34), or to form the bus address from the obtained location description (34).

4. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 3, wherein, The vehicle function (21) includes: using a device-specific bus address for bus communication via bus line (15).

5. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Some or all of the control devices in the control device (13) have the same structure and / or have the same part number and / or model number.

6. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Some or all of the control devices in the control device (13) are connected to the display module (22) and configured to control the corresponding display module (22) by means of the selected vehicle function (21).

7. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 6, wherein, The multiple display modules in the display module (22) are combined in a display mechanism to form a multi-piece display, which has a total display surface (29); and the position of the control device (13) of the corresponding display module (22) in the daisy chain connection (14) corresponds to the position of the corresponding display module (22) in the total display surface (29).

8. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each of the control devices (13) has an ASIL and, starting with the first control device (13) in the daisy chain connection (14), the control devices (13) are arranged in descending order of their ASIL.

9. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The control device (13) at one end of the daisy chain connection (14) is connected to the vehicle computer (11) of the motor vehicle (10) via a bus line (15). The vehicle computer is configured to drive the control device (13) via the bus line (15) according to the location of the control device and / or according to the vehicle function (21) of the control device.

10. The motor vehicle (10) according to claim 9, wherein, The bus line (15) is additionally routed from the control device (13) at the other end of the daisy-chain connection (14) back to the vehicle computer, and the vehicle computer (11) has a control routine configured to send a first message via the bus line (15) to the control device (13) at the other end of the daisy-chain connection (14) and check whether a second message triggered by the message can be received from the control device (13) at the other end; and signal the interrupted bus line (15) if no second message is received.

11. A control device (13) for a motor vehicle (10), wherein, The control device (13) has a communication circuit (16) for connection to a bus line (15), and implements multiple predetermined vehicle functions (21) in the processor circuit (20) of the control device (13). The control device is configured such that multiple control devices (13) are provided in a motor vehicle (10), the vehicle functions (21) of the control devices (13) are different, and the multiple control devices (13) are connected through the bus line (15), which sequentially leads through the corresponding communication circuit (16) of the control device (13) and thereby connects the control devices (13) in a daisy chain connection (14). Its features are, Each vehicle function in the vehicle functions (21) is implemented in the control device (13), and the processor circuit (20) is configured to obtain a location description (34) that describes the location of the control device (13) within the daisy chain connection (14) formed by the bus line (15); and select the vehicle function (21) assigned to that location from the implemented vehicle functions (21) according to the obtained location description (34) and provide the selected vehicle function (21) in the motor vehicle (10) for activation.

12. A method for configuring a control device (13) in a motor vehicle (10), wherein the control device (13) provides corresponding vehicle functions (21), wherein, The vehicle functions (21) of the control devices (13) are different and the control devices (13) are connected by a common bus line (15), which sequentially passes through the control devices (13) and thereby connects the control devices (13) in a daisy chain connection (14), characterized in that, In each of the control devices (13): each of the vehicle functions (21) is implemented; and the processor circuit (20) obtains a location description (34) which describes the location of the corresponding control device (13) within the daisy chain connection (14), and selects the vehicle function (21) assigned to that location from the implemented vehicle functions (21) according to the obtained location description (34) and provides the selected vehicle function (21) in the motor vehicle (10) for activation.

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