Intelligent Energy and Control Policy for Automotive Applications

Abstract

Method for use in a device (310) which is coupled in a communication-capable manner to an automotive network (AAN) (105) belonging to a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: Receiving (705) an input from the vehicle, where the input denotes a current operating environment of the vehicle; Obtaining a tax guideline (338) that specifies a reconciliation between the energy consumption of the device (310) and the performance level of the device (310), at least for the current operating environment; Controlling an energy state of at least one PHY part of a communication interface (319) of the device (310) based on the input from the vehicle and the control directive (338); and dynamic recalibration (715, 717) of the energy consumption and performance level of the device (310) over time to take account of changes in the vehicle's operating environment; and / or Disabling power via Ethernet for the device (310) based on input from the vehicle and the control policy (338); and / or Controlling the energy state of hardware associated with a Media Access Control (MAC) layer of the device (310).

Description

BACKGROUND1. Area

[0001] This invention relates generally to networks used in automotive applications, and more particularly to power and control policies used in automotive data networks. 2. Related technology

[0002] Currently available power management and control policies or strategies used in automotive data networks are adapted from policies or strategies used in traditional data networks, such as corporate systems, data centers, and access systems. Power management and control policies or strategies in both automotive communication networks and traditional data networks are aimed at detecting the traffic type (e.g., whether traffic is video or audio data) and meeting restrictions or constraints imposed by applications running on networked devices (e.g., whether data can be delayed to a mission-critical or mission-critical application). For example, one current technique allows networked devices to be placed in a low-power state when link utilization is low, i.e.There is little or no data traffic to or from the device. Similarly, the device may be placed in a low-power state if data traffic to or from the device has a low priority. However, if link utilization is high or data traffic has a high priority, the device will not be placed in a low-power state.

[0003] Various methods are currently available for implementing low-power states. For example, old Ethernet standards for 100 Mbps interfaces generally include a sleep state that allows the use of a low-power state when link utilization is low, but in practice, only minimal power savings are achieved. The proposed IEEE 802.3az standard achieves power savings by sending only occasional transmit data bursts during a low-power sleep state. The proposed IEEE 802.3az standard also achieves power savings by turning off part of a network interface during the low-power sleep state. For higher-speed Ethernet applications, such as Gigabit Ethernet, some methods achieve power savings by reducing the data rate of one or more data paths, or by shutting down some of the data paths.-tracks are switched off.

[0004] Regardless of the manner in which a low-power state is implemented, decisions must still be made as to whether and when to place a device in a low-power state. This decision is complicated by the fact that a decision that inappropriately places a device in a low-power state may cause unnecessarily long connection startup and establishment / acquisition times. Similarly, a decision not to place a device in a low-power state may result in unnecessarily high power consumption. As explained above, traditional power management and control policies are directed at the amount of traffic sent over a link, the type of traffic sent over the link, or operational constraints imposed by networked devices.Devices are subject to the application constraints imposed by running applications. Using these conventional network metrics or measures cannot lead to optimal decision-making in all situations. It is therefore clear that currently available methods for controlling the amount of energy used by networked devices or appliances are not perfect.

[0005] US 2012 / 0 109 407 A1 describes an energy management system in a vehicle communication network that applies individual energy saving options to each of a large number of devices.

[0006] EP 1 447 775 A2 describes a remote-controlled electronic locking arrangement with a receiver / transmitter circuit for a key part for communication with a lock part of the locking arrangement, wherein the receiver / transmitter circuit can be switched to an energy-saving mode.

[0007] US 2011 / 0 022 254 A1 describes a method and a system for location-dependent energy management.

[0008] The invention is defined in the patent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an automotive network (AAN) according to various embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a control system / module used to select and implement control policies in an AAN, according to various embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an AAN comprising a control system, networked endpoint devices, and networked subsystems, any or all of which may be configured using a unified control policy under the direction of a control unit, a control unit module, or a control system, according to various embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a communication link or channel between a control system and an endpoint device / subsystem, wherein the power and functionality of the link or channel is controlled by implementing a control policy that controls hardware, software, applications, or a combination thereof, according to various embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are timing diagrams illustrating relationships between link state, power, and data according to various embodiments of the disclosure; and Fig. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a rebalancing of control capabilities and power consumption according to various embodiments of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] When used herein, the following terms shall be given their ordinary meaning unless otherwise specified or clear from the context in which they are used. The term "automotive network" or "automotive area network" or "automotive-wide network" (AAN) generally refers to a network such as that found in various automobiles, but may also refer to networks in vehicles other than automobiles, for example, a motorcycle, a bus, an aircraft, a boat, a ship, or the like.

[0010] The terms "operating environment," "environment," and other similar terms are used to refer to the general situations, conditions, and other factors that may affect an automobile or an automotive network 105, and which may be sensed or determined by any of the various sensors and subsystems included in the automotive network 105, or about which information may be provided by a driver or passenger. Thus, the term "operating environment" broadly encompasses driver and passenger profiles and preferences, also referred to herein as vehicle occupant profiles and preferences.The operating environment of an automobile may include, for example, a location of the vehicle, a length of time the vehicle has been operating, whether the vehicle is moving or not, a speed or acceleration of the vehicle, the number of passengers in a vehicle, an interior or exterior temperature, a functional status of the vehicle or any of the vehicle's systems, subsystems, devices, or sensors, a time of day, a distance or an estimated time to arrive at an intended destination, and so on. Information about the operating environment of a vehicle may, for example, be obtained directly from user input, measuring devices, and sensors, or calculated based on user input and sensor measurements.

[0011] Firstly, referring to Fig. 1 illustrates a system 100 including an automotive network (AAN) 105, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The automotive network 105 includes entertainment systems 110, navigation systems 120, control systems 130, driver communication systems 140, safety systems 150, engine systems 160, and other sensor systems 170. The systems may communicate with each other and, in some cases, with other parts of the automobile and external systems and networks via the AAN 105 using any of several suitable communication protocols. For example, in some embodiments, all subsystems connected to the AAN 105 are capable of communicating over communication links compliant with one or more of various standards, such as: IEEE 802.3ba, which describes 40 Gb and 100 Gb Ethernet (GbE); IEEE 802.5, which defines Token Ring; and IEEE 802.6, which defines Fiber Optic Metro-Ring (FDDI: "Fiber Distributed Data Interface"); IEEE 802.11, which describes wireless Ethernet standards; and the like. In some embodiments, the various subsystems in the AAN 105 are connected to enable direct communication between subsystems, with subsystem controllers (hereinafter referred to with reference to FIG. Fig. 3) to handle communications within a subsystem using the same or a different protocol independent of the overarching protocol used by AAN 105 for communication between subsystems. In other embodiments, subsystems and devices are interconnected to enable direct communication between devices or subsystems. Further embodiments employ various hubs, routers, gateways, or other intermediate data communication nodes to enable either direct or proxy-like communications between devices and subsystems connected to AAN 105.In embodiments employing hubs, routers, gateways, or the like, any or all of the hubs, routers, gateways may be included as separate subsystems (not illustrated) or included in any or all of the various illustrated subsystems.

[0012] Each of the different systems used in Fig. 1 may provide dedicated functionality tailored for a specific purpose, or may provide general functionality that may be altered based on network load or other operational requirements. For example, the entertainment systems 110 may provide entertainment to passengers with the driver of the vehicle in which the AAN 105 is implemented, while the navigation systems 120 may provide dedicated navigation functionality. However, in other embodiments, the display of media and navigation information may be shared between the entertainment systems 110 and the navigation systems 120 or other systems, and resources from one system may be used by another system.It should be noted that, although not specifically illustrated, the various subsystems include network interface modules that enable the subsystems to be coupled to the AAN 105.

[0013] As it is in Fig. 1, entertainment systems 110 may include radio 112 for receiving and playing radio broadcasts; media players 114 for playing content from stored media; storage drives 116 for storing media to be played; and media displays 118 for outputting media received from radio 112, media players 114, and storage drives 116 to a driver or passenger.

[0014] The navigation systems 120 include GPS ("Global Positioning System") processing 122; position, speed, location, and GPS sensors 124; storage drives 126 for use in storing maps, favorite places, and the like; and displays 128 for displaying maps, routes, or other navigation-related information.

[0015] The driver communication systems 140 may include in-vehicle wireless interfaces 142 that allow a driver or passengers to interface their personal communication devices, such as smartphones, cell phones, laptops, organizers, or the like, with the automotive network 105. In some embodiments, in-vehicle wireless interfaces 142 also enable user devices to interface with media displays 118, storage drives 116, media players 114, or radio 112 of the entertainment systems 110. The driver communication systems 140 also include external communication interfaces 144 that provide communications with networks external to the AAN 105, such as a cellular telecommunications network or an external hotspot or access point established either inside or outside a vehicle implementing the AAN 105.External communication interfaces 144 may also include various connectors, cables, adapters, switches, or the like used to enable a hard-wired connection of driver or passenger devices to the automotive network 105.

[0016] The driver communication systems 140 also include driver input / output modules 148, which may include microphones for enabling a driver or passenger to issue verbal commands to one or more devices, buttons, switches, knobs, or various user-selectable objects presented on graphical user interfaces displayed via media players 118 included in the entertainment systems 110, displays 128 included in the navigation systems 120, a keypad, and the like, which are otherwise available via the AAN 105. The driver communication systems 140 also include driver notification / indications 146, which may be used instead of or in addition to the various other displays, inputs, and outputs available via the AAN 105.

[0017] The safety systems 150 include safety sensors 152, which may include airbag sensors, speed sensors, accelerometers, position sensors, and backup cameras, or the like. A driver notification module 154, also included in the safety systems 150, may be used instead of or in addition to other notification devices and modules included in other subsystems. The safety systems 150 also include various operated devices 158, such as airbags, and control units 156, such as traction control systems, adaptive steering and headlights, cruise control, or the like.

[0018] The engine systems 160 may include operating sensors 162, such as oxygen sensors, fuel sensors, voltage sensors, and other sensors known to those skilled in the art of automotive parts. Driver notification devices or modules 164 may include various lights, gauges, or similar devices, and may utilize displays in other subsystems, for example, displays 128 of the navigation subsystems 120 and media displays 118 of the entertainment systems 110, to provide notifications to vehicle occupants. Control units 166 may include control modules used to control various engine functions and may include a microcontroller configured to adjust engine functionality based on information provided by various sensors and vehicle subsystems.

[0019] The other sensors and systems 170 may include various sensors, switches, and measuring devices, for example, door opening / closing sensors, thermostats, thermometers, resistance or conductivity sensors used to detect the failure of a headlight, skylight, or other lighting device, current sensors, voltage sensors, tire pressure sensors, light sensors used to activate headlights during periods of low light, and so on. It should be noted that many of the other sensors / systems 170 may also be included in operational sensors 162.

[0020] The control system 130 may include network interface modules 132, one or more processors 134, memory / storage 136, and a control policy module 138. In various embodiments, the control system 130 operates to implement a control policy for the AAN 105 that balances performance and power consumption for each device individually, for each subsystem individually, for devices within each subsystem as a whole, and / or for all subsystems as a whole.

[0021] The control policy module 138 may be used to select and implement a control policy based on a number of factors, including the current operating environment of the vehicle, an operating history of the vehicle, an environmental history, a performance or energy consumption history of the AAN 105, data types, data usage, user preferences, the type of traffic carried in any or all of particular subsystems of the AAN 105, response time requirements for particular devices, or the like.Memory / storage 136 may be used to store a history of vehicle operation, one or more control policies, parameters, vehicle sensor data and similar sensor information, driver and passenger preferences, factory settings, network configurations, and other information that may be used to enable the control policy module 138 to select and implement one or more control policies based on the current conditions or operating environment of the AAN 105.

[0022] The network interface modules 132 may include one or more modules used to communicate with the various subsystems or devices coupled to the automotive network 105. In at least one embodiment, the network interface modules 132 control a power state of the various subsystems and / or devices within those subsystems based on the control policy implemented by the control policy module 138. For example, if the control policy implemented by the control policy module 138 indicates that the entertainment systems 110 are not to be given high priority, or that the entertainment systems are not as urgently needed as the security systems 150, the network interface used by the entertainment systems 110 may be placed in a low-power state.Doing so may degrade performance, but may also result in energy savings by leaving the entertainment systems 110 unpowered or partially powered until needed.

[0023] In some embodiments, the control system 130 has explicit control over a subsystem, while in other embodiments, the subsystem itself controls its power state as instructed by the control system 130. For example, if a selected control policy indicates that the storage drives 116 are to be operated in a low-power state, the control system 130 may send a control message to the entertainment systems 110 via the network interface modules 132 notifying the entertainment systems 110 that power-on of the storage drives 116 should be delayed, or that the storage drives 116 should only be powered on in a low-power or standby state. In some embodiments, a control policy may dictate that a standby state includes a state in which the frequency and type of communications with a particular device orof a particular device or subsystem by only periodically enabling a PHY circuit from a communication module. In other embodiments, a low-power state allows the PHY circuit to be enabled, but prevents some or all of the higher-level device's circuitry from being enabled.

[0024] When a device or subsystem receives power over Ethernet according to a standard such as IEEE 802.3af, the control policy implemented by control policy module 138 may specify that the device is not to receive power over Ethernet until further notification from the controller, or until a set period of time has elapsed. However, even if power over Ethernet is disabled, communication modules of the same device or subsystem may otherwise be fully powered to allow rapid response to commands and other communications.

[0025] Consider also the following example, which occurs during network initialization, in which each device or subsystem listens for an initial power state command. The control system 130 may issue a "delay power on" command to a DVD ("Digital Video Disk") player included in the media players 114. The command may be intercepted by a proxy power control unit (not illustrated) included in the entertainment systems 110 or received directly by the DVD player. If received by the DVD player, the command may be received via a primary communication link to the AAN 105 or via a dedicated control line.The DVD player may respond to the command issued by the control system 130 by delaying the activation of anything beyond the most basic communication circuits that would still allow the media players 114 to be awakened from a sleep state.

[0026] In some embodiments, the DVD player may include memory that stores all or a portion of a control policy associated with a policy identifier. The command from control system 130 may include the policy identifier, thereby enabling the DVD player to identify the applicable control policy and boot into a power state specified by the control policy. In other embodiments, the DVD player includes at least a portion of a control policy referred to as a default control policy and boots into the power state specified by the default control policy. In some embodiments, the DVD player may be configured to always boot into a low-power state in which only basic power state or wake-up messages are processed by a PHY circuit of the DVD player.

[0027] A control policy may also be used to regulate a power-on or power-off sequence of a vehicle implementing the automotive network 105. Furthermore, control policies that include commanding a device or subsystem to delay or prevent full power-on may include timing information and parameters that enable a power-on sequence to be initiated after a specified delay.

[0028] Different control policies can be selected for different operating environments, but a single control policy can also be used. For example, the power state of a device can be changed by a single control policy when the other sensors / systems 170 indicate that the temperature falls below a threshold. Similarly, a single control policy can specify different power states for different devices depending on whether the battery voltage in an electric vehicle implementing the automotive network 105 is below or above a threshold level.

[0029] The control policy module 138 may both select and implement control policies using a control processor 134 and / or circuitry included in the control policy module 138. Thus, for example, if the control system 130 receives information from a subsystem of the AAN 105, e.g., from an operational sensor 162 included in the subsystem of machine systems 160, the control policy module 138 may select a different control policy than it would under environmental conditions other than those indicated by the operational sensor 163.

[0030] In various embodiments, a driver may select a profile to be used conditionally by the AAN 105. For example, a driver who has children as passengers in the rear seat of a vehicle may select a control profile or policy for the AAN 105 that is "entertainment-centric." This means that the driver may select a default profile in which the entertainment systems 110 are fully turned on for rapid response, even though a control policy based strictly on vehicle conditions might indicate that the entertainment systems 110 should not be fully turned on. The driver may also condition the profile on the presence of certain environmental factors, such that if there are no children in the vehicle, the entertainment-centric profile will not be selected; instead, a "low power" profile will be used.

[0031] Even if driver or passenger preferences are used to fully or partially override control policies selected by the system, some embodiments allow system override of user preferences under limited circumstances. For example, a user preference may indicate that a control policy request for power savings should be ignored and that the entertainment systems 110 should be fully turned on. The system control policy may specify that user preferences are permitted to override the selected control policy if available battery energy is below a first threshold but above a second threshold.

[0032] Next, referring to Fig. 2, a control system / module 130 is illustrated and discussed in accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure. The control system module 130 includes a processor 234, memory / storage 136, network interface modules 132, and a device controller module 220. Status information 203 indicative of the current operating environment from the AAN 105 is received by the network interface modules 132, which may include a wireless general interface 232, a wired general interface 235, and the dedicated interface 237. The wireless general interface 232 and the wired general interface 235 may be used to communicate with any number of different devices connected to the AAN 105, while the dedicated interfaces 237 may be either wireless or wired.may include wired interfaces configured to communicate directly with specific devices or subsystems. Thus, a dedicated interface for a media device may be used strictly for communication with that media device, whereas a wired general interface 235 may be used to communicate with any device or subsystem connected to the AAN 105. Various devices and subsystems may include both dedicated interfaces 237 and wired or wireless general interfaces 235, allowing the control system / module 130 to communicate with these devices via several different means.

[0033] The device control module 220 can be used to send instructions 205 to specific devices or subsystems via dedicated control connections. In some embodiments, the device control module 220 generates and delivers instructions 205 to the network interface modules 132, either via dedicated interfaces 237, a wired general interface 235, or a wireless general interface 232, in addition to or instead of specifically dedicated control connections.

[0034] Processor 234 may include one or more general-purpose processors, special-purpose processors, circuitry, hardware, and / or firmware, and software to implement various embodiments disclosed herein. In general, processor 234 operates in conjunction with memory / storage 136 to select and implement control policies used to control a balance between power consumption and performance of either individual devices, subsystems, or other collections of devices, as well as portions of communication modules or circuitry associated with particular devices or subsystems.Memory / storage 136 includes control policies 241, control profiles 243, network-based parameters 245, and driver / user preferences 247.

[0035] The control policies 241 include policies that, in conjunction with information 203, regulate the power state of some or all of the devices and subsystems connected to the AAN 105. The control policies 241 may include several different control policies, including: a default control policy that may establish a balanced approach to energy efficiency and communication response times; a safety control policy that overrides a currently operating control policy during an accident or emergency situation to turn off non-essential subsystems or devices; and a power control policy that optimizes the responsiveness and performance of a device or subsystem.a device or subsystem at the expense of additional energy consumption; an energy savings control policy that maximizes energy savings at the expense of responsiveness of a device or subsystem; a home control policy that delays activation of various media players if the vehicle is within a threshold distance of the driver's home, as indicated by GPS data and information stored in a navigation subsystem; a long-distance control policy that prioritizes certain media devices in the navigation subsystem if an estimated trip length exceeds a preferred threshold, or the like.

[0036] Each of these control policies can be implemented as specified by a user preference, a master control policy, or a control policy profile. In some embodiments, a control policy can be stored or hardwired in firmware so that it is continuously active but achieves different results based on network parameters stored in the network base parameters 245, control profiles 243, or driver / user preferences 247. Specific types of control policies can also be associated with control profiles. Each control profile can specify particular control policies to be selected under specific operating environments and can be determined by user preferences.Thus, for example, two different drivers may have control profiles stored on the same vehicle, where the control profile for one driver specifies that the long-distance control policy should be used regardless of the estimated trip length, while the control profile for the other driver specifies that an energy-saving control policy should be used at all times.

[0037] The control profiles 243 are closely related to the driver / user preferences 247, and in some cases, they may be considered an instance of the driver / user preferences 247. The term "driver / user preferences" is generally intended to encompass various threshold settings selected, provided, or designated by a driver, passenger, or other user. The driver preferences may be included in one or more control policies 241, or they may be used to modify, override, or override a control policy. However, the term "control profile" is generally used to refer to a profile that specifies conditions under which a particular control policy is to be selected or implemented.In other words, a control profile may refer to user preferences that specify the circumstances or operating environment under which a particular control policy is to be selected. For example, a "nearly home" control policy may refer to an energy consumption profile for the AAN 105, while a "home" profile may include a geographic location of "home" and may specify a threshold radius around "home" within which the "nearly home" profile is to be used. The driver / user preferences 247 may include information that specifies the address of "home" and the threshold radius. Thus, a "home" profile may be used to dictate when to use a "near home" control policy based on the driver / user preferences 247, which specify a maximum distance from "home" that is still considered "near home."

[0038] The driver / user preferences 247 can also specify how "persistent" or rigid a control policy should be. For example, a "performance priority" control policy may initially prioritize media performance over energy savings and specify that all media devices in a vehicle be turned on and ready for rapid response. A user preference indicating a "persistent" or rigidity of the "performance priority" control policy may specify that the automotive network can change the "performance priority" control policy to a "no rear seat media" control policy to conserve energy or other network resources if 30 minutes have passed since any of the media players in a rear seat of the vehicle were used.Optionally, the user preference can specify that the "performance priority" tax policy should not be changed regardless of how long the vehicle has been in operation. A tax profile can also specify how "persistent" or rigid any given tax policy is.

[0039] Driver or passenger input may also be used to change or switch the control policy in use, or to override or override a portion of a current control policy. A history of driver interactions, control policy changes or switches, overrides or overrides, and the like may be stored in memory / storage 136 and used to adjust default control policies and profiles or to generate additional control policies 241 and control profiles 243.

[0040] In some cases, sensor information can be used to provide information about whether passengers are present in the car, and a control policy can be selected and implemented accordingly. For example, if a switch or sensor on a vehicle's passenger doors indicates that the passenger doors have not been opened within 5 minutes before the vehicle was started, a "no passengers" control policy can be selected. Such a "no passengers" control policy can specify that media devices accessible only to passengers should be kept in a low-power state. Similarly, if a front-seat passenger airbag sensor indicates that there is no passenger in the front seat, a "no front seat passenger" control profile can be used, in which passenger input devices remain in low-power states.

[0041] A control policy or profile may be specific to a particular device, a particular group of devices, a particular type of device, a particular subsystem, or a combination of these. In some embodiments, current, historical, and estimated energy consumption of the various subsystems and devices may be displayed to a driver or passenger to allow the driver or passenger to select either a control profile or policy, a persistence setting for a control profile or policy, or various thresholds used by control policies and profiles.

[0042] The network base parameters 245 can be used to provide parameters for fixed communication connections between various devices and subnetworks of the automotive network 105 to ensure faster startup and connection establishment / acquisition times. In many cases, the network base parameters 245 can be changed based on a history of connection or network performance values.

[0043] The control system module 130 may evaluate or assess the operating environment of a vehicle including the automotive network 105 on a continuous, periodic, event-triggered, or on-demand basis. For example, various sensors may be used to monitor speed, direction, tire pressure, electrical system status, number of passengers, estimated time of arrival, time of day, or other conditions related to the vehicle. Depending on the selected control policy 241, the selected control profile 243, the driver / user preferences 247, and input from the vehicle, a new control policy or profile may be selected, or the current control policy or profile may be changed.

[0044] The relationship between performance and energy consumption may be dynamically rebalanced to account for changes in the operating environment of the vehicle carrying automobile 105. Thus, for example, a current control policy may be evaluated in response to sensors detecting that a passenger door has been opened, the vehicle's fuel tank is being refilled, a threshold distance traveled is exceeded, a cruise control on the vehicle is being set, or the occurrence of other similar conditions or changes in conditions. In some cases, the rate of change of an operating environment may also trigger a change in the energy-performance balance. For example, a change in vehicle speed or acceleration may trigger a rebalance.Additionally, measurements indicating that a vehicle has been traveling at highway speeds for over an hour may cause an automotive network controller to switch control policies, subject to driver or passenger preferences.

[0045] Next, referring to Fig. 3 illustrates and discusses a system 300 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. System 300 includes a vehicle network 105 coupled to an individual endpoint device 310, a subsystem A 350, and a control system 330. Endpoint device 310 may include functional modules 311 that perform the primary functions of endpoint device 310, a memory 313 that may include a control policy memory 315, a control unit module 317, and a network interface 319.

[0046] Subsystem A 350 includes two devices: device A 320 and device B 360. Device A 320 includes functional modules 321, a memory 323 including a control policy memory 325, a control unit module 327, and an interface module 329. Device B 360 includes functional modules 361, a memory 363 including a control policy memory 365, a control unit module 367, and an interface module 369. Device A 320 and device B 360 are coupled to a subsystem control unit 340 via a subsystem network 355, which in turn is coupled to the vehicle network 105 via a vehicle network interface 342. The subsystem control unit 340 includes a memory 343, which includes a control policy memory 345, and a processing module 344.

[0047] The control system 330, which is also coupled to the vehicle network 105, includes a memory 336 including a memory for control policies 338, a network interface 332, and a processing module 334. In some embodiments, the control system 330 determines and specifies the control policies 338 to be implemented by both the endpoint device 310 and Subsystem A 350. The control system 330 may also determine and implement control policies 338 to be used by devices within Subsystem A 350, but in some cases, the subsystem controller 340 is responsible for implementing control policies for devices within Subsystem A 350 according to a local control policy.

[0048] In one example of operation, control system 330 selects a control policy and notifies subsystem A 350 of an overall system control policy selected for use. Subsystem A 350 then selects a local control policy based on the system control policy and instructs device A 350 and device B 360 to implement the selected control policy. In some embodiments, subsystem controller 340 provides device A 320 and device B 360 with a control policy to be implemented by each device, which may be the same control policy or a different control policy, depending on whether the control policy is device- or device-type-specific, or applies to all devices within subsystem A 350.

[0049] In some implementations, subsystem controller 340 does not serve device A 320 and device B 360. Instead, each device selects a device control policy based on information received from subsystem controller 340. For example, device A 320 may select an appropriate control policy 325 from memory 323, while device B 360 selects an appropriate control policy 365 from memory 363. Control unit module 327 included in device A 320 and control unit module 367 included in device B 360 may be used to select and implement device-specific control policies in much the same manner as control system 330, but using information from subsystem controller 340 and control system 330, in addition to information about a vehicle operating environment.

[0050] Interface modules 329 and 369 are used to provide communications over subsystem network 355 to subsystem controller 340. In various embodiments, the interface modules in one or both of device A 320 and device B 360 may be dedicated connections to subsystem controller 340 or universal communication connections. It should also be noted that in some embodiments, subsystem controller 340 may implement a control policy 345 that prevents device A 320 from being powered on or that requires device A 320 to be powered on in a low-power mode while allowing device B 360 to be fully powered on.In some embodiments, although not specifically shown, device A 320 and device B 360 in subsystem A 350 may also have direct connections to network control system 330 so that network control system 330 may directly control devices within subsystem A 350 or allow subsystem controller 340 to control devices within the subsystem, depending on the implemented control policy.

[0051] In some such embodiments, the control system 330 may prevent the vehicle network interface 342 from being fully powered on and supplying power to the subsystem controller 340. In this way, if the subsystem A 350 remains powered off and only a portion of the communication modules within the vehicle network interface 342 are powered on, the other devices within the subsystem A 350 may remain in a low-power or off state, with even the interface modules 329 and 369 remaining almost completely off. The fact that the entire subsystem 350 remains in a low-power state, except for a portion of the communication interface for the vehicle network interface 342, may provide additional power savings under certain circumstances.

[0052] The endpoint device 310 includes a controller module 317 and a network interface 319. The control system 330 may notify the endpoint device 310 of the appropriate control policy for implementation via the network interface 319, and the endpoint device 310 may select and implement the control policy using the controller module 317. In some such cases, the endpoint device 310 may place its own network interface 319 in a low-power state and only periodically check for messages from the vehicle network 105. In various embodiments, separate connections may be provided to some or all of the endpoint devices to enable a wake-up command to be sent over a return channel. However, in other embodiments, wake-up methods that employ the primary network connection may be used, such as those used to wake up devices.Wake up devices via an Ethernet connection.

[0053] Next, referring to Fig. 4, a system 400 is illustrated and discussed according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The system 400 includes an endpoint device / subsystem 410 and a control system 430, both under the control of a control policy 450. The control policy 450 may be implemented by the endpoint device / subsystem 410 itself, by the control system 430, or by another device. In some cases, the control policy 450, in addition to controlling the power state of various portions of the endpoint device / system 410, also controls the power state of various hardware and software portions of the control system 430. Thus, for example, a data connection established or maintained via a physical communication path 423 between the PHY circuitry 441 of the control system 430 and the PHY circuitry 421 of the endpoint device / subsystem 410 may be established or maintained.manufactured, can be placed into a low-power state by appropriately controlling PHY circuits 421 and 441. Various methods for placing PHY circuits 421 and 441 into low-power states are known to one skilled in the art, including various methods specified by IEEE Standard 802.3az.

[0054] Energy-efficient Ethernet applications can be used to disable portions of the hardware used to implement MAC layers 419 and 439, as well as some or all of the circuitry used to implement the subsystem controller 417 and the control system controller 437. The degree to which the communication circuitry is disabled can be determined based on the requirements of applications 411 and 431, operating systems 413 and 433, subsystem controller software 415, and control system controller software 435. In addition to these considerations, as discussed above with reference to Fig. 1 to 3, based on the operating environment of the vehicle in which the system 400 is implemented, determines whether and to what extent the communication hardware and software is placed in a power saving state.

[0055] Next, referring to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 is a graph illustrating the relationship between link state, power, and data according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 5 shows a relationship between link state 510, power 520, and data 530 when no control policy is active, or when the control policy gives full priority to responsiveness without considering power savings. Fig. 6 illustrates a relationship between link state 610, link energy 620, and data transmitted over link 630 for a case where a control policy is active.

[0056] A control policy can reduce the energy consumed for the same share or percentage of data by approximately 20% compared to the case where no control policy is implemented. This energy saving is at least partially possible because a connection that is fully powered at all times, as described in Fig. 5, remains active for a period of time both before and after data is received, resulting in unnecessary overhead in power consumption when data is received sporadically. In contrast, if a transceiver is placed in a low-power state under the control of a suitable control policy, the overhead in power will only be incurred during times when the link state transitions from ON to OFF, or vice versa.

[0057] Fig.7 is a flowchart illustrating a method 700 for rebalancing energy consumption and performance according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In block 705, information about the operating environment of subsystems or sensors of a vehicle is obtained. The information may be obtained from a device that is part of an automotive network (AAN), from vehicle sensors that are not part of the AAN, from driver and passenger user inputs, or from other available sources.Operating environment information may include measured information about the current operating environment, historical operating environment information, and information about a likely future operating environment, which may be determined based on pending driver and passenger commands, trip origin and destination information, vehicle speed, time of year, time of day and geographic position coordinates, weather forecasts, and the like.

[0058] In block 707, the energy consumption and performance of a device, system, or subsystem are determined. Determining energy consumption and performance may include: measuring current energy consumption and performance of specific devices, systems, and subsystems; estimating current energy consumption and performance based on historical energy consumption data and information about the current operating environment; and estimating future energy consumption and performance based on current or historical energy consumption data and information about expected operating environments. In some embodiments, only energy consumption is calculated, and performance is treated as varying inversely with energy consumption.

[0059] In block 708, a control policy is selected based on the information about the operating environment and the measured or estimated energy consumption, as well as the measured or estimated performance of the device, system, or subsystem. In some embodiments, measurements and estimates of energy consumption and performance are performed after the control policy is selected to verify that the energy-performance tradeoff required by the selected control policy is met.

[0060] At block 709, a check is performed to determine whether a current (or estimated) energy-to-performance balance of the system, subsystem, or particular device satisfies the currently implemented control policy. If the actual or estimated energy-to-performance balance of a particular device or subsystem satisfies the current control policy, the method returns to block 705, where updated operating environment information is obtained from a vehicle or AAN.

[0061] If the determination in block 709 indicates that the energy / performance balance of a device, system, or subsystem controlled by the AAN does not meet the current control policy, a check is made in block 713 to determine whether the control policy requires a reduction in energy of a particular device, system, or subsystem. In block 715, the relationship between energy and performance of a device, system, or subsystem may be rebalanced by reducing energy consumption of the device, system, or subsystem in accordance with the control policy. A reduction in energy of a particular device, system, or subsystema particular device, system, or subsystem may include reducing the power used by a communications link used by the device, system, or subsystem.

[0062] If the determination in block 713 indicates that the control policy does not require a reduction in power, a check is made in block 716 to determine whether the control policy requires the performance of the device, subsystem, or overall network to be increased. If so, the method proceeds to block 717, where the power and performance of the device, system, or subsystem are rebalanced to increase performance, in some cases even at the expense of increased power consumption. If the current power / performance balance does not satisfy the current control policy, but the control policy requires neither a reduction in power in block 713 nor an increase in performance in block 717, the method 700 returns to block 705.

[0063] Method 700 further assumes that a continuous re-evaluation or assessment of energy consumption and performance is to be performed, although similar methods may also apply when a re-evaluation or assessment of the energy consumption-performance balance is performed in response to an expiration or beginning of a time period, a triggering event, or a manual initiation of a re-balance event.

[0064] As may be used herein, the terms "substantially" and "approximately" provide for a commercially accepted tolerance for their corresponding expression and / or the relativity between elements. Such commercially accepted tolerance ranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to, but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit process variations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and / or thermal noise. Such relativity between elements ranges from a difference of a few percent to larger differences. As they may also be used herein, the terms "operatively coupled," "coupled," and / or "coupling" include a direct coupling between objects and / or an indirect coupling between objects via an intervening object (where an object, for example,includes, but is not limited to, a component, an element, a circuit, and / or a module), wherein for indirect coupling, the intervening object does not modify the information of a signal, but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and / or energy / power level. As may be further used herein, inference-based coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another by inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two objects in the same manner as "coupled." As may be further used herein, the term "operably" or "operably coupled" means that an object includes one or more of the following: power connections, input(s), output(s), etc.to perform, when activated, one or more of its respective functions, and may further comprise inference-based coupling to one or more other objects. As may be used further herein, the term "in association with" encompasses direct and / or indirect coupling of separate objects and / or an object embedded within another object. As may be used herein, the term "positive comparison" means that a comparison between two or more objects, signals, etc., provides a desired relationship. For example, if the desired relationship is that Signal 1 has a greater magnitude than Signal 2, a positive comparison may be achieved if the magnitude of Signal 1 is greater than that of Signal 2, or if the magnitude of Signal 2 is less than that of Signal 1.

[0065] As may also be used herein, the terms "processing module," "module," "processing circuit," and / or "processing unit" may represent a single processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such a processing device may be a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a central processing unit, a field programmable gate array, a programmable logic device, a state machine, a logic circuit, an analog circuit, a digital circuit, and / or a device that manipulates (analog and / or digital) signals based on fixed coding from the circuit and / or operating instructions.The processing module, module, processing circuit, and / or processing unit may have an associated memory and / or an integrated memory element, which may be a single memory device, a plurality of memory devices, and / or embedded circuitry of the processing module, module, processing circuit, and / or processing unit. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, a random access memory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a static memory, a dynamic memory, a flash memory, a cache memory, and / or any device that stores digital information. It should be noted that if the processing module, module, processing circuit, and / or processing unit comprises more than one processing device, the processing devices may be centrally located (e.g.,directly coupled to each other via a wired and / or wireless bus structure) or distributed (e.g., via cloud computing via indirect coupling via a local area network and / or a wide area network). It should further be noted that if the processing module, module, processing circuit and / or processing unit implements one or more of its functions via a state machine, an analog circuit, a digital circuit and / or a logic circuit, the memory and / or storage element storing the corresponding operating instructions may be embedded in or external to the circuit comprising the state machine, the analog circuit, the digital circuit and / or the logic circuit.Furthermore, it should be noted that the memory element may store hard-coded and / or operational instructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and / or functions illustrated in one or more of the figures, and the processing module, module, processing circuit, and / or processing unit executes them. Such a memory device and / or memory element may be included in a manufactured article.

[0066] The present disclosure has been described above with the aid of method steps that illustrate the operating characteristics of specific functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternative boundaries and sequences may be defined as long as the specified functions and relationships are performed in a suitable manner. All such alternative boundaries or sequences are therefore within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Furthermore, the boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternative boundaries may be defined as long as the particular relevant functions are performed in a suitable manner.Likewise, flowchart blocks may also be arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate a particular relevant functionality. To or up to the extent used, boundaries and sequences of the flowchart blocks could be defined differently and still perform the particular relevant functionality. Such alternative definitions of both functional building blocks and flowchart blocks and sequences are therefore within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. One skilled in the art will also recognize that the functional building blocks and other illustrative blocks, modules, and components herein may be implemented as illustrated, or by discrete components, application-specific integrated circuits, processors executing suitable software, and the like, or any combination thereof.

[0067] The present disclosure has been described, at least in part, with respect to one or more embodiments. An embodiment of the present invention is used herein to illustrate the present invention, an aspect thereof, a feature thereof, a concept thereof, and / or an example thereof. A physical embodiment of an apparatus, article of manufacture, machine, and / or process embodying the present invention may include one or more of the aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc. described with reference to one or more of the embodiments discussed herein. Furthermore, the embodiments may include the same or similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. from figure to figure, which may have the same or different reference numerals, and as such, the functions, steps, modules, etc.the same or similar functions, steps, modules, etc. or different.

[0068] Unless specifically stated to the contrary, signals to, from, and / or between elements in a figure of any of the figures illustrated herein may be analog or digital, continuous-time or discrete-time, and simple (or single-ended or single-ended or single-ended (grounded)) or differential. For example, if a signal path is shown as a simple path, the signal path also represents a differential signal path. Likewise, if the signal path is shown as a differential path, the signal path also represents a simple signal path. While one or more particular architectures are described herein, other architectures may likewise be implemented using one or more data buses not expressly shown, direct connectivity between elements, and / or indirect coupling between other elements, as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0069] The term "module" is used in the description of the various embodiments of the present invention. A module comprises a functional block implemented in hardware to perform one or more module functions, such as processing one or more input signals to generate one or more output signals. The hardware implementing the module may itself operate in conjunction with software and / or firmware. As used herein, a module may include one or more sub-modules, which are themselves modules.

[0070] While certain combinations of various functions and features of the present invention have been expressly described herein, other combinations of these features and functions are equally possible. The present invention is not limited to the specific examples disclosed herein and expressly encompasses these other combinations.

[0071] In automotive network applications, data about a vehicle's environment can be used in conjunction with a control policy to regulate the performance and power consumption of a networked device. The control policy can dynamically adjust the trade-off between link power and performance of the device's communication interface by taking into account the current situation of the vehicle and user preferences, e.g., location, destination, speed, sensor status, or the like. Controlling the trade-off between link power and performance of networked devices can be important in maximizing power savings without unacceptably degrading network performance.

Claims

[1] A method for use in a device (310) communicatively coupled to an automotive network (AAN) (105) associated with a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving (705) an input from the vehicle, the input indicating a current operating environment of the vehicle; Obtaining a control policy (338) indicating a balance between a power consumption of the device (310) and a performance level of the device (310) at least for the current operating environment; Controlling a power state of at least one PHY portion of a communication interface (319) of the device (310) based on the input from the vehicle and the control policy (338); and dynamically rebalancing (715, 717) the energy consumption and performance level of the device (310) over time to account for changes in the operating environment of the vehicle; and / or Disabling power over Ethernet for the device (310) based on the input from the vehicle and the control policy (338); and / or Controlling the power state of hardware associated with a media access control (MAC) layer of the device (310). [2] A method according to claim 1, additionally comprising: Receiving input from a vehicle occupant profile, the profile including occupant preferences related to the control policy (338); and Controlling the power state of the communication interface (319) based, at least in part, on occupant preferences. [3] A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the input from the vehicle includes information related to a destination of the vehicle and a current location of the vehicle; and the tax directive (338) stipulates that the balance between energy consumption and performance depends on at least the destination and the current location, and / or the input from the vehicle includes vehicle sensor data. [4] The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control policy (338) associates a plurality of operating environments with a plurality of energy and performance tradeoffs. [5] The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein obtaining the control policy (338) comprises: Selecting (708) at least one of a plurality of available control policies (338) based, at least in part, on the input from the vehicle. [6] A system (300) comprising a plurality of devices coupled to an automotive network (AAN) (105) associated with a vehicle, the system (300) comprising: a controlled device (310) coupled to the AAN (105) via a communication interface (319); a communication link control unit (330) comprising: a memory (336) storing one or more control policies (338); a vehicle network interface (332) coupled to receive (705) an input from the vehicle, the input indicating a current operating environment of the vehicle; a processor (334) configured to: Controlling a power state of the communication interface (319) of the controlled device (310) based on the input from the vehicle and the one or more control policies (338); and Selecting (708) at least one of a plurality of available control policies (338) for implementation based, at least in part, on the input from the vehicle; and / or selectively disabling power over Ethernet for the controlled device (310) based on the input from the vehicle and the one or more control policies (338); and / or dynamically rebalancing (715, 717) an energy consumption and a performance level of the controlled device (310) over time to account for changes in the operating environment of the vehicle. [7] System (300) according to claim 6, wherein the controlled device (310) additionally comprises: a device memory (313) storing device control policies (315) corresponding to the one or more control policies (338) stored in the memory (336) of the communication link control unit (330); and wherein the processor (334) is configured to control the power state of a communication link associated with the controlled device (310) by transmitting to the controlled device (310) information indicating which of the device control policies (315) is to be used by the controlled device (310). [8] System (300) according to claim 6 or 7, additionally comprising: a vehicle subsystem (350) coupled to the AAN (105) via a subnetwork communication interface (342); wherein the processor (334) is further configured to control a power state of the subnetwork communication interface (342) based on the input from the vehicle and the control policy (338). [9] System (300) according to claim 8, wherein: the communication link control unit (330) comprises a system control unit; and the vehicle subsystem (350) comprises a subsystem communication link control unit (340). [10] Communication link control unit (330) for use in an automotive network (AAN) (105) belonging to a vehicle and comprising a device (310) having a communication interface (319) to be controlled, the communication link control unit (330) comprising: a memory (336) configured to store one or more control policies (338); a vehicle network interface (332) configured to receive an input from the vehicle, the input indicating a current operating environment of the vehicle; a processor (334) configured to: Controlling a power state of the communication interface (319) of the device (310) based on the input from the vehicle and the one or more control policies (338); and Selecting (708) at least one of a plurality of available control policies (338) for implementation based, at least in part, on the input from the vehicle; and / or selectively deactivating power via Ethernet for the communication interface (319) of the device (310) based on the input from the vehicle and the control policy (338); and / or dynamically rebalancing (715, 717) a power consumption and a performance level of the device (310) over time to account for changes in the operating environment of the device (310).

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