Vehicle-mounted communication system, electronic and electrical system, and vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted communication system, an electronic and electrical system, and a vehicle. The vehicle-mounted communication system comprises: at least one passive optical network, the at least one passive optical network being configured to provide a data transmission service.

Description

In-vehicle communication systems, electronic and electrical systems, and vehicles

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202510146969.8, filed on February 8, 2025, and Chinese patent application No. 202510142250.7, filed on February 8, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more particularly to an in-vehicle communication system, an electronic and electrical system, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0003] With the rapid advancement of automotive electronics technology and the booming development of intelligent driving technology, the complexity of in-vehicle electronic systems has significantly increased, leading to constantly evolving demands on in-vehicle communication systems. As the number of automotive electronic components increases, the amount of data generated within the vehicle is also rising dramatically. This data includes data from various sensors, entertainment systems, navigation systems, and more. To improve transmission bandwidth, meet real-time requirements, and reduce electromagnetic interference, introducing passive optical network (PON) technology into in-vehicle communication systems is one possible development direction for in-vehicle communication. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides, in some embodiments, an in-vehicle communication system, an electronic and electrical system, and a vehicle.

[0005] In a first aspect, an in-vehicle communication system is provided, including at least one passive optical network configured to provide data transmission services.

[0006] In a second aspect, an electronic and electrical system is provided, including the vehicle communication system involved in the first aspect.

[0007] Thirdly, a vehicle is provided, including the vehicle communication system involved in the first aspect or the electronic and electrical system involved in the second aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of some embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of an in-vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0010] Figure 2 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0011] Figure 3 is a structural diagram of an optical communication unit according to some embodiments;

[0012] Figure 4 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0013] Figure 5 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0014] Figure 6 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0015] Figure 7 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0016] Figure 8 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0017] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the transmission resources of the master and slave devices in the vehicle communication system based on Figure 8;

[0018] Figure 10 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0019] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the transmission resources of the master device and slave device in the vehicle communication system based on Figure 10;

[0020] Figure 12 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0021] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the transmission resources of the master device and slave device in the vehicle communication system based on Figure 12;

[0022] Figure 14 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0023] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the transmission resources of the master and slave devices in the vehicle communication system based on Figure 14;

[0024] Figure 16 is a structural diagram of a master device according to some embodiments;

[0025] Figure 17 is a structural diagram of another master device according to some embodiments;

[0026] Figure 18 is a structural diagram of a slave device according to some embodiments;

[0027] Figure 19 is a structural diagram of another slave device according to some embodiments;

[0028] Figure 20 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0029] Figure 21 is a flowchart of a fault detection method according to some embodiments;

[0030] Figure 22 is a structural diagram of an in-vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0031] Figure 23 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0032] Figure 24 is a structural diagram of another vehicle communication system according to some embodiments;

[0033] Figure 25 is a structural diagram of another slave device according to some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Some embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0036] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linkage" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the meaning of the above terms in this disclosure based on the examples. Furthermore, when describing pipelines or channels, the terms "connection" and "linkage" as used in this disclosure have the meaning of establishing electrical conductivity. The illustrative meanings should be understood in context.

[0037] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate that they are examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in some embodiments of this disclosure should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of the words "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts by way of example.

[0038] With the rapid advancement of automotive electronics technology and the booming development of intelligent driving technology, the complexity of in-vehicle electronic systems has significantly increased. This change is not only reflected in the intelligence and connectivity of traditional vehicle control systems, but also in the widespread application of intelligent driving systems. Intelligent driving systems, such as autonomous driving systems and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), are gradually becoming an indispensable and important component of modern automobiles. These systems need to acquire and process massive amounts of data in real time, including but not limited to raw data from various high-precision sensors, high-definition map information, and other vehicle status information, sensor data, and driver assistance system information transmitted by other vehicles through vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technology.

[0039] Furthermore, to meet passengers' growing entertainment and information needs, in-vehicle entertainment systems are becoming increasingly complex and diverse. These systems require high-definition audio and video streaming, online navigation services, internet access, and data transmission support for various in-vehicle applications. These applications and services also require significant data bandwidth to ensure a smooth user experience. Traditional in-vehicle communication systems are gradually failing to meet the future vehicle demands for data transmission bandwidth and real-time performance. As modern electronic technology advances towards higher frequencies, higher speeds, and greater integration, the electromagnetic environment inside vehicles is becoming increasingly harsh. This complex electromagnetic environment can cause varying degrees of interference to electronic and electrical components within the vehicle, and in severe cases, even damage.

[0040] Traditional in-vehicle communication systems are a core component of intelligent vehicles. They connect the vehicle's electronic systems, such as engine control, safety, comfort, and infotainment subsystems, to form a distributed data exchange network. Due to diverse needs and historical reasons, in-vehicle systems now consist of complex networks composed of various communication methods, including Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), FlexRay, and Ethernet.

[0041] To improve transmission bandwidth, meet real-time requirements, and reduce electromagnetic interference, introducing passive optical network (PON) technology into vehicular communication systems is one of the potential development directions for vehicular communication. PON is a low-cost, simple, and efficient network technology that achieves high-speed point-to-multipoint data transmission through passive optical splitters. Traditional PON networks often employ multiplexing technology to reuse multiple rate modules on the communication link to accommodate terminals with different speeds. However, this method often leads to underutilization of bandwidth resources, resulting in waste. Furthermore, the introduction of multiplexing systems also increases the overall cost.

[0042] Furthermore, in traditional PON networks, each slave device receives broadcast signals sent from the master device to other slave devices. Despite the encryption mechanism, there is still a risk of information leakage.

[0043] In automotive applications, to meet the unified transmission requirements of various data types, multiple data protocols (such as High-Definition Multimedia Interface, HDMI) and Controller Area Network (CAN) need to be converted into signals specified by the PON protocol. This not only increases the cost of the protocol chip but also leads to an increase in the size and power consumption of the protocol chip.

[0044] Based on this, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an in-vehicle communication system, which includes: multiple passive optical networks, each of the multiple passive optical networks including multiple slave devices connected by optical fibers, and different passive optical networks in the multiple passive optical networks being used to provide different data transmission services.

[0045] The vehicle communication system provided in some embodiments of this disclosure includes multiple passive optical networks. The transmission medium in the passive optical network is optical fiber. Since optical fiber has extremely high bandwidth potential, a single optical fiber can transmit a large amount of data at the same time. Its capacity far exceeds that of traditional copper cables or other wireless communication methods, thereby improving the transmission capacity of the vehicle communication system so that data in the vehicle can be transmitted quickly and accurately.

[0046] A passive optical network includes at least one master device, at least one optical splitter, and at least one slave device. The at least one optical splitter is connected to the at least one master device, and the at least one slave device is connected to the at least one master device through the at least one optical splitter to achieve a communication connection with the at least one master device.

[0047] Furthermore, the multiple passive optical networks (PONs) include at least a first PON and a second PON. The slave devices in each PON have the same data communication requirements. Since all slave devices in a single PON have the same data communication requirements, each slave device only needs to meet the requirements of its corresponding PON. This approach is not only simpler and clearer, with lower complexity for a single network, but also offers greater flexibility and improved management efficiency. In addition, because communication and data transmission between networks are rigorously planned and designed, data conflicts and transmission delays can be more effectively avoided, thus improving network security.

[0048] In some embodiments, slave devices in different passive optical networks have different data communication requirements. This diversity allows each passive optical network to be customized according to the needs of the actual application scenario, providing high flexibility and enabling flexible scheduling to adapt to new requirements as technology and user needs change, thus meeting the high-bandwidth communication requirements of future intelligent vehicles.

[0049] In some embodiments, referring to FIG1, the vehicle communication system provided in some embodiments of this disclosure includes: a plurality of passive optical networks 10 (not shown in FIG1). The plurality of passive optical networks 10 include at least a first passive optical network 11 and a second passive optical network 12. The first passive optical network 11 includes at least one first slave device 111, and the second passive optical network 12 includes at least one second slave device 121.

[0050] The data communication requirements of at least one first slave device differ from those of at least one second slave device. In one implementation, at least one first slave device has the same data communication requirements, and at least one second slave device has the same data communication requirements.

[0051] In other words, inside the vehicle, the network is divided according to the data communication needs of the slave devices. Slave devices with the same data communication needs are grouped into one passive optical network, while slave devices with different data communication needs are grouped into different passive optical networks.

[0052] In some embodiments, within a vehicle, components are divided according to rules such as device type or device purpose to form multiple different passive optical networks to meet different data transmission requirements. It is understood that different passive optical networks can be optimized for the data transmission needs of specific devices or systems, thereby ensuring that critical systems (such as powertrain systems, safety systems, etc.) obtain the required data transmission speed and reliability, thus improving the efficiency and reliability of data transmission.

[0053] Furthermore, dividing the vehicle's interior into multiple passive optical networks makes it easier to manage and maintain each network. This helps reduce the incidence of network failures and allows for faster location and resolution of problems when they occur.

[0054] In some embodiments, components inside the vehicle that require high-speed, real-time data transmission, such as the engine control unit, transmission control unit, anti-lock braking system (ABS) control unit, or electronic differential locking traction control (EDL), can be configured into a passive optical network. This passive optical network connects various control units within the powertrain system, enabling the coordinated operation of key components such as the engine, transmission, and braking system.

[0055] In other embodiments, various control units within the vehicle body system, such as window control units, door control units, seat control units, and lighting control units, can be connected via a passive optical network to achieve functions such as window raising and lowering, door opening and closing, seat adjustment, and lighting control.

[0056] In some other embodiments, in-vehicle entertainment systems, navigation systems, in-vehicle terminals, and other devices can be connected via a passive optical network. These devices require high-capacity data transmission to support high-quality audio, video, and navigation services, enabling the provision of rich multimedia information and navigation services through the passive optical network.

[0057] In some embodiments, slave devices can be segmented and networked based on their data communication requirements within the vehicle to obtain multiple passive optical networks. In one implementation, data communication requirements include at least one of communication rate, transmission direction, data type, and protocol type.

[0058] In other words, the slave devices of different passive optical networks in multiple passive optical networks differ in at least one of the following: communication rate, supported transmission direction, transmitted data type, and protocol class.

[0059] It should be understood that the communication rate of a vehicle-mounted passive optical network is one of the important performance indicators. Different passive optical networks may use different technical standards and devices, resulting in differences in communication rates.

[0060] In some embodiments, in application scenarios requiring high-speed data transmission, such as high-definition video transmission and real-time data exchange in autonomous driving, an in-vehicle passive optical network based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3cz standard can be configured for autonomous driving, with a transmission bandwidth of up to 50Gbps.

[0061] In other embodiments, in applications where data transmission rate requirements are not high, such as simple vehicle condition monitoring and diagnostic data transmission, lower-standard passive optical networks can be used, potentially supporting only a few Mbps to several hundred Mbps transmission rates.

[0062] Passive optical networks (PONs) for vehicles may also differ in the supported transmission directions, including unidirectional and bidirectional transmission. In some applications, such as uploading vehicle status monitoring data, only unidirectional transmission may be required; unidirectional transmission networks are typically simpler and less expensive. For applications requiring bidirectional communication, such as data exchange between the vehicle and the in-vehicle infotainment system, a more flexible and reliable bidirectional transmission network is needed.

[0063] The data types transmitted in vehicular passive optical networks (PONs) can also vary. In one implementation, data types may include data packets from multiple specific protocols. That is, some PONs may use specific communication protocols for data packet transmission, such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), and FlexRay. These protocols have different characteristics and applicable scopes, meeting the needs of different vehicular communication systems.

[0064] In another implementation, data types can include sensor data (environmental perception data, vehicle status data, driving behavior data) and various control data. Sensor data typically requires real-time transmission so that the vehicle control system can respond quickly to environmental changes. Therefore, high-speed, low-latency optical communication technologies, such as dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) or coherent optical communication, can be used to support the high-speed, parallel transmission of large amounts of sensor data. Control data transmission must be accurate to avoid vehicle operational errors or malfunctions. Therefore, optical communication technologies with priority division and quality of service (QoS) guarantees, such as time division multiplexing (TDM) or asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) combined with optical transmission, can be used to ensure efficient and reliable transmission of control data.

[0065] Different slave devices within a vehicle may support different protocol types. These protocols are used for data transmission and command exchange between devices, forming the basis of intra-vehicle communication. Since different protocols may have different communication mechanisms, data formats, and transmission requirements, passive optical networks (PONs) can be partitioned based on protocol type. Devices using the same protocol are grouped into the same network, and each network is allocated corresponding communication resources and access permissions.

[0066] Grouping devices using the same protocol into the same network simplifies network management and reduces network failures caused by protocol incompatibility or conflicts. Devices operating on the same network with the same protocol are more likely to achieve compatibility and interoperability, thus enhancing network reliability. Furthermore, devices communicating on the same network do not require protocol conversion, reducing communication latency and data processing burden. This helps improve network transmission efficiency and response speed, especially in applications with high real-time requirements.

[0067] In some embodiments, at least one slave device in the same passive optical network satisfies at least one of the following: at least one slave device has the same communication rate requirement; at least one slave device has the same transmission direction requirement; at least one slave device transmits the same data type; at least one slave device has the same protocol type.

[0068] In one implementation, multiple devices in a vehicle may need to transmit data at the same communication rate. For example, when multiple sensors simultaneously send data to the control system, they may need to transmit data at the same rate to ensure data synchronization and consistency. Therefore, multiple sensors can be treated as multiple slave devices in a passive optical network. The same communication rate helps simplify network design and management, reduces data transmission complexity and latency, and ensures data synchronization and consistency.

[0069] In one implementation, some devices in the vehicle may only require unidirectional data transmission (e.g., from sensors to the control system), while others may require bidirectional communication (e.g., communication between the control system and actuators). Therefore, based on the data transmission direction of the devices, devices with the same transmission direction can be grouped as multiple slave devices in a passive optical network to optimize the network structure of the passive optical network, reduce unnecessary transmission paths and nodes, and thus improve the efficiency and reliability of data transmission.

[0070] In one implementation, different sensors and actuators in a vehicle may transmit different types of data (such as analog signals, digital signals, video signals, etc.). Therefore, devices transmitting the same type of data can be grouped as multiple slave devices in a passive optical network (PON). It is understood that when multiple slave devices in a PON transmit the same type of data, data processing and transmission strategies can be optimized to improve the efficiency and accuracy of data transmission.

[0071] In some embodiments, passive optical networks can be classified into the following types according to the transmission direction of the slave devices in the passive optical network: passive optical networks with unidirectional uplink transmission, passive optical networks with unidirectional downlink transmission, and passive optical networks with bidirectional transmission.

[0072] It should be understood that a unidirectional uplink transmission network refers to a passive optical network where data is transmitted only from the slave device to the master device. In vehicular communication systems, since sensor data, camera video, etc., typically only need to be transmitted to the control system, the passive optical network composed of various sensors can be configured as a unidirectional uplink transmission network. Due to the single data flow, this type of network is relatively simple to design and maintain, and can effectively avoid data conflicts.

[0073] A passive optical network (PON) with unidirectional downlink transmission refers to a PON where data is transmitted only from the master device to the slave device. In vehicular communication systems, control commands and update data only need to be transmitted from the central control system to each actuator or terminal device. Therefore, a PON composed of such devices can be configured as a unidirectional uplink transmission network. Similarly, the singular data flow simplifies the network structure and improves the reliability of data transmission.

[0074] Bidirectional passive optical networks (PONs) allow data to be transmitted freely in both directions, meaning that both uplink and downlink data can be transmitted on the same network, allowing master and slave devices to communicate with each other. These networks offer greater flexibility and interactivity, but also require more complex network management and data conflict resolution mechanisms.

[0075] In one implementation, the bidirectional passive optical network includes: a first type of bidirectional passive optical network, a second type of bidirectional passive optical network, and a third type of bidirectional passive optical network.

[0076] The first type of bidirectional passive optical network (PON) has equal uplink and downlink transmission rates. This network design ensures consistent data transmission speeds in both the uplink and downlink directions, making it suitable for applications requiring bidirectional symmetrical data transmission. Examples include interactive data in in-vehicle infotainment systems, such as multimedia data from the entire vehicle, raw sensor data, computational results, and cloud-based network data. Using bidirectional symmetrical transmission ensures seamless integration between user input and system response.

[0077] The second type of passive optical network (PON) with bidirectional transmission has an uplink transmission rate greater than its downlink transmission rate. This design is suitable for application scenarios where the uplink data volume is much larger than the downlink data volume, ensuring efficient uplink data transmission. For example, vehicles upload large amounts of sensor data and video recordings to the cloud or a central server for analysis and storage.

[0078] The third type of passive optical network (PON) with bidirectional transmission has an uplink transmission rate lower than its downlink transmission rate. This design is suitable for applications where the downlink data volume is much larger than the uplink data volume, ensuring efficient downlink data transmission. Examples include vehicles receiving audio, video streams, or other multimedia content from the internet.

[0079] In some embodiments, the device type of the slave device is also a key factor affecting its performance. Different passive optical networks (PONs) have different characteristics and functions. For example, when radar is used as a slave device, it is mainly used for target detection and location, and has high requirements for signal frequency, bandwidth, and directionality; while actuators may focus more on signal transmission efficiency and stability. These differences in characteristics and functions lead to different application scenarios and requirements for different types of devices in PONs. Therefore, PONs can be classified according to the device type of the slave device.

[0080] In one implementation, the vehicle communication system satisfies one of the following: at least one first slave device has the same device type; at least one second slave device has the same device type; and at least one first slave device has the same device type, and at least one second slave device has the same device type.

[0081] In other words, grouping slave devices of the same type into the same passive optical network allows for the use of a unified communication protocol and data format, simplifying network configuration and management. Furthermore, network designers can more easily plan network topology, determine bandwidth requirements, and select appropriate splitting ratios and optical devices. This helps reduce complexity and uncertainty in the design process, improving design efficiency. It can also simplify network design and maintenance, and reduce hardware costs and complexity.

[0082] In another implementation, the device type of at least one first slave device is different from the device type of at least one second slave device.

[0083] Different types of devices may use different communication protocols and data formats. Placing them on the same network can lead to communication conflicts, data parsing errors, or transmission delays. Dividing them into different networks ensures that devices within each network adhere to the same communication rules, thus reducing these potential problems. Furthermore, each network can be optimized for the specific needs of its connected devices, improving network efficiency and reliability. In some embodiments, as technology evolves and business requirements change, networks may need to be continuously expanded and upgraded. Dividing different types of devices into different networks makes these expansions and upgrades easier. Administrators can easily add new devices or networks as needed without requiring large-scale modifications to the entire network.

[0084] In some embodiments, slave devices in different areas can be grouped into a single network based on the spatial layout and device distribution within the vehicle. This reduces the length and complexity of network cables, lowers insertion loss and echo effects, and improves signal quality. It also makes the network easier to expand and maintain.

[0085] In some embodiments, there are typically many slave devices inside the vehicle, such as sensors, cameras, controllers, and displays, distributed in different areas, such as the cockpit, engine compartment, and passenger compartment. These devices need to communicate via a network to achieve information sharing and the transmission of control commands.

[0086] Connecting devices from different regions to the same network can lead to decreased communication efficiency due to excessive communication distances and signal interference. Furthermore, devices in different regions may have different communication needs and characteristics, such as data transmission rates and real-time requirements. Placing them on the same network may make targeted optimization and management difficult.

[0087] In one implementation, the vehicle communication system satisfies one of the following: at least one first slave device is located in a first region; at least one second slave device is located in a second region; and at least one first slave device is located in the first region and at least one second slave device is located in the second region.

[0088] In one implementation, the first region is different from the second region.

[0089] Since devices in the same area often have similar communication needs and characteristics, placing them in the same network facilitates targeted optimization and management. By grouping slave devices in the same area into the same network, communication interference between devices in different areas can be reduced, improving communication efficiency.

[0090] In some embodiments, in-cabin devices, such as instrument panels, displays, and controllers, can be grouped into the same network. This network needs to have high real-time performance and data transmission rates to ensure that the driver can obtain vehicle status and control commands in a timely manner.

[0091] Equipment within the engine compartment, such as sensors and actuators, can be assigned to a separate network. This network needs to have high reliability and stability to ensure normal engine operation and fault diagnosis.

[0092] As can be seen, by dividing the devices in a region into networks, the vehicle's internal communication network can become more efficient, reliable, and flexible. Each network can be optimized and managed according to the specific needs of the devices it connects, thereby improving overall network and vehicle performance. Furthermore, this network partitioning also helps reduce network complexity and maintenance costs, improving the vehicle's maintainability and scalability.

[0093] In some embodiments, the vehicular communication system includes at least two relatively independent passive optical networks. The two passive optical networks maintain a certain degree of separation and autonomy, but may also interact or share resources to some extent.

[0094] In one implementation, the first passive optical network includes a first master device, and the second passive optical network includes a second master device, wherein the first master device and the second master device are the same device.

[0095] In other words, as shown in Figure 1, the master device for both passive optical networks is the same device. Sharing the same master device means that network resources can be utilized more effectively. For example, the master device can uniformly manage and allocate bandwidth, ensuring that both PON networks can obtain the necessary network resources, thereby improving overall network performance.

[0096] In some embodiments, if the master device has redundancy and backup capabilities, it can quickly switch to another network when one PON network fails, ensuring service continuity. This enhances the reliability and stability of the network.

[0097] In another implementation, the first master device and the second master device are two independent devices.

[0098] In other words, the two passive optical networks remain relatively independent, each with its own dedicated master and slave devices. Because the two communication networks are independent, they do not interfere with each other. This means that a failure in one network will not affect the normal operation of the other, thus enhancing the overall network reliability and stability. Each network can be independently designed, configured, and managed according to its own needs. This independence makes the network more adaptable to changing requirements, such as adding new slave devices or adjusting the network topology. Furthermore, because the two networks are independent, they can be upgraded and expanded separately without hindering each other.

[0099] It should be noted that although the two communication networks remain relatively independent, they may need to exchange data or share resources in certain situations. Therefore, in the case where the first master device and the second master device are two independent devices, in one implementation, the first master device and the second master device can be connected to each other via at least one of electrical signals and optical fibers.

[0100] For example, to enable cross-network service access or data backup, it may be necessary to establish a specific communication channel or interface between two networks, such as connecting the master devices of the two networks via an Ethernet cable.

[0101] In some embodiments, to make fuller use of device resources and improve the efficiency of overall network resources, the same device can play different roles in different networks. For example, a device can act as the master in one network, responsible for managing and controlling the slave devices in that network; at the same time, it can also act as a slave in another network, receiving instructions and data from the master in that network.

[0102] In other words, in one implementation, the vehicle communication system satisfies one of the following: the first master device acts as a second slave device in the second passive optical network; the second master device acts as a first slave device in the first passive optical network; and the first master device acts as a second slave device in the second passive optical network, and the second master device acts as a first slave device in the first passive optical network.

[0103] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2, optical communication unit a serves as a master device in a passive optical network, and its slave devices include optical communication units b, c, and d. However, in a passive optical network where optical communication unit e serves as the master device, optical communication unit a serves as a slave device of optical communication unit e.

[0104] In other words, optical communication unit A can act as the master end of one network, providing control functions, while simultaneously acting as the slave end of another network, receiving data input. This approach offers greater possibilities for network innovation and expansion. The flexibility of the device's role means that new network functions and services can be more easily introduced and deployed. Because the device can freely switch roles between different networks, this configuration enhances network interoperability. Devices across different networks can communicate and exchange data more easily, thereby improving network flexibility and reducing management complexity and maintenance costs.

[0105] It should be noted that, as shown in Figure 2, optical communication units c and d can simultaneously function as slave devices in two passive optical networks. Understandably, if one network fails or experiences signal instability, the devices can seamlessly switch to the other, ensuring the continuity and stability of communication within the vehicle. This redundancy design significantly enhances the reliability of vehicle network communication, which is crucial for ensuring safe vehicle operation and passenger experience. Furthermore, this design better adapts to complex network architectures and supports more network functions and applications. For example, the device can support advanced functions such as real-time communication between the vehicle and cloud servers, and collaborative communication between the vehicle and surrounding vehicles, thereby further enhancing the vehicle's intelligence and driving experience.

[0106] In some embodiments, to improve the continuity of in-vehicle communication services, one passive optical network (PON) can be configured as a redundant backup network for another PON. When the primary network fails, the redundant backup network can quickly take over communication tasks, ensuring seamless service switching. This helps reduce driving safety hazards and passenger inconvenience caused by network outages. It should be understood that these two PONs can be completely identical overall redundancy, partially identical local redundancy, or even two completely different service networks; the choice depends on the specific requirements of the application.

[0107] Understandably, in a fully redundant configuration, the two passive optical networks are completely identical, including the same hardware, software configuration, and service applications. This configuration provides the highest reliability and availability because any failure in one network can be seamlessly taken over by the other, an identical network. Full redundancy is typically used in scenarios with extremely high reliability requirements, such as communication networks in critical infrastructure.

[0108] In a partially redundant configuration, two passive optical networks overlap or have backups for some components or services. For example, they may share some core equipment but differ in access layer or user-end equipment. Or, they may provide the same basic services but differ in value-added services. Partial redundancy can reduce system cost and complexity while ensuring a certain level of reliability.

[0109] In two completely different configurations of passive optical networks, they may employ different technologies, architectures, and service models. This configuration approach offers maximum flexibility, allowing for the customization of different services based on market demands and user preferences.

[0110] As can be seen, the vehicle-mounted communication system provided in some embodiments of this disclosure includes multiple passive optical networks (PONs), wherein the multiple PONs include at least a first PON and a second PON. The slave devices in each of the multiple PONs have the same data communication requirements. Since all slave devices in a single PON have the same data communication requirements, network designers can adopt unified standards and device configurations. This greatly simplifies the complexity of network planning, deployment, and maintenance of a single PON and improves network security.

[0111] In some embodiments, slave devices in different passive optical networks have different data communication requirements. This diversity allows each passive optical network to be customized according to the specific application scenario, providing high flexibility and enabling flexible scheduling to adapt to new requirements as technology and user needs change.

[0112] It should be noted that this disclosure does not impose any restrictions on the form of the optical communication unit (the aforementioned master-end device or slave-end device). The optical communication unit can be a controller, an actuator, or a sensor. The optical communication unit can be a separate component or it can be incorporated into other components, such as controllers, actuators, or sensors, as part of the component.

[0113] In one implementation, at least one of the first slave device and the second slave device is connected to at least one electronic device via an electrical signal communication connection.

[0114] It should be understood that electronic devices can be various sensors, actuators, and other components in a vehicle, such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, speed sensors, oxygen sensors, and acceleration sensors.

[0115] At least one of the first and second slave devices is electrically connected to at least one electronic device. That is, at least one of the first and second slave devices is connected at one end to an optical communication medium (optical fiber) and at the other end to an electronic device in the vehicle, enabling the conversion between optical signals and different electrical signals.

[0116] Understandably, at least one of the first and second slave devices is capable of converting between optical and electrical signals. This conversion capability enables the passive optical network to seamlessly connect and communicate with other electrical signal-based systems or devices. Due to the high bandwidth of optical fiber, at least one of the first and second slave devices can support high-speed data transmission, thereby improving data transmission efficiency within the vehicle.

[0117] In some embodiments, the optical communication unit may only have optical receiving function (e.g., only as a slave device), or only have optical transmitting function (e.g., only as a master device), or have both transmitting and receiving functions (e.g., simultaneously as a slave device and a slave device), and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0118] In one implementation, when the optical communication unit has an optical receiving function, the optical communication unit includes at least an optical receiving module for receiving optical signals.

[0119] The optical receiver module (also called a photodetector) is the primary component of an optical receiver. Its function is to convert optical signals transmitted from optical fibers or cables into electrical signals. In this conversion process, the photodetector responds to optical signals of a specific wavelength and converts them into corresponding electrical signals. These electrical signals can then be further amplified, processed, and decoded to recover the original information.

[0120] In one implementation, the optical receiving module can be any of the following: a photodiode (PD), a P-type semiconductor-intrinsic-N-type semiconductor diode (PIN), an avalanche photodiode (APD), a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD), or a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). This disclosure does not limit the scope of the implementation. For ease of description, some embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated using a PD as an example of an optical receiving module.

[0121] In another implementation, where the optical communication unit has an optical transmission function, the optical communication unit includes at least an optical transmitting module for transmitting optical signals.

[0122] An optical transmitter module (or optical emitter) is a key device for photoelectric conversion. It consists of a light source, a driver, and a modulator. The function of the optical transmitter is to modulate the light wave emitted by the light source based on an electrical signal, making it a modulated light wave carrying information. Then, the modulated optical signal is coupled into an optical fiber or cable for transmission.

[0123] It should be understood that the optical emitting module can be any of the following: a laser diode (LD), a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), a Fabry-Perot (FP) laser, a distributed feedback laser (DFB), an electro-absorption modulated laser (EML), or a quantum dot laser. This disclosure does not limit the scope of the invention. For ease of description, some embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated using an LD as the optical emitting module.

[0124] It should be noted that when an optical communication unit serves as both a master and slave device, it must simultaneously possess data transmission and data reception capabilities.

[0125] In some embodiments, when optical communication unit a serves as the master device of passive optical network a and the slave device of passive optical network b, optical communication unit a includes both an optical transmitting module and an optical receiving module. Optical communication unit a connects to other passive optical networks in passive optical network a through the optical transmitting module, and optical communication unit a connects to the master device in passive optical network b through the optical receiving module.

[0126] It's important to note that data transmitted and received by the master and slave devices is processed internally as electrical signals, but transmitted between devices as optical signals. Data processing may involve the device itself reading, writing, or generating data, or it may include processing and verifying data from other devices, or even directly forwarding received data. Specifically, when the network environment has high information security requirements, data processing will encompass detection, verification, and encryption / decryption operations to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. If the network requires strong disaster recovery capabilities, data processing will include steps such as replication, storage, and distribution to enhance data redundancy and recoverability. When the network has strict timeliness requirements, data processing primarily focuses on rapid data forwarding to minimize latency.

[0127] In another implementation, to facilitate the connection between the optical communication unit and the optical fiber, the optical communication unit may also include an optical interface module. The optical interface module is used to transmit the downlink optical signal sent by the optical transmitting module to the optical fiber, and to transmit the uplink optical signal received from the optical fiber to the optical receiving module.

[0128] In another implementation, the optical communication unit may also include a wavelength division multiplexer for combining optical signals of different wavelengths into a single signal, or for dividing a single optical signal into signals of different wavelengths.

[0129] In another implementation, the optical communication unit may also include a control module, which can be used to manage and control the entire optical communication unit.

[0130] It should be understood that the optical communication unit may also include a storage module, a computing module, a driving module, an amplification module, etc., and this disclosure does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0131] In another implementation, the optical communication unit may also include a protocol conversion module, which performs protocol conversion between the passive optical network (PON) protocol and non-PON protocols. In other words, the protocol conversion module is used for data conversion between different communication interfaces and the passive optical network.

[0132] When the optical communication unit includes a protocol conversion module, one end of the protocol conversion module is used to connect to a device using other communication protocols, and the other end of the protocol conversion module is used to connect to other modules in the optical communication unit (such as a control module, an optical transmitting module, or an optical receiving module).

[0133] It should be understood that the main function of the protocol conversion module is to parse, encode, and transmit data, ensuring that different devices can exchange data according to a unified standard. In a PON system, the protocol conversion module is responsible for converting data from different communication interfaces (such as Ethernet, serial interfaces, etc.) into an optical signal format that the PON network can recognize. This conversion enables different devices to communicate efficiently through the PON network, achieving bidirectional data transmission.

[0134] In one implementation, in addition to interface conversion, the protocol conversion module also needs to handle data format conversion. Different devices may use different data formats for communication, and the protocol conversion module can convert these data formats into a unified format that the PON network can recognize.

[0135] Furthermore, in vehicle communication systems, different devices may follow different communication protocols. The protocol conversion module can identify and handle the differences between these protocols, ensuring that data can be transmitted correctly between different devices.

[0136] It should be understood that this disclosure does not limit the number of protocol conversion modules in the optical communication unit. In practical applications, the number can be determined based on the number of protocols that the optical communication unit needs to convert, ensuring that the number of protocols matches the number of protocol conversion module groups. In some embodiments, when the optical communication unit needs to convert data from Ethernet and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) protocol interfaces to PON protocol interface data respectively, the optical communication unit can be equipped with a protocol conversion module for converting between Ethernet and PON protocols, and a protocol conversion module for converting between SPI and PON protocols. These are considered as two independent service channels in the optical communication unit: one channel is mainly used for converting between Ethernet and PON protocols; the other channel is mainly used for converting between SPI and PON protocols.

[0137] For ease of description, the following example illustrates the situation where the optical communication unit needs to convert the Ethernet protocol to the PON protocol.

[0138] In one implementation, the optical communication unit may include only one protocol conversion module, which enables the conversion between Ethernet protocol and PON protocol.

[0139] It should be noted that while an optical communication unit may consist of only one protocol conversion module, this does not limit the number of devices it can connect to. An optical communication unit may contain other components (such as multiplexers, splitters, etc.) that allow communication with multiple devices through a single protocol conversion module, enabling the module to process data from multiple devices simultaneously.

[0140] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, in optical communication unit a: one end of the protocol conversion module has a bidirectional interface of Ethernet protocol, through which the optical communication unit communicates and transmits with other devices via the interface and wires; the other end has a bidirectional interface of PON protocol, which is connected to LD, through which PON data is transmitted in the form of optical signals by LD, and through PD is received optical signals, converting the PON data of optical signals into electrical signals.

[0141] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, in order to reduce the number of optical fibers, the wavelengths of the LD and PD in communication unit a can be made different for transmission and reception. Through the wavelength division multiplexer in optical communication unit a, the optical signal emitted by the LD and the optical signal received by the PD can be transmitted in opposite directions on a single optical fiber at the same time.

[0142] In another implementation, the optical communication unit may include only two protocol conversion modules, one of which is used to convert the PON protocol to the Ethernet protocol, and the other is used to convert the Ethernet protocol to the PON protocol.

[0143] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, in optical communication unit b: optical fiber is used as the uplink and downlink transmission channels respectively. One end of the two protocol conversion modules in optical communication unit b has a unidirectional interface of Ethernet protocol, through which communication transmission with other devices is carried out via the interface and the wire; the other end has a unidirectional interface of PON protocol, which is connected to LD or PD. PON data is transmitted in the form of optical signal through LD, and PON data is converted into PON data through PD receiving optical signal.

[0144] It should be understood that since data transmission is carried out by two optical fibers respectively, the wavelengths of transmission and reception of LD and PD in optical communication unit b can be the same or different, and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0145] In some embodiments, multiple devices connected to the optical communication unit use the same protocol, but their transmission rates may differ. Rate mismatch can easily lead to unnecessary waiting time and bandwidth waste.

[0146] In another implementation, the optical communication unit has multiple optical receiving modules, multiple optical transmitting modules, and multiple protocol conversion modules. Each protocol conversion module is connected to one optical receiving module and one optical transmitting module. Different protocol conversion modules correspond to different PON protocols.

[0147] Therefore, a protocol conversion module can be allocated in the optical communication unit for different transmission rates, enabling the module to adapt to data streams of varying speeds and ensuring data integrity during transmission. Furthermore, it can optimize data transmission paths, reducing waiting time and bandwidth waste caused by rate mismatches, thereby improving overall communication efficiency.

[0148] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, a protocol conversion module is provided in the optical communication unit c for each transmission rate, so that it performs unidirectional conversion on a single protocol of different rates, and uses different optical fibers as transmission channels respectively.

[0149] In some embodiments, in the optical communication unit c, each protocol conversion module has a unidirectional Ethernet protocol interface at one end, through which it communicates and transmits data with other devices via a wire; and a unidirectional PON protocol interface at the other end, through which it connects to the LD (or PD). Protocol data sent by each device is converted into PON data by the protocol conversion module and then transmitted as optical signals to the optical fiber via the corresponding LD.

[0150] It should be noted that the optical communication unit shown in Figure 3 is not a limitation. In practical applications, more components can be included. For example, optical communication unit a and optical communication unit b shown in Figure 3 can be integrated into one optical communication unit. Optical communication unit a and optical communication unit b can be used to transmit different protocol data respectively.

[0151] In some embodiments, the protocol of the signal received by the optical communication unit through the optical receiving unit is different from the protocol of the signal transmitted through the optical transmitting module. They may be communication protocols used for different networks or devices, with different data formats, transmission rates and communication rules.

[0152] In one implementation, an optical communication unit in a passive optical network includes an optical receiving module, an optical transmitting module, a first protocol conversion module, and a second protocol conversion module; the first protocol conversion module is connected to the optical receiving module and is used to convert PON protocol data into first non-PON protocol data; the second protocol conversion module is connected to the optical transmitting module and is used to convert second non-PON protocol data into PON protocol data; the first non-PON protocol is different from the second non-PON protocol.

[0153] The first non-PON protocol and the second non-PON protocol are different protocols. They may be communication protocols used for different networks or devices, with different data formats, transmission rates, and communication rules. A first protocol conversion module converts PON protocol data to first non-PON protocol data to enable communication with other networks or devices. Then, a second protocol conversion module converts PON protocol data to second non-PON protocol data, thereby achieving the conversion between first non-PON protocol data and second non-PON protocol data.

[0154] This design allows PON networks to flexibly communicate with other types of networks or devices without requiring major changes or upgrades to the entire network. It improves network compatibility and scalability, making PON networks an indispensable part of modern communication networks.

[0155] Because transmission rates may vary, unnecessary waiting time and bandwidth waste can easily occur. Therefore, in one implementation, the optical communication unit contains multiple optical receiving modules and multiple first protocol conversion modules. Each first protocol conversion module is connected to one optical receiving module, and different first protocol conversion modules correspond to different PON protocols.

[0156] In another implementation, the optical communication unit has multiple optical transmitting modules and multiple second protocol conversion modules. Each second protocol conversion module is connected to one optical transmitting module, and different second protocol conversion modules among the multiple second protocol conversion modules correspond to different rates of PON protocols.

[0157] By allocating a separate protocol conversion module for different transmission rates corresponding to the same transmission protocol, the module can adapt to data streams of varying rates, ensuring data integrity during transmission. Furthermore, it can optimize data transmission paths, reducing waiting time and bandwidth waste caused by rate mismatches, thereby improving overall communication efficiency.

[0158] In some embodiments, passive optical networks (PONs) require one-to-many or many-to-many connections. To reduce the number of optical fibers in the system, a third optical splitter (or optical distributor) can be installed in the PON. Devices in the PON can be connected to this third optical splitter, allowing it to distribute the optical signal from one device to multiple devices.

[0159] In one implementation, an optical communication unit in a passive optical network can be directly connected to another optical communication unit via optical fiber, or it can be connected to multiple other optical communication units via optical fiber and a third optical splitter.

[0160] It should be understood that a third optical splitter can divide a single input optical signal into multiple segments according to a specific ratio to meet the optical signal requirements of multiple devices. This allows a single optical signal to be transmitted to multiple devices simultaneously, enabling multi-point access. In addition to distributing optical signals, the third optical splitter also has the ability to combine multiple optical signals into a single signal, converging them onto a single optical fiber for centralized transmission. This converging function helps reduce the number of optical fibers used, lowers system costs, and improves system flexibility.

[0161] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the vehicle communication system provided in some embodiments of this disclosure may further include a third optical splitter 13. Multiple optical communication units (master devices and slave devices) in each passive optical network may be connected to the third optical splitter 13 via optical fibers.

[0162] It should be noted that when using the third optical splitter, the master and slave devices in the passive optical network need to be identified first. One end of the third optical splitter is connected to the master device, and the other end is connected to multiple slave devices. This ensures that the optical signal emitted by the master device can be sent to each slave device through the third optical splitter, and that the optical signal emitted by the slave devices can be correctly sent to the master device through the third optical splitter.

[0163] As can be seen, by using a third optical splitter, a one-to-many connection that originally required multiple optical fibers can be simplified to a structure of a single optical fiber plus a third optical splitter. This not only reduces the cost of laying optical fibers but also reduces the number of fiber optic connectors, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the system. The third optical splitter allows for the easy addition or removal of slave devices in the system without requiring major modifications to the master device or the entire system.

[0164] Furthermore, traditional vehicle communication systems often include multiple active devices (such as routers, switches, repeaters, etc.). These devices not only increase the system's material costs but also require regular maintenance and configuration, placing an additional burden on vehicle owners. In contrast, the vehicle communication system in this embodiment uses a passive optical splitter as the third splitter. In this system, apart from network terminal equipment (such as onboard computers, sensors, entertainment systems, etc.), there are no active devices in the network lines, thus significantly reducing material costs and simplifying system maintenance and configuration. Since the passive optical splitter requires no power supply, it does not generate heat or electromagnetic interference, thereby improving the system's stability and reliability. In addition, the passive optical splitter has a simple structure, small size, and light weight, making it easy to wire and install inside the vehicle.

[0165] It should be noted that the vehicle-mounted communication networks provided in some embodiments of this disclosure can be configured with different devices, connections, and operating modes according to the vehicle model, configuration, and operating conditions to form different passive optical networks. Furthermore, multiplexed links or dedicated links can be configured as needed to form single-splitter networks or multi-splitter networks, creating independent communication systems, redundant communication systems, or hybrid communication systems that are partially independent and partially redundant. This disclosure does not limit the system architecture of the vehicle-mounted communication system.

[0166] In some embodiments, the vehicle includes a first area controller (e.g., the right area controller), a second area controller (e.g., the left area controller), a multimedia host, an intelligent driving domain controller, a sensor controller, and a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) device (telematics box, T-BOX). It should be understood that the sensor controller is responsible for collecting various sensor data from inside and outside the vehicle, such as vehicle speed, steering angle, acceleration, temperature, and humidity. The second area controller manages various functions in the left-side area of ​​the vehicle, such as the left-side window, door locks, and seat adjustment. The first area controller manages various functions in the right-side area of ​​the vehicle. The intelligent driving domain controller is the core component of the autonomous driving system, responsible for processing data from multiple sensors and making real-time decisions and controls.

[0167] In this context, the multiple passive optical networks in the vehicle communication network provided in some embodiments of this disclosure include at least one of the following: a first passive optical network, a second passive optical network, a third passive optical network, a fourth passive optical network, a fifth passive optical network, and a sixth passive optical network.

[0168] In one implementation, the first passive optical network uses a first area controller as the master device and at least one of a sensor controller, a second area controller, an intelligent driving domain controller, and a multimedia host as slave devices.

[0169] As can be seen, the first passive optical network is used for data transmission between multiple controllers and the multimedia host. The multiple controllers include at least one of the following: a sensor controller, a second area controller, a first area controller, and a smart driving domain controller. As a bridge for data transmission between multiple controllers and the multimedia host within the vehicle, the first passive optical network needs to have characteristics such as high bandwidth, low latency, and strong anti-interference capabilities to meet the complex data transmission requirements within the vehicle.

[0170] In one implementation, the first passive optical network is a bidirectional passive optical network.

[0171] The first area controller is responsible for initiating data, controlling transmission, and communicating with other slave devices. Other slave devices receive data from the first area controller through the first passive optical network (PON) and process or respond as needed. However, they may also send data or requests to the first area controller to achieve bidirectional information transmission and sharing. Therefore, the first PON needs to be configured as a bidirectional PON.

[0172] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 4, the first passive optical network is an inter-domain communication network. The first area controller (right area controller) acts as the master device, connecting multiple slave devices via a third optical splitter, including a second area controller (left area controller), a driving controller, a multimedia host, and a sensor controller. Since communication between controllers requires high bandwidth and low latency to ensure data real-time performance and reliability, as shown in Figure 4, the network can be configured as a symmetrical uplink and downlink 10Gbps communication network. The optical communication units in each controller include LDs and PDs supporting 10Gbps.

[0173] As can be seen, the first passive optical network (PON) is responsible for data transmission between multiple controllers and the multimedia host within the vehicle. Through the first PON, the various controllers within the vehicle can share vehicle status information in real time, such as vehicle speed, engine status, and battery level. This helps to promptly detect potential faults and take corresponding measures. Furthermore, the multimedia host can share data and work collaboratively with other controllers through the first PON, providing passengers with a high-quality entertainment experience.

[0174] In one implementation, the second passive optical network uses a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) device as the master device and at least one of a sensor controller, a first area controller, a second area controller, an intelligent driving domain controller, and a multimedia host as slave devices.

[0175] As can be seen, the second passive optical network is used for data transmission between the T-BOX and multiple controllers and multimedia hosts. The T-BOX is a key component of intelligent connected vehicles, undertaking the important task of connecting the vehicle with external ECUs (Electronic Control Units). It integrates multiple network routing technologies such as Wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) to provide stable and efficient communication services for the vehicle. The second passive optical network, by connecting the T-BOX with multiple controllers and multimedia hosts, ensures efficient communication between various controllers within the vehicle and between the vehicle and the outside world.

[0176] In one implementation, the slave devices in the second passive optical network include controllers other than the sensor controller and a multimedia host among multiple controllers; the second passive optical network is a bidirectional passive optical network.

[0177] It should be noted that vehicle-to-everything (V2X) devices are typically used for communication between the vehicle and the outside world, such as remote control, intelligent navigation, and online entertainment. This information is not essential for the core functions of the sensor controller. Therefore, the sensor controller does not need to receive network information from the V2X devices in real time. Consequently, the sensor controller does not need to act as a slave device of the V2X devices; when network communication is required, it can be done through the first area controller.

[0178] Because the sensor controller operates independently of the vehicle-to-everything (V2X) network, it is not directly exposed to the risk of cyberattacks. This reduces the risk of system failure or data breaches due to cyberattacks. Furthermore, the sensor controller does not require transceivers or information security protection devices for V2X communication, significantly reducing its hardware costs. In addition, the reduced direct connection to external networks also lowers the complexity and cost of software maintenance and updates.

[0179] In some embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 4. The second passive optical network is a T-BOX network. The T-BOX acts as the master device and connects to multiple slave devices (left area controller, right area controller, intelligent driving controller, and multimedia host) through a third optical splitter.

[0180] Since vehicles typically need to receive more data (such as downloading update packages, audio and video streams), while sending relatively less data (such as status information, sharing update packages), the uplink and downlink rates of the second passive optical network can be configured differently, with the downlink rate (5Gbps) significantly higher than the uplink rate (1Gbps). With a downlink rate as high as 5Gbps, vehicles can complete data updates within seconds, greatly improving update efficiency. The 1Gbps uplink rate enables vehicles to share update packages, audio and video data, etc., with surrounding vehicles or cloud device servers.

[0181] It should be understood that the optical communication unit of the master device in the second passive optical network includes a LD supporting 5Gbps and a PD supporting 1Gbps. The optical communication unit of the slave device includes a LD supporting 1Gbps and a PD supporting 5Gbps.

[0182] As can be seen, the second passive optical network (PON) acts as a bridge for communication with the outside world, independent of other networks. This means it is not affected by failures in other networks. This independence improves the network's reliability and stability, and reduces security risks caused by failures in other networks. Furthermore, in the event of an attack, the second PON can shut down relevant devices, thereby achieving a physical link block. This capability significantly reduces security risks, because even if an attacker breaches other network defense layers, they cannot continue transmitting data through the physical link.

[0183] In one implementation, the third passive optical network uses a sensor controller as the master device and at least one of a first area controller, a smart driving controller, and a multimedia host as slave devices.

[0184] The third passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the sensor controller and other controllers and the multimedia host. It should be understood that the sensor controller is responsible for collecting various sensor data from inside and outside the vehicle, such as vehicle speed, steering angle, acceleration, temperature, and humidity. This data is crucial for real-time vehicle status monitoring and decision-making. The third PON can transmit the data collected by the sensor controller to other controllers in real time, enabling these controllers to analyze and process the received data to achieve precise vehicle control and decision-making. Furthermore, the third PON can transmit the vehicle status information collected by the sensor controller to the multimedia host in real time for display on the screen for the driver or passengers. The multimedia host can also send commands or data to the sensor controller via the third PON to achieve richer interactive functions.

[0185] In one implementation, the slave devices in the third passive optical network include other controllers besides the sensor controller and the second area controller, as well as a multimedia host; the third passive optical network is a unidirectional passive optical network.

[0186] It should be noted that in the third passive optical network, the sensor controller, as the master device, can send sensor information to relevant slave devices as needed. The intelligent driving controller receives this sensor information for fusion computing; the multimedia host receives this sensor information for displaying the screen; the right controller, as a backup for intelligent driving, means that if the intelligent driving controller malfunctions or cannot work properly, the right controller can take over some or all of its functions, and therefore also needs to acquire sensor data.

[0187] To prevent the sensor controller from broadcasting sensor information to all controllers, the second area controller and the vehicle networking processor are not designated as slave devices of the sensor controller. This ensures on-demand data transmission and avoids unnecessary network congestion and data redundancy.

[0188] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 4, the sensor controller in the third passive optical network acts as the master device, connecting multiple slave devices (right area controller, intelligent driving controller, and multimedia host) via a third optical splitter. Since sensor data typically contains a large amount of real-time information, such as vehicle status and environmental perception, this data is crucial for vehicle decision-making and control. Therefore, to ensure the real-time performance and accuracy of the sensor data, the third passive optical network can be configured as a 10Gbps downlink communication network.

[0189] It should be understood that the communication unit of the master device in the third passive optical network includes an LD that supports 10Gbps, and the communication unit of the slave device includes a PD that supports 10Gbps.

[0190] In one implementation, the fourth passive optical network uses a sensor controller as the master device and sensors as slave devices.

[0191] The fourth passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the sensor controller and the sensors. The sensor controller is a key component in intelligent connected vehicles or IoT systems; it is responsible for receiving, processing, and analyzing data from the sensors. The sensors, on the other hand, are responsible for monitoring and collecting various information from the vehicle or environment, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and speed.

[0192] In one implementation, the master device in the fourth passive optical network is a sensor controller, and the slave devices include multiple sensors; the fourth passive optical network is a passive optical network with unidirectional uplink transmission.

[0193] Since sensors need to transmit large amounts of data to the sensor controller in real time and accurately, the bandwidth, speed and stability of data transmission are crucial. Therefore, the fourth passive optical network can be a passive optical network with unidirectional uplink transmission, that is, data can only be transmitted from the sensor to the sensor controller.

[0194] In some embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 4. In the fourth passive optical network, the sensor controller acts as the master device and connects to multiple slave devices (binocular camera, infrared camera, lidar, millimeter-wave radar, etc.) through the third beam splitter.

[0195] It should be understood that, to ensure the convergence and reception of high-bandwidth sensor data, and considering the significant differences in bandwidth between different sensors, as shown in Figure 4, the fourth passive optical network can be configured as a unidirectional uplink 2.5Gbps communication subnet and a unidirectional uplink 10Gbps communication subnet, with each subnet corresponding to a third optical splitter. The communication unit in the master device includes a PD supporting 2.5Gbps and 10Gbps, and the communication unit in the slave device includes an LD supporting 2.5Gbps or 10Gbps.

[0196] In one implementation, the fifth passive optical network uses a second area controller as the master device and devices controlled by the second area controller as slave devices.

[0197] The fifth passive optical network is used for data transmission between the second area controller and the controlled unit. The second area controller is responsible for managing various functions in the left-side area of ​​the vehicle in intelligent connected vehicles, such as window operation, door lock control, and seat adjustment. The devices controlled by the second area controller are the specific executors of these functions, such as window motors, door lock actuators, and seat adjustment motors.

[0198] To ensure the normal operation of vehicle functions and the comfort of passengers, the second area controller needs to transmit data in real time and accurately with the controlled unit. This includes issuing control commands and providing feedback on status information; therefore, the fifth communication network can be configured as a two-way communication network.

[0199] In one implementation, the second area controller in the fifth passive optical network serves as the master device, and the slave devices include multiple controlled units; the fifth passive optical network is a bidirectional passive optical network.

[0200] In some embodiments, please continue referring to Figure 4. In the fifth passive optical network, the second area controller acts as the master device, connecting multiple slave devices (instrument cluster, headlights, motor controller, brake controller, etc.) through the third optical splitter. The communication bandwidth requirement in this network is relatively small, so the network can be configured for symmetrical uplink and downlink communication of 100Mbps. That is, the optical communication units in both the master and slave devices include LDs and PDs supporting 100Mbps.

[0201] In one implementation, the sixth passive optical network uses a multimedia host as the master device and at least one of a display device and an audio device as the slave device.

[0202] The sixth passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the multimedia host and multimedia devices. The multimedia host is a core component of intelligent connected vehicles or home entertainment systems, responsible for processing, storing, and transmitting multimedia data such as audio, video, and images. Multimedia devices include displays, speakers, and cameras, which are responsible for receiving and presenting multimedia data, providing users with an audiovisual experience. To ensure real-time transmission and high-quality presentation of multimedia data, an efficient and reliable data transmission channel needs to be established between the multimedia host and multimedia devices.

[0203] In one implementation, the master device in the sixth passive optical network is a multimedia host, and the slave devices include multiple multimedia devices (display devices and audio devices); the sixth passive optical network is a one-way downlink passive optical network.

[0204] In some embodiments, please continue referring to Figure 4. In the sixth passive optical network, the multimedia host acts as the master device, connecting multiple slave devices (central control screen, passenger screen, streaming media screen, ceiling-mounted screen, armrest screen, etc.) through two third optical splitters. To ensure the distribution of high-bandwidth video data and to avoid excessive bandwidth in a single network, the sixth passive optical network can be configured as two unidirectional downlink 10Gbps communication networks. That is, the communication unit in the master device includes a 10Gbps-supporting LD, and the communication unit in the slave device includes a 10Gbps-supporting PD.

[0205] It should be noted that a subnet can also be used in the sixth passive optical network, that is, a third optical splitter can be used, but the requirements of LD and PD need to be increased to 20Gbps to meet the distribution of high-bandwidth video data.

[0206] As can be seen, in some embodiments of the vehicle communication system provided in this disclosure, multiple passive optical networks each undertake different data transmission tasks, working together to ensure efficient and reliable communication between various systems within the vehicle. The first passive optical network (used for data transmission between multiple controllers and the multimedia host) enables high-speed, high-capacity data transmission between core components within the vehicle, improving the overall system performance and response speed. The second passive optical network (used for data transmission between vehicle networking devices and multiple controllers and the multimedia host) enhances the vehicle's connectivity with external networks, enabling the vehicle to receive and process information from the Internet in real time.

[0207] The third passive optical network (used for data transmission between the sensor controller and other controllers and multimedia hosts) optimizes the transmission path of sensor data, improving the efficiency and reliability of data transmission. The fourth passive optical network (used for data transmission between the sensor controller and sensors) ensures real-time and accurate transmission of sensor data, providing a reliable data foundation for autonomous driving and intelligent control of vehicles.

[0208] The fifth passive optical network (used for data transmission between the second area controller and the controlled unit) enables precise control of the controlled unit by the second area controller, improving the stability and reliability of various functions in the left-side area of ​​the vehicle. The sixth passive optical network (used for data transmission between the multimedia host and multimedia devices) provides a high-speed, stable data transmission channel, ensuring real-time presentation and high-quality playback of multimedia data.

[0209] In other embodiments, the vehicle may include components such as a cockpit controller, a driving controller, a vehicle controller, and a powertrain chassis controller. The multiple passive optical networks include at least one of the following: a seventh passive optical network, an eighth passive optical network, and a ninth passive optical network.

[0210] In one implementation, the seventh passive optical network uses a vehicle controller as the master device and at least one of other controllers, actuators, and sensors other than the vehicle controller as slave devices.

[0211] Other controllers may include: cockpit controller, intelligent driving controller, and powertrain chassis controller.

[0212] The seventh passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the vehicle controller and other controllers, ensuring high-speed, low-latency data transmission between them (such as the engine controller, transmission controller, and battery management system). This facilitates real-time collaborative operation between controllers, optimizing overall vehicle performance and energy efficiency. Through this network, the vehicle controller can quickly receive and analyze fault information from other controllers, promptly triggering fault diagnosis and emergency response mechanisms, thereby improving vehicle safety and reliability.

[0213] In one implementation, the seventh passive optical network is a bidirectional passive optical network.

[0214] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5, in the seventh passive optical network, the vehicle controller is the master device, and the slave devices include: a cockpit controller, a driving controller, and a powertrain chassis controller. To improve communication efficiency, a bidirectional 5Gbps passive optical network can be formed among the four controllers. The master device can be connected to a third optical splitter via two optical fibers, improving the reliability of the network.

[0215] In one implementation, the eighth passive optical network uses a cockpit controller as the master device and cockpit devices as slave devices. Cockpit devices may include cameras, displays, and antennas, etc.

[0216] The eighth passive optical network is used for data transmission between the cockpit controller and cockpit equipment. It can support high-speed data transmission between the cockpit controller and cockpit equipment such as displays, audio, air conditioning, and seats, enabling smooth playback of multimedia content, intelligent voice control, personalized seat adjustment, and other functions, providing passengers with an immersive cockpit experience.

[0217] Through this network, the cockpit controller can respond to passengers' operation commands in real time, such as adjusting the volume, switching songs, and adjusting the seat angle, thereby improving the interactivity and convenience of the cockpit.

[0218] In one implementation, the eighth passive optical network is a bidirectional passive optical network.

[0219] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5, in the eighth passive optical network, the cockpit controller is the master end, and cameras, displays, antennas, etc., are slave ends. The cockpit controller is responsible for processing, analyzing, and transmitting data from the slave ends such as cameras, displays, and antennas. Cameras are used to capture image information inside and outside the vehicle, displays are used to present multimedia content and vehicle information, and antennas are used to receive and transmit wireless signals. These slave devices are connected to the cockpit controller via the passive optical network to achieve high-speed, low-latency data transmission. Since multimedia content and image information require a large bandwidth, the eighth passive optical network can be configured as a bidirectional 10Gbps passive optical network.

[0220] In one implementation, the ninth passive optical network uses a driving controller as the master device and sensors as slave devices. These sensors may include radar, cameras, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, etc., to capture environmental information about the vehicle's surroundings.

[0221] The ninth passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the intelligent driving controller and sensors, ensuring high-speed, low-latency data transmission between the intelligent driving controller and sensors such as radar, cameras, and lidar. This helps the intelligent driving controller acquire real-time environmental information about the vehicle's surroundings, enabling accurate perception and decision-making.

[0222] Through this network, the intelligent driving controller can process sensor data in a timely manner, identify potential dangerous situations, and take corresponding driving strategies, such as emergency braking and obstacle avoidance, to ensure the safe driving of the vehicle.

[0223] In one implementation, the ninth passive optical network is a passive optical network with unidirectional uplink transmission.

[0224] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5, in the ninth passive optical network, the intelligent driving controller is the master device, and cameras, LiDAR, and millimeter-wave radar are the slave devices, forming a unidirectional uplink 10Gbps passive optical network. This allows all sensor data to be centrally transmitted to the intelligent driving controller for processing. This helps reduce the amount of data transmitted in the network and improves the efficiency and accuracy of data processing. Since the data collected by the sensor devices is highly important, as shown in Figure 5, all slave devices in this network output two optical signals, each passing through a third optical splitter and connected to the master device via two main optical fibers, greatly improving the network's fault tolerance.

[0225] In one implementation, as shown in Figure 5, in the vehicle communication system, low-bandwidth actuator sensors, such as some basic temperature sensors and pressure sensors, transmit relatively small amounts of data and have low requirements for real-time performance and bandwidth. Therefore, these sensors can be connected to the vehicle controller or powertrain chassis controller via a bus network (such as CAN bus, LIN bus, etc.).

[0226] For high-bandwidth actuator sensors, such as high-definition cameras and LiDAR, which require the transmission of large amounts of image or point cloud data, high real-time performance and bandwidth are essential. Therefore, these sensors are better suited for connection to the vehicle controller or powertrain chassis controller via fiber optic cables.

[0227] For actuator sensors that require both high bandwidth and safety redundancy, such as critical sensors in autonomous driving systems, their data transmission not only needs to be high-speed and accurate, but also requires redundant backup to improve system safety. Therefore, these sensors can be connected to the vehicle controller or powertrain chassis controller simultaneously via both bus and fiber optic connections.

[0228] As can be seen from the above embodiments, when a vehicle is equipped with components such as a cockpit controller, intelligent driving controller, vehicle controller, and powertrain chassis controller, the seventh passive optical network plays the role of a bridge connecting the vehicle controller with other controllers (such as the powertrain chassis controller). Its high-speed and stable data transmission capability ensures that the vehicle controller can obtain the status information and control commands of other controllers in real time and accurately.

[0229] The eighth passive optical network (PON) focuses on data transmission between the cockpit controller and various devices within the cockpit (such as displays, audio systems, and air conditioning). Its efficient data transmission capabilities provide a stable and fast communication channel for intelligent devices within the cockpit. The ninth PON is a crucial channel connecting the autonomous driving controller with various sensors on the vehicle (such as radar, cameras, and lidar). Its high-speed, high-capacity data transmission capabilities provide the autonomous driving system with real-time and accurate environmental perception information.

[0230] In other embodiments, as the automotive industry evolves towards greater integration, intelligence, and efficiency, multiple domain controllers are gradually integrated. Only a central controller may be installed in the vehicle, with all terminals connected to it. In this case, the multiple passive optical networks in the vehicular communication system include at least one of the following: a tenth passive optical network, an eleventh passive optical network, a twelfth passive optical network, and a thirteenth passive optical network.

[0231] In one implementation, the tenth passive optical network uses a central controller as the master device and at least one of actuators and sensors as slave devices.

[0232] The tenth passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the central controller and actuators and sensors. It is responsible for connecting the central controller with various actuators (such as motors and braking systems) and sensors (such as temperature sensors and pressure sensors) on the vehicle. Through the tenth PON, the central controller can continuously monitor the data from various sensors on the vehicle, promptly detect potential faults or abnormalities, and improve the vehicle's safety and reliability.

[0233] As the master device of the 10th Passive Optical Network, the central controller plays a central role in data processing. It is responsible for receiving data from various slave devices (actuators and sensors), processing and analyzing it in real time, and issuing corresponding control commands based on the processing results.

[0234] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 6, in the tenth passive optical network, actuator sensors located close to each other can be connected to a signal aggregation board via wires. The aggregation board includes a photoelectric conversion module that can aggregate multiple electrical signals and output a single optical signal to the central controller. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5, multiple aggregation boards are connected to a third optical splitter via optical fibers and ultimately connected to the central controller to form a bidirectional 1Gbps passive optical network.

[0235] As can be seen, this method, by setting up a photoelectric conversion module in the aggregation board, eliminates the need to set up a photoelectric conversion module in each slave device, greatly reducing the number of photoelectric conversion modules and cables.

[0236] In one implementation, the 11th Passive Optical Network uses a central controller as the master device and radar devices as slave devices.

[0237] The eleventh passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the central controller and radar devices, focusing on connecting the central controller to radar devices on the vehicle (such as forward-facing radar and side radar). Radar devices are a crucial component of autonomous driving systems, used to perceive the vehicle's surrounding environment in real time. Based on radar data, the central controller can identify surrounding vehicles, pedestrians, and other targets, providing critical information for the vehicle's path planning and obstacle avoidance.

[0238] The central controller, as the master device of the eleventh passive optical network, is the core of data processing and decision-making. It is responsible for receiving raw data from the radar equipment, preprocessing, analyzing, and fusing it to generate an accurate understanding of the vehicle's surrounding environment. It should be understood that, as shown in Figure 6, the radar equipment can be ultrasonic radar or millimeter-wave radar; this embodiment does not limit the application to either.

[0239] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6, in the eleventh passive optical network, ultrasonic radars are connected to the central controller via a convergence board and a third optical splitter to form a unidirectional uplink 5Gbps passive optical network.

[0240] In one implementation, the twelfth passive optical network uses a central controller as the master device and camera devices as slave devices.

[0241] The twelfth passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the central controller and the camera equipment, connecting the central controller to the camera equipment on the vehicle (such as front-facing cameras, rear-facing cameras, surround-view cameras, etc.). The camera equipment provides rich visual information for the autonomous driving system. Based on the camera data, the central controller can perform image recognition, target detection, and other processing, further enriching the perception capabilities of the autonomous driving system.

[0242] The central controller has powerful data processing capabilities, enabling it to process high-definition video streams transmitted by camera equipment in real time and perform complex tasks such as image recognition and target detection.

[0243] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 6, in the twelfth passive optical network, camera devices (such as panoramic cameras, binocular cameras, in-cabin cameras, LiDAR, etc.) are connected to the central controller via optical fibers and a third optical splitter, forming a unidirectional uplink 10Gbps passive optical network. As shown in Figure 6, cameras and radars involved in intelligent driving can be connected to the central controller via two separate backbone optical fibers, improving disaster recovery capabilities.

[0244] In one implementation, the 13th Passive Optical Network uses a central controller as the master device and display devices as slave devices.

[0245] The thirteenth passive optical network (PON) is used for data transmission between the central controller and display devices, connecting the central controller to the vehicle's display devices (such as the instrument panel and central control display). The display devices are a crucial interface for interaction between the vehicle and the driver. Through the thirteenth PON, the central controller can display important information such as vehicle status, navigation information, and driver assistance prompts on the screen in real time, improving the driver's awareness of the vehicle's status. The display devices can also serve as input devices for driver-vehicle interaction, receiving driver commands via touchscreens and transmitting them to the central controller for processing via the thirteenth PON.

[0246] In one implementation, the master device of the thirteenth passive optical network is a central controller, and the slave devices include display devices.

[0247] The central controller possesses powerful data processing capabilities, enabling it to process information from multiple data sources in real time, perform complex tasks such as target detection and environmental understanding, and generate control commands or status information based on these tasks. The processed information needs to be efficiently transmitted to the display device via a 13th Passive Optical Network (PON). The central controller is responsible for formatting the information into a format suitable for the display device to receive, and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the information.

[0248] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 6, in the thirteenth passive optical network, display devices (such as central control screens, passenger screens, streaming media screens, augmented reality head-up displays (AR-HUDs), etc.) are connected to the central controller via optical fibers and a third optical splitter, forming a 10Gbps downlink passive optical network. Since display devices such as 4K / 8K ceiling-mounted screens and laser projectors have high bandwidth requirements, they can be directly connected to the central controller via a separate optical fiber.

[0249] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide an electronic and electrical system, including an in-vehicle communication system, which can be the in-vehicle communication system described above.

[0250] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a vehicle including an electronic and electrical system, which may be the electronic and electrical system described above.

[0251] In traditional PON networks, communication between the master and slave ends is direct, while communication between slave ends requires forwarding through the master end. Furthermore, traditional PON networks only have one master end, enabling only point-to-multipoint communication. Therefore, traditional PON networks suffer from low bandwidth utilization.

[0252] Based on this, some embodiments of this disclosure provide a vehicle communication system, which includes: a third master device, a fourth master device, at least one third slave device, and a first optical splitter; the first optical splitter is connected to the third master device, the fourth master device, and the at least one third slave device via optical fibers.

[0253] As can be seen, the vehicle-mounted communication system provided in some embodiments of this disclosure uses optical fiber as the communication medium and passive optical devices (splitters) to achieve the transmission, distribution, and access of optical signals, eliminating the need for additional active equipment. Multiple master devices can share the same optical fiber to send optical signals to slave devices, thereby significantly saving optical fiber resources and equipment costs. In other words, multiple master devices belonging to the same PON share an optical fiber, which can share the bandwidth resources of the same optical fiber, improving bandwidth utilization and thus enhancing communication efficiency.

[0254] Please refer to Figure 7. In some embodiments of this disclosure, at least one passive optical network of a vehicle communication system includes: a third master device 101, a fourth master device 102, at least one third slave device 103, and a first optical splitter 104.

[0255] As shown in Figure 7, the first optical splitter 104 is connected to the third master device 101, the fourth master device 102 and at least one third slave device 103 via optical fibers.

[0256] In some embodiments, the master device in the vehicle communication system (which may be a third master device, a fourth master device, or a fifth master device) may be an optical line terminal (OLT) or an integrated OLT; the slave device in the vehicle communication system (which may be a third slave device, a fourth slave device, or a fifth slave device) may be an optical network unit (ONU) or an integrated ONU.

[0257] In some embodiments, the master device of the in-vehicle communication system includes various controllers that play a crucial role in the vehicle's internal network, responsible for managing and coordinating other devices (slave devices) within the vehicle. This disclosure does not limit the form of the master device. In some embodiments, the master device may include at least one of the following: a vehicle control unit (VCU), a battery management system (BMS), a motor control unit (MCU), a body control module (BCM), a gateway, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) controller, a smart driving controller, a cockpit controller, a sensor controller, a powertrain controller, a smart driving domain controller, a cockpit domain controller, a zone controller, and a multimedia host.

[0258] In some embodiments, multiple master devices can communicate via fiber optic or electrical communication. This allows for direct communication between the multiple master devices, improving communication efficiency.

[0259] In some embodiments, the slave devices of an in-vehicle communication system typically refer to various sensors, actuators, and other low-level devices. Slave devices can collect various vehicle data and convert it into optical signals for transmission to the master device via optical fiber for processing. Alternatively, slave devices can receive control commands from the master device and execute corresponding operations based on these commands. In some embodiments, slave devices may include: temperature sensors, pressure sensors, image sensors, radar devices (e.g., radar sensors), headlights, motor controllers, brake controllers, actuators (such as fuel injectors, ignition coils, etc.), displays (e.g., instrument panels), or indicators.

[0260] In some embodiments, the first optical splitter 104 is used to transmit downlink optical signals sent by the third master device or the fourth master device to at least one third slave device, and to transmit uplink optical signals sent by each of the at least one third slave devices to the third master device and the fourth master device, respectively.

[0261] In other words, the first optical splitter 104 can distribute the downlink optical signal sent by the master device to each of its connected slave devices, and can also distribute the uplink optical signal sent by the slave device to each of its connected master devices.

[0262] It should be understood that an optical splitter can divide a single input optical signal into multiple segments according to a specific ratio to meet the optical signal requirements of multiple devices, allowing a single optical signal to be transmitted to multiple devices simultaneously, thus achieving multi-point access. In addition to distributing optical signals, an optical splitter also has the ability to combine multiple optical signals into a single stream, enabling centralized transmission over a single optical fiber. This aggregation function helps reduce the number of optical fibers used, lowers system costs, and improves system flexibility.

[0263] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the optical fiber can be single-mode fiber or multi-mode fiber. Furthermore, to adapt to automotive applications, various protective materials can be applied around the optical fiber to form an optical cable or a hybrid optical-electrical cable formed by combining it with electrical wires. The optical fiber should be understood as an optical link, which can be single-fiber bidirectional or dual-fiber bidirectional; it can be a single optical cable or multiple optical cables spliced ​​together. The optical fiber link can be in the form of a common cable or a flat film; this disclosure does not impose any limitations on this.

[0264] In some embodiments, to improve the transmission capacity and efficiency of optical fibers and reduce network construction and maintenance costs, it is necessary to minimize the amount of optical fiber used. This means multiplexing some optical links in the optical communication system so that signals between different devices can be transmitted within the same optical fiber. However, when multiple optical signals of the same wavelength are transmitted simultaneously in an optical fiber, they will superimpose within the fiber. Due to the wave nature of light, these signals may produce constructive or destructive interference during superposition. Constructive interference enhances signal strength, while destructive interference weakens it. However, in most cases, this interference is random and unpredictable, thus leading to fluctuations in signal strength, i.e., signal distortion.

[0265] To avoid signal distortion, optical signal transmission can be achieved in the following ways:

[0266] Regarding the downlink optical signal transmitted by the master device: In one implementation, the wavelength of the downlink optical signal transmitted by the third master device is different from the wavelength of the downlink optical signal transmitted by the fourth master device. In another implementation, the working time slot occupied by the downlink optical signal transmitted by the third master device is different from the working time slot occupied by the downlink optical signal transmitted by the fourth master device.

[0267] Regarding the uplink optical signals sent by the slave devices: in one implementation, the wavelengths of the uplink optical signals sent by each third slave device are different; in another implementation, the working time slots occupied by the uplink optical signals sent by each third slave device are different.

[0268] In other words, multiple master devices and at least one slave device communicate using at least one of time-division multiplexing (TDM) and wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). Specifically, multiple master devices transmit downlink optical signals using either TDM or WDM, and at least one slave device transmits uplink optical signals using either TDM or WDM.

[0269] Time division multiplexing (TDM) is a technique that divides time into multiple time slots, each allocated to a different signal source for transmission. This time division fully utilizes the bandwidth of optical fibers. Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) is a technique that transmits optical signals of different wavelengths in parallel on the same optical fiber. Because different wavelengths can be transmitted in parallel, the transmission capacity of optical fibers can be significantly increased. The following sections introduce these various transmission methods.

[0270] (1) Downlink time-division multiplexing

[0271] In some embodiments, multiple master devices transmit downlink optical signals in a time-division multiplexing manner, including: each of the multiple master devices transmits downlink optical signals in its corresponding working time slot; different master devices correspond to different working time slots.

[0272] Time is divided into multiple time slots, with each master device corresponding to one working time slot. When one master device transmits a downlink optical signal within its assigned working time slot, other master devices remain silent to avoid signal interference. It can be seen that TDM can increase the number of signals without increasing fiber bandwidth by dividing time. These optical signals of the same wavelength can be distinguished in different time slots, thereby achieving parallel transmission of multiple signals.

[0273] In one implementation, at least one slave device can determine the operating time slot corresponding to each master device based on a predefined method or a signaling indication method. Therefore, based on the operating time slot of the received downlink optical signal, the slave device can determine which master device is transmitting the downlink optical signal, thus enabling it to respond correctly.

[0274] In one implementation, a time interval exists between two adjacent time slots to ensure that signals do not interfere with each other. This time interval allows the slave device sufficient time to process the signal after receiving an optical signal from a master device and to prepare for the next master device to send a signal. Furthermore, the time interval helps reduce signal overlap or loss due to clock drift or synchronization errors.

[0275] In one implementation, the duration of the working time slots corresponding to different master devices may be the same or different, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0276] In one implementation, the duration of the working time slot corresponding to each of the multiple master devices is determined based on the fiber length from the slave device to the master device.

[0277] It is understandable that optical signals experience latency during transmission in optical fibers due to the limited propagation speed of light within the fiber. Transmission latency is directly proportional to the fiber length; that is, the longer the fiber, the greater the latency (the time required for data to travel from the sender to the receiver). Significant latency can impact the performance of the communication system, potentially causing the receiver (slave device) to fail to receive the signal sent by the master device within the pre-configured time slot corresponding to the master device's operating time slot.

[0278] Therefore, in one implementation, an arrival interval design value can be set for the optical signals sent by each master device to ensure that the optical signals do not interfere with each other and can arrive at the slave devices in a predetermined order and time. Then, based on the fiber length from the slave device to the master device and the arrival interval design value, the corresponding working time slot (or the interval between working time slots) of the master device is determined, so that the optical signals sent by multiple master devices arrive at the slave devices after each arrival interval design value.

[0279] In some embodiments, when there is an interval between the working time slots corresponding to master device A and master device B, the length of this interval is affected by various factors, including data volume, allocation strategy, and signal propagation speed. If master device B is farther away from the receiving end (slave device) than master device A, then in order to ensure that the data of master device B can reach the receiving end within a predetermined time, master device B needs to send data in advance.

[0280] In other words, the time interval between the working time slots of master device A and master device B may be shortened due to various factors (such as differences in fiber length, signal propagation speed, equipment processing time, etc.), and even a negative interval may occur in some extreme cases, that is, master device B starts sending data before master device A.

[0281] Therefore, in actual transmission, the time slots corresponding to the master equipment and the time intervals between time slots can be determined based on the differences in fiber length, signal propagation speed, and equipment processing time, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0282] (2) Downlink Wavelength Division Multiplexing

[0283] In some embodiments, multiple master devices transmit downlink optical signals via wavelength division multiplexing, including: the downlink optical signals transmitted by different master devices have different operating wavelengths.

[0284] The optical transmitter of the master device can emit downlink optical signals at different operating wavelengths, which increases the system's communication capacity and flexibility. By using different operating wavelengths, multiple master devices can simultaneously send information to slave devices without interfering with each other.

[0285] Multiple master devices transmit downlink optical signals via wavelength division multiplexing, which can double the total downlink bandwidth without increasing the device speed. This is suitable for scenarios with large downlink data from multiple master devices and scenarios with high real-time requirements, such as master devices like intelligent driving controllers and cockpit controllers sending ultra-high-definition video data to multiple displays (slave devices) simultaneously.

[0286] (3) Uplink time-division multiplexing

[0287] In some embodiments, at least one slave device transmits uplink optical signals via time-division multiplexing, including: each of the plurality of slave devices transmits uplink optical signals in its corresponding working time slot; different slave devices correspond to different working time slots.

[0288] In one implementation, there is a time interval between the working time slots corresponding to each of the multiple slave devices. In another implementation, the working time slot corresponding to each of the multiple slave devices is determined based on the fiber optic length from the master device to the slave device.

[0289] In another implementation, an arrival interval design value can be set for the optical signals sent by each slave device to ensure that the optical signals do not interfere with each other and arrive at the master device in a predetermined order and time. Then, based on the fiber length from the slave device to the master device and the arrival interval design value, the corresponding working time slot (or the interval between working time slots) of the slave device is determined, so that the optical signals sent by multiple slave devices arrive at the master device after each arrival interval design value.

[0290] (4) Uplink Wavelength Division Multiplexing

[0291] In some embodiments, at least one slave device transmits uplink optical signals via wavelength division multiplexing, including: the operating wavelengths of the uplink optical signals transmitted by different slave devices among the plurality of slave devices are different.

[0292] By transmitting uplink optical signals through wavelength division multiplexing, the total uplink bandwidth can be doubled without increasing the device speed. This method is suitable for scenarios with a large number of slave devices and a large amount of uplink data, as well as scenarios with high real-time requirements, such as slave devices like cameras, LiDAR, and millimeter-wave radar that need to simultaneously send high-resolution images and point cloud data to master devices like intelligent driving controllers and vehicle controllers.

[0293] It should be noted that the above scheme describes optical signal transmission from the perspective of time division multiplexing or wavelength division multiplexing for the master and slave devices respectively. However, in practical applications, the above methods can also be used in combination.

[0294] For the downlink direction, multiple master devices are divided into multiple master device groups. Different master device groups transmit downlink optical signals using time-division multiplexing, while master devices within the same group transmit downlink optical signals using wavelength-division multiplexing. In some embodiments, master device group 1 corresponds to working time slot 1, master device group 2 corresponds to working time slot 2, and master device 1 in master device group 1 transmits downlink optical signals with wavelength λ in working time slot 1. d1 The optical signal, transmitted by master device 2 in master device group 1 with wavelength λ in working time slot 1. d2 The optical signal, transmitted by the master device 3 in master device group 2 with a wavelength of λ in working time slot 2. d1 The optical signal, transmitted by the master device 4 in master device group 2 with a wavelength of λ in working time slot 2. d2 The optical signal.

[0295] Alternatively, different master device groups can transmit downlink optical signals using wavelength division multiplexing, while master devices within the same group can transmit downlink optical signals using time division multiplexing. In some embodiments, master device 1 can transmit wavelength λ at all times. d1 The optical signal and the main terminal devices 2 to n transmit wavelength λ in their respective working time slots. d2 The optical signal, the example process will not be repeated.

[0296] For the uplink direction, at least one slave device is divided into multiple slave device groups. Different slave device groups transmit uplink optical signals using time division multiplexing, while slave devices within the same group transmit uplink optical signals using wavelength division multiplexing; or, different slave device groups transmit uplink optical signals using wavelength division multiplexing, while slave devices within the same group transmit uplink optical signals using time division multiplexing.

[0297] The following section provides an exemplary description of the vehicle communication system in conjunction with the various transmission methods described above.

[0298] Example 1: Downlink time-division multiplexing, uplink time-division multiplexing

[0299] Referring to Figure 7, and then to Figures 8 and 9, each device in the vehicle communication system includes a photodiode (PD) and a laser diode (LD), where the LD is used to emit optical signals and the PD is used to receive optical signals.

[0300] During communication, in the downlink direction, master device 1 in the first time slot t d1 Send optical signals at interval t ds1 Afterwards, in the second time slot t, the master device 2... d2 Sending optical signals, ..., the master device n in time slot n t dn Send optical signals at interval t dsn Afterwards, in the first time slot t, the master device 1... d1 Sending light signals...

[0301] In the uplink direction, slave device 1 in the first time slot t u1 Send optical signals at interval t us1 Then, in the second time slot t, the slave device 2... u2 Sending optical signals, ..., the slave device m in time slot m t um Send optical signals at interval t usm Then, slave device 1 in the first time slot t u1 Sending light signals...

[0302] Example 2: Downlink wavelength division multiplexing, uplink time division multiplexing

[0303] Referring to Figure 7, and further to Figures 10 and 11, each master device in the vehicular communication system includes a PD and an LD, and each slave device includes a PD array and an LD. The LDs of master devices 1-n are used to emit wavelengths of λ. d1 -λ dn The optical signal, the wavelength of the optical signal emitted by the LD of multiple slave devices is λ. u The PDs of master devices 1-n are used to receive wavelengths of λ. u The optical signal, the PD array of the slave device is used to receive the wavelength λ d1 -λ dn The optical signal.

[0304] During communication, in the downlink direction, master devices 1-n can transmit optical signals at any time; in the uplink direction, slave device a transmits signals in the first time slot t. u1 Send optical signals at interval t us1 Then, in the second time slot t, the slave device b... u2 Sending optical signals, ..., the slave device n in the nth time slot t um Send optical signals at interval t usmThen, slave device a in the first time slot t u1 Sending light signals...

[0305] Example 3: Downlink time-division multiplexing, uplink wavelength-division multiplexing

[0306] Referring to Figures 12 and 13, each master device in the vehicular communication system includes a PD array and an LD, and each slave device includes a PD and an LD. The LDs of master devices 1-n are used to emit wavelengths of λ. d The optical signal, from the end devices 1-m respectively, is used to emit wavelengths of λ. u1 -λ um The optical signal. The PD array of the master devices 1-n is used to receive the wavelength λ. u1 -λ um The optical signal, the PD of the slave device is used to receive the wavelength λ d The optical signal.

[0307] During communication, in the downlink direction, master device 1 in the first time slot t d1 Send optical signals at interval t ds1 Afterwards, in the second time slot t, the master device 2... d2 Sending optical signals, ..., the master device n in time slot n t dn Send optical signals at interval t dsn Afterwards, in the first time slot t, the master device 1... d1 Sending optical signals... In the uplink direction, the slave device 1-m can send optical signals at any time.

[0308] Example 4: Downlink Wavelength Division Multiplexing, Uplink Wavelength Division Multiplexing

[0309] Referring to Figures 14 and 15, each device in the vehicle communication system includes a PD array and an LD. The LDs of the master devices 1-n are respectively used to emit wavelengths of λ. d1 -λ dn The optical signal, from the end devices 1-m respectively, is used to emit wavelengths of λ. u1 -λ um The optical signal. The PD array of the master devices 1-n is used to receive the wavelength λ. u1 -λ um The optical signal, the PD array of the slave device is used to receive the wavelength λ d1 -λ dn The optical signal.

[0310] During communication, both the master device 1-n and the slave device 1-m can send optical signals at any time in both the uplink and downlink directions.

[0311] It should be noted that, in order to facilitate the simultaneous transmission of uplink and downlink optical signals in the optical fiber, in one implementation, the wavelength of the uplink optical signal is different from the wavelength of the downlink optical signal. This allows multiple optical signals of different wavelengths to be transmitted simultaneously in the same optical fiber, thereby greatly improving the fiber's transmission capacity.

[0312] The structure of the master and slave devices is described below.

[0313] (1) Main terminal equipment

[0314] As shown in Figure 16, the master device includes at least a first optical receiving unit 1011 and a first optical transmitting unit 1012. The first optical receiving unit is used to receive uplink optical signals, and the first optical transmitting unit is used to output downlink optical signals.

[0315] It should be understood that the first optical emitting unit (or optical transmitter) is the key device for realizing photoelectric conversion. It consists of a light source (such as an LD or light-emitting diode (LED)) and a driver. The function of the first optical emitting unit is to modulate the light wave emitted by the light source based on an electrical signal, making it a modulated light wave carrying information. Then, the modulated optical signal is coupled into an optical fiber or optical cable for transmission.

[0316] The first optical receiving unit (or photodetector) is used to convert optical signals transmitted from optical fibers or cables into electrical signals. During this conversion process, the first optical receiving unit responds to optical signals of a specific wavelength and converts them into corresponding electrical signals. These electrical signals can then be further amplified, processed, and decoded to recover the original information.

[0317] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG16, the master device further includes a first control unit 1013, which is used to control the operation of the first optical receiving unit 1011 and the first optical transmitting unit 1012.

[0318] In some embodiments, to facilitate the connection between the master device and the optical fiber, as shown in FIG16, the master device further includes a first optical interface unit 1014, which is used to connect to the optical fiber. It should be understood that the first optical interface unit 1014 is used to transmit the downlink optical signal sent by the first optical transmitting unit 1012 to the optical fiber, and to transmit the uplink optical signal received from the optical fiber to the first optical receiving unit. The first optical interface unit simplifies and directly connects the master device to the optical fiber. It typically has a standardized interface specification, allowing for easy insertion or connection of optical fiber patch cords or cables, thus avoiding complex wiring and configuration processes. When it is necessary to replace the optical fiber or upgrade the master device, simply disconnect the optical interface unit from the optical fiber and then perform the corresponding replacement or upgrade operation. This significantly reduces maintenance and time costs.

[0319] To improve fiber optic utilization efficiency, the operating wavelengths of the downlink and uplink optical signals can be made different, enabling bidirectional transmission of both signals within the same fiber and increasing fiber utilization. However, due to the different locations of the first optical transmitting unit and the first optical receiving unit, while bidirectional transmission is possible, the optical path cannot be perfectly bidirectionally symmetrical. In some embodiments, the downlink optical signal is emitted by the first optical transmitting unit and transmitted to the first optical interface unit. The uplink optical signal, on the other hand, is emitted by the first optical interface unit and needs to be transmitted in reverse to the first optical receiving unit. Because the optical path is not bidirectionally symmetrical, the uplink optical signal may not be able to directly reach the first optical receiving unit. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between the optical signals (uplink and downlink) transmitted in the first optical interface unit. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG16, the main device further includes a first filtering unit 1015. The first filtering unit (or filter) can selectively reflect or transmit light signals of a specific wavelength. Therefore, when the operating wavelength of the downlink light signal and the operating wavelength of the uplink light signal are different, the first filtering unit can reflect one of the uplink light signal and transmit the other.

[0320] In one implementation, the first filtering unit is used to transmit uplink optical signals from the first optical interface unit to the first optical receiving unit, and to transmit downlink optical signals output by the first optical transmitting unit to the first optical interface unit.

[0321] In another implementation, the first filtering unit is used to transmit the uplink optical signal from the first optical interface unit to the first optical receiving unit, and to reflect the downlink optical signal output by the first optical transmitting unit to the first optical interface unit.

[0322] In some embodiments, when the uplink optical signal is transmitted using wavelength division multiplexing, the number of first optical receiving units in the third master device is determined according to the number of operating wavelengths of the uplink optical signal, and each first optical receiving unit is used to receive an uplink optical signal of one operating wavelength.

[0323] As shown in Figure 17, there are multiple first optical receiving units 1011 in the master device. The number of first optical receiving units can be greater than or equal to the number of wavelengths used in the wavelength division multiplexing method of the uplink optical signal, so that each first optical receiving unit can be used to receive an uplink optical signal of one wavelength.

[0324] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG17, the master device further includes a first demultiplexing unit 1016, which is connected between the first optical interface unit 1014 and a plurality of first optical receiving units 1011. The first demultiplexing unit 1016 is used to demultiplex the received uplink optical signal and transmit the resulting uplink optical signal of one or more operating wavelengths to the corresponding first optical receiving unit 1011.

[0325] (2) Slave device

[0326] As shown in Figure 18, the slave device includes at least a second optical receiving unit 1021 and a second optical transmitting unit 1022. The second optical receiving unit 1021 is used to receive downlink optical signals, and the second optical transmitting unit is used to output uplink optical signals.

[0327] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG18, the slave device further includes a second control unit 1023, which is used to control the operation of the second optical receiving unit 1021 and the second optical transmitting unit 1022.

[0328] In some embodiments, to facilitate the connection between the slave device and the optical fiber, as shown in FIG18, the slave device further includes a second optical interface unit 1024, which is used to connect to the optical fiber. It should be understood that the second optical interface unit 1024 is used to transmit the downlink optical signal sent by the second optical transmitting unit 1022 to the optical fiber, and to transmit the uplink optical signal received from the optical fiber to the second optical receiving unit.

[0329] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG18, the slave device further includes a second filtering unit 1025, which is connected to the second optical interface unit, the second optical emitting unit, and the second optical receiving unit respectively. The second filtering unit (or filter) can selectively reflect or transmit optical signals of a specific wavelength. Therefore, when the operating wavelength of the downlink optical signal and the operating wavelength of the uplink optical signal are different, the first filtering unit can reflect one of the uplink optical signal and transmit the other.

[0330] In one implementation, the second filtering unit is used to reflect the uplink optical signal transmitted by the second optical transmitting unit to the second optical interface unit, and to transmit the downlink optical signal from the second optical interface unit to the second optical receiving unit.

[0331] In another implementation, the second filtering unit is used to transmit the uplink optical signal sent by the second optical transmitting unit to the second optical interface unit, and to reflect the downlink optical signal from the second optical interface unit to the second optical receiving unit.

[0332] In some embodiments, when the uplink optical signal is transmitted using wavelength division multiplexing, the number of second optical receiving units in the third slave device is determined according to the number of operating wavelengths of the uplink optical signal. When there are multiple second optical receiving units, each of the multiple second optical receiving units is used to receive a downlink optical signal of one operating wavelength.

[0333] When the downlink optical signal is transmitted using wavelength division multiplexing, as shown in Figure 19, there are multiple second optical receiving units in the slave device. The number of second optical receiving units is greater than or equal to the number of wavelengths used in the wavelength division multiplexing of the downlink optical signal, so that each second optical receiving unit can be used to receive downlink optical signals of one wavelength.

[0334] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG19, the slave device further includes a second demultiplexing unit 1026, which is connected between the second optical interface unit 1024 and the plurality of second optical receiving units 1021. The second demultiplexing unit 1026 is used to demultiplex the received downlink optical signal and transmit the resulting downlink optical signal of one or more operating wavelengths to the corresponding second optical receiving unit 1021.

[0335] It should be understood that, in one implementation, at least one of the first and second optical emitting units may include any of the following: a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), a fabric-perot (FP) laser, a distributed feedback laser (DFB), an electro-absorption modulated laser (EML), or a quantum dot laser. This disclosure does not impose any limitations on this.

[0336] In one implementation, at least one of the first and second optical receiving units may include any of the following: a positive-intrinsic-negative diode (PIN diode, PIN), an avalanche photodiode (APD), a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD), or a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). This disclosure does not impose any limitations on this.

[0337] This disclosure does not limit the connection methods between the master device and the splitter, the master device and the slave device, or the slave device and the splitter.

[0338] In some embodiments, the optical splitter in the vehicle communication system may be one or more.

[0339] In one implementation, the passive optical network of the vehicular communication system further includes a second optical splitter, which is connected via optical fiber to one of the third master device and the fourth master device, and via optical fiber to the at least one third slave device.

[0340] In other words, when there are multiple optical splitters in a vehicle communication system, each optical splitter can connect to some or all of the master devices. For example, as shown in Figure 20, optical splitter a connects only some of the master devices (master device 1 and master device 2), while optical splitter b connects all of the master devices (master device 1, master device 2, and master device n).

[0341] In some embodiments, when there are multiple optical splitters, each optical splitter can connect to some or all of the master devices in at least one slave device. For example, as shown in FIG7, the optical splitter connects to all the slave devices. As another example, as shown in FIG20, optical splitter a connects to some slave devices (slave device 1 and slave device 2).

[0342] It's understandable that, given multiple master devices belonging to the same vehicle-mounted communication system, a single optical splitter can connect only a portion of the master devices. This provides greater flexibility. Designers can dynamically adjust the splitter connections according to actual needs to meet communication requirements in different scenarios. Furthermore, for particularly critical or high-demand master devices, the number of splitters they can connect to can be increased. The advantage of this is that even if one splitter fails, the master device can still maintain communication through the other splitters, thus significantly improving the system's fault tolerance and reliability.

[0343] In some embodiments, it is assumed that there are five master devices in the vehicular communication system, one of which is a critical device responsible for vehicle safety control. To ensure that this critical device can maintain uninterrupted communication under any circumstances, two optical splitters can be connected to this device. In this way, even if one optical splitter fails for some reason, the other optical splitter can still continue to provide services to the critical device, thereby avoiding communication interruption due to optical splitter failure.

[0344] In some embodiments, when the master device is connected to multiple optical splitters, the master device includes multiple sets of first optical receiving units and multiple sets of first optical transmitting units. Each set of first optical receiving units is connected to one optical splitter, and each set of first optical transmitting units is connected to one optical splitter. For example, as shown in FIG20, the master device 1 is connected to optical splitter a and optical splitter b respectively. The master device 1 has two sets of communication components. Each set of communication components includes one first optical transmitting unit and one first optical receiving unit. One set of communication components (LD1 and PD1) is connected to optical splitter a, and the other set of communication components (LD2 and PD2) is connected to optical splitter b.

[0345] In other embodiments, when the master device is connected to multiple optical splitters, the master device includes a first optical receiving unit, a first optical transmitting unit, and a first optical splitting unit. The first optical splitting unit is connected to the first optical receiving unit, the first optical transmitting unit, and multiple optical splitters (including at least one optical splitter). The first optical splitting unit is used to converge uplink optical signals transmitted by multiple optical splitters and transmit them to the first optical receiving unit, and to transmit downlink optical signals sent by the first optical transmitting unit to multiple optical splitters. For example, as shown in FIG20, the master device 2 includes LD1, PD1, and an optical splitting unit (not shown in the figure). The optical splitting unit is connected to LD1 and PD1 in the master device 2, as well as optical splitter a and optical splitter b.

[0346] In some embodiments, when there are multiple optical splitters, the master device may be connected to only one optical splitter. That is, the vehicle communication system may also include a fifth master device, and the second optical splitter is also connected to the fifth master device via optical fiber.

[0347] Even if there are multiple master devices in a vehicle-mounted communication system, it does not mean that a single optical splitter (the aforementioned first optical splitter) needs to connect to all the master devices. Instead, multiple optical splitters can be set up, and each optical splitter can connect to only a portion of the master devices. That is, the first optical splitter connects to the third and fourth master devices, and the second optical splitter can connect to the third and fifth master devices.

[0348] This reduces costs and network complexity, minimizes waste of hardware resources such as optical fibers and splitters, simplifies network structure, and reduces the complexity of maintenance and troubleshooting that may result from redundant connections.

[0349] It should be understood that the fifth master device can adopt a conventional structure, that is, it only includes a first optical transmitting unit and a first optical receiving unit, which are connected to the optical splitter.

[0350] In some embodiments, when there are multiple optical splitters, the slave device may be connected to only one optical splitter. That is, the vehicle communication system may also include at least one fourth slave device, and the second optical splitter is also connected to at least one fourth slave device via optical fiber.

[0351] It's understandable that slave devices don't always need to communicate with all master devices. In fact, in many cases, a slave device may only need to exchange data with one or a few specific master devices. For example, in some application scenarios, a particular sensor or surveillance camera may only need to upload data to the master device responsible for the monitoring system, without having a direct communication requirement with other master devices.

[0352] Therefore, in a vehicle communication system, there can be a fourth slave device that only needs to communicate with one of the third master device and the fourth master device. In this case, the fourth slave device can be connected only to the second optical splitter without connecting to the first optical splitter. This can reduce costs and network complexity, reduce the waste of hardware resources such as optical fibers and optical splitters, simplify the network structure, and reduce the complexity of maintenance and troubleshooting that may be caused by redundant connections.

[0353] In some embodiments, when downlink optical signals are transmitted between multiple master devices using wavelength division multiplexing, the slave device may receive only one operating wavelength of downlink optical signal. In this case, a second filtering unit in the slave device can filter out the downlink optical signal of the operating wavelength that the slave device does not need to receive. For example, as shown in FIG20, the filter of slave device 1 further filters out wavelengths of λ. d2 The downlink optical signal causes the PD to receive only the wavelength λ from the master device 1. d1 Downlink optical signal.

[0354] In other embodiments, when wavelength division multiplexing is used to transmit downlink optical signals among multiple master devices, the slave devices can also be equipped with a demultiplexer. The demultiplexer can separate the composite optical signal into original optical signals of different wavelengths and send them to the corresponding optical receivers. As shown in Figure 20, slave devices 2 and m can include a demultiplexer and two optical receiving units (such as PD1 and PD2, or PD3 and PD4). When an optical signal is received, the optical signal is first demultiplexed by the demultiplexer, and then sent to the corresponding PD1 (corresponding to λ) according to the wavelength of the optical signal. d1 ) or PD2 (corresponding to λ)d2 ).

[0355] In some embodiments, when a slave device is connected to multiple optical splitters, the slave device may include multiple sets of second optical receiving units and multiple sets of second optical transmitting units. Each set of second optical receiving units is connected to one optical splitter, and each set of first optical transmitting units is connected to one optical splitter. Alternatively, the slave device may include multiple sets of communication components. Each set of communication components is connected to one optical splitter via optical fiber. Each set of communication components may include a second optical receiving unit, a second optical transmitting unit, a second filtering unit, etc. For a description of each unit in each set of communication components, please refer to the description of the structure shown in Figure 18 or Figure 19 above. As shown in Figure 20, slave device 2 is connected to optical splitter a and optical splitter b. Slave device 2 includes two sets of communication components. One set of communication components (i.e., LD1, PD1, and PD2) is connected to optical splitter a, and the other set of communication components (i.e., LD2, PD3, and PD4) is connected to optical splitter b.

[0356] In some embodiments, when a slave device is connected to multiple optical splitters, the slave device may include a second optical receiving unit, a second optical transmitting unit, and a second optical splitting unit. The second optical splitting unit is connected to the second optical receiving unit, the second optical transmitting unit, and the multiple optical splitters, respectively. The second optical splitting unit is used to converge and transmit downlink optical signals transmitted by the multiple optical splitters to the second optical receiving unit, and to transmit uplink optical signals sent by the second optical transmitting unit to the multiple optical splitters.

[0357] In some embodiments, in certain application scenarios, it may be necessary to establish a direct point-to-point connection between the master device and the slave device to meet specific bandwidth, latency, or security requirements. That is, communication between the master device and the slave device can also be conducted directly through optical fiber without going through a splitter.

[0358] In one implementation, the passive optical network of the vehicular communication system further includes at least one fifth slave device, which is directly connected to at least one of the third master device and the fourth master device via optical fiber.

[0359] Optical splitters can introduce additional losses and latency, while some services may require higher bandwidth or lower latency. Therefore, direct fiber optic connections can meet specific bandwidth, latency, or security requirements.

[0360] In some embodiments, the vehicle communication system may have multiple operating modes, such as a first operating mode and a second operating mode.

[0361] In the first operating mode, multiple master devices can operate independently. Multiple master devices can reuse fiber optic cables in the network for communication, making more efficient use of cable and bandwidth resources.

[0362] In the second working mode, at least one master device among multiple master devices can serve as a redundant backup for the other master devices.

[0363] It should be understood that while master devices play a crucial role in communication systems, they can also experience various problems. For example, hardware components of the master device (such as processors, memory, and network interfaces) may malfunction, causing it to fail. Similarly, the software of the master device (including operating systems and applications) may contain vulnerabilities or errors, leading to system crashes or unresponsiveness. Furthermore, the power supply to the master device may be unstable or malfunction, causing system power outages or malfunctions. To prevent system failure due to master device problems, redundant backup devices can be configured in the optical communication system. This allows the redundant backup master device to immediately take over communication tasks when the master device fails or malfunctions, ensuring continuous operation of the communication system.

[0364] The following example uses multiple master devices, including a third master device and a fourth master device, to illustrate a redundancy backup scheme.

[0365] The first redundancy backup scheme: In the event of a failure in the third master device, the fourth master device switches from standby to operational status; or, in the event of a failure in the fourth master device, the third master device switches from standby to operational status. In other words, the fourth master device can serve as a redundant backup for the third master device, and vice versa. When any master device fails, a backup device takes over its operation. This mechanism achieves fault redundancy between devices, improving system reliability and stability. Furthermore, the redundant backup master device is generally in standby mode, reducing energy consumption.

[0366] The second redundancy backup scheme involves the application running on the third master device being at least partially identical to the application running on the fourth master device. It should be understood that "partially identical programs" refers to critical business logic, data processing tasks, or other programs crucial to system operation. In other words, the third master device provides partial redundancy over the fourth master device, and vice versa. Thus, in the event of a failure of the third master device, the fourth master device, running the same critical applications as the third, can replace the third master device in performing its corresponding functions. Alternatively, in the event of a failure of the fourth master device, the third master device, also running the same critical applications, can replace the fourth master device in performing its corresponding functions.

[0367] The third redundancy backup scheme: The applications running on the third master device are exactly the same as those running on the fourth master device. The fourth master device is configured as a hot or cold backup of the third master device, depending on the backup's activation status and synchronization level.

[0368] It should be understood that in a hot backup configuration, the fourth master device (backup master device) not only runs the same programs as the third master device (active master device), but also typically synchronizes data status in real-time or near real-time. If the third master device fails, the fourth master device can immediately take over the work because it already contains the latest data status and program context. Hot backup provides the highest availability and fault tolerance, but may also require more resources and complex synchronization mechanisms.

[0369] In a cold backup configuration, the fourth master device also runs the same procedures, but it may not synchronize the data state in real time. If the third master device fails, the fourth master device needs some time to restore the latest data state (e.g., restore data from backup storage) before it can take over the work. Cold backups typically have lower cost and resource requirements, but also offer relatively lower availability and fault tolerance.

[0370] Understandably, regardless of the backup strategy employed, the fourth master device needs to run the same program as the third master device to ensure that it can seamlessly take over operations in the event of a failure of the third master device.

[0371] It should be noted that in one implementation, the third and fourth master devices in the above redundancy scheme may not need to reuse the channel. For example, the fourth master device may only start communicating after the third master device fails. In the case of full redundancy, the third and fourth master devices receive data and perform calculations simultaneously, but only the third master device sends data.

[0372] In another implementation, the third and fourth master devices may also need to reuse the channel. For example, if the third and fourth master devices simultaneously send the same data to the target slave device, the target slave device may respond to the signal sent by only one of the master devices according to certain rules.

[0373] In one implementation, the fourth master device and the third master device are connected via a communication link, which can be achieved through optical fiber, cable, copper wire, or twisted pair, etc. This application does not impose any limitations on this connection. The fourth master device serves as a redundant backup for the third master device; that is, the fourth master device undertakes the task of backing up the third master device to ensure that if the third master device fails or cannot continue performing its tasks, the fourth master device can take over its operation, thus guaranteeing the continuity and reliability of the system.

[0374] The fourth master device is connected to the third master device. There is a direct or bypass communication link between the two master devices. This link bypasses the optical splitter (or optical splitter, optical coupler) used to distribute or combine optical signals, enabling the third and fourth master devices to exchange necessary information, thereby maintaining a certain degree of synchronization and functionality between the third and fourth master devices.

[0375] In some embodiments, the fourth master device serves as a redundant backup for the third master device, meaning the fourth master device is used to perform the functions of the third master device in the event of a failure. It should be understood that the system needs to be equipped with an effective fault detection mechanism to detect failures in the third master device in a timely manner. Once a fault is detected, the system needs to be able to automatically or manually trigger a switchover operation to transfer the workload to the fourth master device.

[0376] In some embodiments, the fourth master device is configured to: receive a message sent by the third master device; identify the status of the third master device based on the message sent by the third master device; the message includes at least one of the following: a fault notification message, a fault recovery message, and a heartbeat message.

[0377] In some embodiments, after receiving a fault notification message, the fourth master device can determine that the third master device has failed.

[0378] In some embodiments, after receiving a fault recovery message, the fourth master device can determine that the third master device has recovered from the fault and is now functioning normally.

[0379] In some embodiments, if the fourth master device receives a heartbeat message at preset intervals, it can be determined that the third master device is normal; or, if the fourth master device does not receive a heartbeat message for a period of time exceeding a preset time, it can be determined that the third master device has malfunctioned.

[0380] In one implementation, if the third master device meets the fault conditions, it sends a fault notification message to the fourth master device; upon receiving the fault notification message, the fourth master device determines that the third master device is faulty.

[0381] The fault conditions include one or more of the following: the performance parameters of the third master device exceed the preset threshold, or the third master device fails to send or receive optical signals.

[0382] The performance of the third-party master device exceeds preset thresholds, meaning that certain performance indicators of the third-party master device (such as CPU utilization, memory usage, disk I / O speed, etc.) exceed the safety or normal operation thresholds preset by the system administrator. This may be due to abnormal performance of some applications on the third-party master device caused by code defects, resource leaks, etc.; it may also be because the third-party master device is processing a large number of requests or data, leading to resource strain; or it may be due to unreasonable system configuration, such as insufficient or excessive resource allocation. Performance exceeding preset thresholds may lead to slower system response, service instability, or even crashes.

[0383] In some embodiments, when the CPU load rate of master device 1 is greater than 85% for 10 consecutive seconds, master device 2 detects this, analyzes the types and quantities of tasks, and begins to take over some or all of the tasks according to certain rules. When master device 2 detects that the CPU load rate of master device 1 is less than 70% for 100 consecutive seconds, it returns some or all of the tasks. Under this strategy, the computational burden of each master device can be balanced, the overall power consumption can be reduced, and it can be made to work in the high-efficiency range, while also significantly reducing the risk of master device failure.

[0384] The failure of a third-party master device to send or receive optical signals refers to a problem encountered by the third-party master device when attempting to send or receive optical signals, preventing normal optical communication. This failure may be due to reasons such as aging, damage, or poor connection of the optical cable; it may also be due to performance degradation or failure of the optical module caused by quality issues, overheating, or aging. Failure to send or receive optical signals will interrupt communication between the third-party master device and the slave devices it manages, affecting service availability and data integrity.

[0385] When the third master device detects one or more of the above-mentioned fault conditions, it will send a fault notification message to the fourth master device. After receiving the fault notification message, the fourth master device determines that the third master device is faulty and begins to perform the functions of the third master device, that is, to manage the corresponding slave devices of the third master device.

[0386] It is understood that, in one implementation, after receiving a fault notification message, the fourth master device can take corresponding measures to respond based on the information in the message, such as initiating a fault recovery process or notifying the system administrator. This application embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0387] In one implementation, when the third master device is in a fault-recovered state, it can send a fault recovery message to the fourth master device. Upon receiving the fault recovery message, the fourth master device switches from the working state to the standby state, and the third master device returns to the working state.

[0388] In some embodiments, when the master device 2 receives 100 consecutive heartbeat messages from the master device 1, it determines that the master device 1 has recovered from the fault, sends a message to switch the master device (from being managed by the master device 2 to being managed by the master device 1), and lowers the priority of the sent information (below the master device 1), and returns some or all of the tasks to the master device 1. After the slave device receives the first master recovery message, it discards the message sent by the master device 2 and instead receives the message sent by the master device 1.

[0389] As can be seen, in the optical communication system of this embodiment, the fourth master device serves as a redundant backup device for the third master device. When the third master device malfunctions or cannot function properly, the redundant backup device can immediately take over the communication tasks of the third master device, ensuring the continuous operation of the communication system and thus improving the reliability and stability of the entire communication system.

[0390] In one implementation, the third master device sends a synchronization message to the fourth master device at a first preset time interval, so that the fourth master device can synchronize information based on the synchronization message.

[0391] The third master device sends synchronization messages at preset time intervals (first preset time). This time interval is usually determined based on system requirements, the frequency of data changes, and resource availability.

[0392] Synchronization messages can contain the following key information: timestamp, which records the time the synchronization message was generated to determine the latest state of the data; data snapshot, which may contain system status, configuration information, transaction logs, or any other data that needs to be synchronized; and checksum / hash value, which is used to verify the integrity and consistency of the data.

[0393] After receiving the synchronization message, the fourth master device parses it to extract useful data and information. It then compares the parsed data with its own current data, identifies any differences or changes, and updates accordingly.

[0394] In some implementations, the fourth master device may send an acknowledgment message to the third master device, indicating that it has successfully received the synchronization message and completed data synchronization. This helps ensure the reliability and integrity of the synchronization process.

[0395] In one implementation, if the fourth master device does not receive a synchronization message within a second preset time, it determines that the third master device is faulty. The second preset time is longer than the first preset time.

[0396] When the third master device is operating normally, it periodically sends synchronization messages to the fourth master device to maintain system consistency. If the fourth master device does not receive a synchronization message within a first preset time, it may assume there is network latency or other temporary problems, but this is insufficient to determine that the third master device has failed. However, if the fourth master device still does not receive a synchronization message within a second preset time (which is longer than the first preset time), then it has sufficient reason to believe that the third master device may have failed.

[0397] In some embodiments, when the first optical link (corresponding to master device 1) completely fails, master device 2, after failing to receive three consecutive heartbeat frames from master device 1, determines that master device 1 has failed, increases the priority of its transmitted information (higher than master device 1), and sends a message to the slave device to switch master devices (from being managed by master device 1 to being managed by master device 2). After receiving the message sent by master device 2, the slave device discards the received message from master device 1 and instead receives the message sent by master device 2, and master device 2 begins to take over some or all of the tasks.

[0398] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 21, during system operation, the fourth master device can perform fault detection and handling through the following steps:

[0399] S101. Read the status information and program data of the third master device.

[0400] S102. Determine whether the status information of the third master device is normal.

[0401] If yes, proceed to S108; otherwise, proceed to S103.

[0402] S103. Obtain abnormal information and determine a fault handling plan according to the preset rule algorithm.

[0403] S104. The fourth master device implements some or all of the functions of the third master device based on the fault handling plan and program data.

[0404] S105. Read the status information of the third master device.

[0405] S106. Determine whether the third master device has recovered.

[0406] If yes, then execute S107; otherwise, return to execute S103.

[0407] S107, The fourth master terminal device returns some or all of its functions.

[0408] S108, The fourth master device discards or deletes the corresponding data.

[0409] After executing S108, S101 is executed again.

[0410] It should be noted that this disclosure does not limit the number of master and slave devices in an optical communication system, nor the number of redundant backup devices in an optical communication system.

[0411] In one implementation, the optical communication system has multiple slave devices; the multiple master devices also include a fifth master device, the third master device is used to manage a portion of the multiple slave devices, and the fifth master device is used to manage another portion of the multiple slave devices.

[0412] In other words, multiple slave devices are assigned to two (or more) master devices for management. In some embodiments, a third master device may be responsible for managing high-performance slave devices to handle tasks with high real-time and data throughput requirements, while a fifth master device may be responsible for managing slave devices with slightly lower performance to handle tasks with lower real-time requirements or smaller data volumes. This division of labor makes the entire system more efficient and flexible.

[0413] In one implementation, the fourth master device serves as a redundant backup for the fifth master device. That is, in an optical communication system, at least one master device acts as a partial or complete redundant backup for the other master devices. This communication mode is more secure and reliable, and can be used in scenarios with high security requirements, such as intelligent driving data transmission.

[0414] In one implementation, a third master device is used to manage a portion of the multiple slave devices, and a fourth master device is used to manage another portion of the multiple slave devices.

[0415] In other words, although the fourth master device is functionally a backup for the third master device, it doesn't mean it can't manage other slave devices simultaneously. To improve efficiency and resource utilization, redundant master devices (such as the fourth master device) may also be configured to manage a portion of the slave devices. This way, even if the third master device is operating normally, the fourth master device can share some of the management tasks, thereby reducing the burden on the third master device and improving the overall system performance.

[0416] For ease of explanation, the following describes some embodiments of the vehicle communication system provided in this disclosure in the context of a vehicle.

[0417] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 22, the in-vehicle communication system may include four domain controllers: a driving controller, a cockpit controller, a powertrain controller, and a body controller. The driving controller and cockpit controller, as master devices, are connected to each other via Ethernet cables and are respectively connected to two ports on the first side of the splitter via optical cables. Slave devices such as the powertrain controller, body controller, cameras, and displays are respectively connected to several ports on the second side of the splitter via optical cables.

[0418] Please refer to Figure 22. When both master devices are in normal working condition, the intelligent driving controller and the cockpit controller can simultaneously send λ. d1 , λ d2 The intelligent driving controller only responds to the uplink λ light signal. u1 , λ u2 Optical signals and cockpit controllers only respond to uplink λ u1 , λ u3 Optical signals are transmitted, and the two master devices synchronize and back up necessary information via Ethernet cables.

[0419] In the downlink direction, the slave device: ① The power controller and body controller simultaneously receive and respond to the two master devices λ. d1 , λ d2 Optical signals are used to ensure real-time communication between domain controllers; ② The intelligent driving camera and LiDAR only respond to the intelligent driving controller λ. d1 Optical signals; ③ In-vehicle cameras, driver's screen, passenger's screen, and AR-HUD only respond to the cockpit controller. d2 light signal.

[0420] In the uplink direction, the following devices—power controller, body controller, LiDAR, driver's screen, passenger's screen, and augmented reality head-up display (AR-HUD)—have relatively low bandwidth requirements. Time-division multiplexing is used to transmit λ signals in different time slots. u1 Optical signals; ② Intelligent driving cameras have high bandwidth requirements and are configured to send λ signals at any time. u2 Optical signals; ③ The in-vehicle camera has a large bandwidth requirement and is configured to send λ signals at any time. u3 light signal.

[0421] Please refer to Figure 23. When the cockpit controller detects a malfunction in the intelligent driving controller, the cockpit controller increases its own downlink optical signal λ. d2 Prioritize the message and send a signal indicating that the intelligent driving controller has failed to the slave device, while simultaneously starting to receive and respond to all uplink optical signals λ. u1 ~λ u3 .

[0422] Receives cockpit controller λ from end deviced2 Change information in the signal, or information received from the intelligent driving controller within a certain period of time. d1 Error messages in the signal, or failure to receive a signal from the intelligent driving controller within a certain period of time. d1 The signal then sets the cockpit controller as the sole master. At this point, all slave devices receive and respond to λ. d2 Optical signal, λ sent from the end u1 ~λ u3 All optical signals are received and processed by the cockpit controller.

[0423] After detecting that the intelligent driving controller has recovered from the fault, the cockpit controller synchronizes relevant information to the intelligent driving controller via Ethernet and sends a signal indicating that the intelligent driving controller has recovered to the slave device. Then, it reduces its own downlink optical signal λ. d2 The message priority is set to respond only to λ. u1 , λ u3 The optical signal was received, and the system returned to the state shown in Figure 22.

[0424] It should be noted that both the master and slave devices can receive all signal wavelengths, but conditionally respond to only some signals to reduce power consumption (e.g., receiving λ simultaneously under normal conditions). d1 , λ d2 The optical signal only responds to λ d1 (Optical signal), and when multiple devices receive signals of the same wavelength, they can determine whether to respond to the signal based on information such as the message ID in the signal.

[0425] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 24, the in-vehicle communication system may include five domain controllers: a vehicle controller, a driving controller, a powertrain controller, a body controller, and a multimedia host. The vehicle controller and the driving controller act as master devices, while the powertrain controller, body controller, multimedia host, and other in-vehicle terminals act as slave devices. The vehicle controller connects to the other four controllers and some in-vehicle terminals via a first optical splitter, and the driving controller connects to the other four controllers and some in-vehicle terminals via a second optical splitter.

[0426] The vehicle controller and the intelligent driving controller can be each other's master devices; that is, the vehicle controller is the master device of the intelligent driving controller, and the intelligent driving controller can also be the master device of the intelligent driving controller. Other vehicle terminals belong to only one master device, while some vehicle terminals belong to two master devices.

[0427] As shown in Figure 25, taking the vehicle controller or intelligent driving controller as an example, LD1 and PD1 are set as the master transceiver for communication, and λ is sent. d Optical signal, receiving λ u Optical signal; LD2 and PD2 are configured as communication slave transceivers to transmit λ. u Optical signal, receiving λd light signal.

[0428] Taking a rearview camera as an example, LD1 and PD1 are set as communication slave transceivers to send λ. u Optical signal, receiving λ d light signal.

[0429] Taking a front-view camera as an example, LD1 and PD1 are set as communication slave transceivers to send λ. u Optical signal, receiving λ d Optical signal; LD2 and PD2 are configured as communication slave transceivers to transmit λu optical signal and receive λ d light signal.

[0430] As shown in Figure 25, devices such as the vehicle controller or intelligent driving controller, rearview camera, and frontview camera may also include a control unit, a drive, an amplifier, and an optical interface. The control unit is used to implement control and management functions; the drive is a key component to ensure the normal operation of the device, providing necessary power and signal control to the device's motors, sensors, and other components; the amplifier is used to process the received signals for subsequent processing by the control unit; and the optical interface is the interface for optical signal transmission between the device and the optical cable.

[0431] In some embodiments, when the link between the intelligent driving controller and the beam splitter 2 fails, the intelligent driving controller cannot communicate directly with its subordinate slave devices (such as the front-view camera and the rear-view camera) via LD1 and PD1. At this time, PD2 in the vehicle controller cannot receive the corresponding signal normally, determining that the link where beam splitter 2 is located has failed, thus becoming the sole master device to manage the system. The intelligent driving controller can still communicate with the vehicle controller via LD2 and PD2, and indirectly communicate with its subordinate devices (such as the front-view camera).

[0432] As can be seen, the above setup ensures that even when some links or devices fail, the forward-facing camera, which has high functional safety requirements, can still function normally, and the intelligent driving controller can still perform some tasks. This device approach not only has redundancy at the master end but also redundancy in physical links, resulting in higher system reliability. Furthermore, some slave ends do not require redundant links, reducing costs. And, without the need for wavelength division multiplexing, simultaneous communication between two master ends is possible.

[0433] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a vehicle including the in-vehicle communication system provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0434] Although this disclosure has been described in conjunction with its features and embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and are to be considered as covering any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this disclosure. It is obvious that those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope. Thus, this disclosure is also intended to include any such modifications and modifications that fall within the scope of the claims of this disclosure and their equivalents.

[0435] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted communication system, comprising at least one passive optical network, said at least one passive optical network being configured to provide data transmission services; One of the at least one passive optical networks includes: At least one master device; At least one optical splitter is connected to the at least one main terminal device; and At least one slave device is connected to at least one master device via at least one optical splitter to achieve a communication connection with at least one master device.

2. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one passive optical network includes a first passive optical network (11) and a second passive optical network (12); the first passive optical network (11) includes at least one first slave device (111), and the second passive optical network (12) includes at least one second slave device (121); the data communication requirements of the at least one first slave device (111) are different from the data communication requirements of the at least one second slave device (121).

3. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 2, wherein, The data communication requirements include at least one of the following: communication rate, transmission direction, data type, and protocol type.

4. The vehicle communication system according to claim 2 or 3, satisfying at least one of the following: The at least one first slave device (111) has the same device type; and The at least one second slave device (121) has the same device type.

5. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 4, wherein, The device type of the at least one first slave device (111) is different from the device type of the at least one second slave device (121).

6. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied: The at least one first slave device (111) is located in the first region; and, The at least one second slave device (121) is located in the second region.

7. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 6, wherein, The first region is different from the second region.

8. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein, The first passive optical network (11) includes a first master device, and the second passive optical network (12) includes a second master device. The first master device and the second master device are the same device.

9. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein, The first passive optical network (11) includes a first master device, and the second passive optical network (12) includes a second master device; the first master device and the second master device are two independent devices.

10. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 9, wherein, The first master device and the second master device are connected via at least one of electrical signals and optical fibers.

11. The vehicle communication system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied: The first master device serves as a second slave device (121) in the second passive optical network (12); and, The second master device serves as a first slave device (111) in the first passive optical network (11).

12. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein, The plurality of passive optical networks includes at least one of the following: A passive optical network with a first area controller as the master device and at least one of a sensor controller, a second area controller, an intelligent driving domain controller, and a multimedia host as slave devices. A passive optical network with vehicle networking equipment as the master device and at least one of the sensor controller, the first area controller, the second area controller, the intelligent driving domain controller, and the multimedia host as slave devices; A passive optical network with the sensor controller as the master device and at least one of the first area controller, the intelligent driving controller and the multimedia host as slave devices. A passive optical network with the sensor controller as the master device and the sensor as the slave device; A passive optical network with the second area controller as the master device and the devices controlled by the second area controller as slave devices; A passive optical network with the multimedia host as the master device and at least one of the display device and audio device as the slave devices.

13. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein, The plurality of passive optical networks includes at least one of the following: A passive optical network with a vehicle controller as the master device and at least one of other controllers, actuators and sensors other than the vehicle controller as slave devices. A passive optical network with the cockpit controller as the master device and the cockpit devices as slave devices; A passive optical network with intelligent driving controller as the master device and sensors as slave devices.

14. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein, The plurality of passive optical networks includes at least one of the following: A passive optical network with a central controller as the master device and at least one of actuators and sensors as slave devices; A passive optical network with the central controller as the master device and the radar device as the slave device; A passive optical network with the central controller as the master device and the camera devices as slave devices; A passive optical network with the central controller as the master device and the display device as the slave device.

15. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 14, wherein, At least one of the first slave device (111) and the second slave device (121) is connected to at least one electronic device via electrical signal communication.

16. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 15, wherein, An optical communication unit in the passive optical network includes at least one optical receiving module, at least one optical transmitting module, and at least one protocol conversion module. The protocol conversion module is connected to the optical receiving module and the optical transmitting module respectively, and is used for data conversion between non-PON protocol and PON protocol.

17. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 16, wherein, The at least one optical receiving module includes multiple optical receiving modules, the at least one optical transmitting module includes multiple optical transmitting modules, and the at least one protocol conversion module includes multiple protocol conversion modules. Each of the multiple protocol conversion modules is connected to one of the multiple optical receiving modules and one of the multiple optical transmitting modules. Different protocol conversion modules in the multiple protocol conversion modules correspond to different PON protocols.

18. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 15, wherein, An optical communication unit in the passive optical network includes at least one optical receiving module, at least one optical transmitting module, at least one first protocol conversion module, and at least one second protocol conversion module; the first protocol conversion module is connected to the optical receiving module and is used to convert PON protocol data into first non-PON protocol data; the second protocol conversion module is connected to the optical transmitting module and is used to convert second non-PON protocol data into PON protocol data; the first non-PON protocol is different from the second non-PON protocol.

19. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 18, wherein, The at least one optical receiving module includes a plurality of optical receiving modules, and the at least one first protocol conversion module includes a plurality of first protocol conversion modules. Each of the plurality of first protocol conversion modules is connected to one of the optical receiving modules, and different first protocol conversion modules correspond to different rates of PON protocols.

20. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 18, wherein, The at least one optical transmitting module includes multiple optical transmitting modules, and the at least one second protocol conversion module includes multiple second protocol conversion modules. Each of the multiple second protocol conversion modules is connected to one of the optical transmitting modules, and different second protocol conversion modules correspond to different rates of PON protocols.

21. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one passive optical network includes a passive optical network; The at least one master device includes: a third master device (101) and a fourth master device (102); The at least one slave device includes at least one third slave device (103); The at least one optical splitter includes a first optical splitter (104); the first optical splitter (104) is connected to the third master device (101), the fourth master device (102) and the at least one third slave device (103) via optical fibers.

22. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 21, wherein, The first optical splitter (104) is used to transmit the downlink optical signal sent by the third master device (101) or the fourth master device (102) to the at least one third slave device (103), and to transmit the uplink optical signal sent by each of the at least one third slave devices (103) to the third master device (101) and the fourth master device (102).

23. The vehicle communication system according to claim 21 or 22, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied: The wavelength of the downlink optical signal transmitted by the third master device (101) is different from the wavelength of the downlink optical signal transmitted by the fourth master device (102); and, The downlink optical signal transmitted by the third master device (101) occupies a different working time slot than the downlink optical signal transmitted by the fourth master device (102).

24. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 22 to 23, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied: The wavelengths of the uplink optical signals transmitted by each of the at least one third slave device (103) are different; and, The uplink optical signals sent by each of the third slave devices (103) occupy different working time slots.

25. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein, The wavelength of the uplink optical signal is different from the wavelength of the downlink optical signal.

26. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein, The passive optical network further includes a second optical splitter, which is connected to one of the third master device (101) and the fourth master device (102) via optical fiber, and the second optical splitter is connected to at least one third slave device (103) via optical fiber.

27. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 26, wherein, The passive optical network further includes at least one fourth slave device, and the second optical splitter is also connected to the at least one fourth slave device via optical fiber.

28. The vehicle communication system according to claim 26 or 27, wherein, The passive optical network also includes a fifth master device, and the second optical splitter is connected to the fifth master device via optical fiber.

29. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 28, wherein, The passive optical network further includes at least one fifth slave device, which is directly connected to at least one of the third master device (101) and the fourth master device (102) via optical fiber.

30. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 29, wherein, The third master device (101) includes a first optical receiving unit (1011) and a first optical transmitting unit (1012). The first optical receiving unit (1011) is used to receive uplink optical signals, and the first optical transmitting unit (1012) is used to output downlink optical signals.

31. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 30, wherein, The third master device (101) further includes a first optical interface unit (1014), which is connected to the first optical transmitting unit (1012), the first optical receiving unit (1011), and the optical fiber.

32. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 31, wherein, The third master device (101) further includes a first filter unit (1015), which is connected to the first optical interface unit (1014), the first optical emitting unit (1012), and the first optical receiving unit (1011), respectively. Wherein, the first filtering unit (1015) is used to reflect the downlink optical signal sent by the first optical transmitting unit (1012) to the first optical interface unit (1014), and to transmit the uplink optical signal from the first optical interface unit (1014) to the first optical receiving unit (1011); or, the first filtering unit (1015) is used to transmit the downlink optical signal sent by the first optical transmitting unit (1012) to the first optical interface unit (1014), and to reflect the uplink optical signal from the first optical interface unit (1014) to the first optical receiving unit (1011).

33. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 32, wherein, When the uplink optical signal is transmitted in wavelength division multiplexing mode, the number of first optical receiving units (1011) in the third master terminal device (101) is determined according to the number of working wavelengths of the uplink optical signal, and each first optical receiving unit (1011) is used to receive an uplink optical signal of one working wavelength.

34. The vehicle communication system according to claim 33, wherein, The third master device (101) further includes a first demultiplexing unit (1016), which is connected to the first filtering unit (1015) and the first optical receiving unit (1011) respectively. The first demultiplexing unit (1016) is used to demultiplex the uplink optical signal received by the first optical interface unit (1014) and transmit the obtained uplink optical signals with different working wavelengths to the corresponding first optical receiving unit (1011).

35. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 30 to 34, wherein, The third master device (101) further includes a first optical splitting unit, which is connected to the first optical receiving unit (1011), the first optical transmitting unit (1012), and at least one optical splitter including the first optical splitter (104). The first optical splitting unit is used to converge and transmit the uplink optical signal transmitted by the at least one optical splitter to the first optical receiving unit (1011), and to transmit the downlink optical signal sent by the first optical transmitting unit (1012) to the at least one optical splitter.

36. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 30 to 34, wherein, The third master device (101) includes multiple sets of first optical receiving units (1011) and multiple sets of first optical transmitting units (1012). Each set of first optical receiving units (1011) is connected to one of the at least one optical splitter, and each set of first optical transmitting units (1012) is connected to one optical splitter.

37. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 36, wherein, The third slave device (103) includes a second optical receiving unit (1021) and a second optical transmitting unit (1022). The second optical receiving unit (1021) is used to receive downlink optical signals, and the second optical transmitting unit (1022) is used to output uplink optical signals.

38. The vehicle communication system according to claim 37, wherein, The third slave device (103) further includes a second optical interface unit (1024), which is connected to the second optical receiving unit (1021), the second optical transmitting unit (1022), and the optical fiber.

39. The vehicle communication system according to claim 38, wherein, The third slave device (103) further includes a second filtering unit (1025), which is connected to the second optical interface unit (1024), the second optical emitting unit (1022), and the second optical receiving unit (1021), respectively. The second filtering unit (1025) is used to reflect the uplink optical signal sent by the second optical transmitting unit (1022) to the second optical interface unit (1024) and to transmit the downlink optical signal from the second optical interface unit (1024) to the second optical receiving unit (1021); or, the second filtering unit (1025) is used to transmit the uplink optical signal sent by the second optical transmitting unit (1022) to the second optical interface unit (1024) and to reflect the downlink optical signal from the second optical interface unit (1024) to the second optical receiving unit (1021).

40. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 39, wherein, When the uplink optical signal is transmitted using wavelength division multiplexing, the number of second optical receiving units (1021) in the third slave device (103) is determined according to the number of working wavelengths of the uplink optical signal, and each second optical receiving unit (1021) is used to receive a downlink optical signal of one working wavelength.

41. The vehicle communication system according to claim 40, wherein, The third slave device (103) further includes a second demultiplexing unit (1026), which is disposed between the second filtering unit (1025) and the second optical receiving unit (1021). The second demultiplexing unit (1026) is used to demultiplex the downlink optical signal received by the second optical interface unit (1024) and transmit the resulting downlink optical signal of one or more working wavelengths to the corresponding second optical receiving unit (1021).

42. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 37 to 41, wherein, The third slave device (103) further includes a second optical splitting unit, which is connected to the second optical receiving unit (1021), the second optical transmitting unit (1022), and at least one optical splitter including the first optical splitter (104). The second optical splitting unit is used to converge and transmit the downlink optical signal transmitted by the at least one optical splitter to the second optical receiving unit (1021), and to transmit the uplink optical signal sent by the second optical transmitting unit (1022) to the at least one optical splitter.

43. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 37 to 41, wherein, The third slave device (103) includes multiple sets of second optical receiving units (1021) and multiple sets of second optical transmitting units (1022). Each set of second optical receiving units (1021) is connected to a beam splitter, and each set of second optical transmitting units (1022) is connected to a beam splitter.

44. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 43, wherein, In the event of a malfunction in the third master device (101), the fourth master device (102) switches from standby mode to operating mode; or, In the event of a malfunction in the fourth master device (102), the third master device (101) switches from standby mode to working mode.

45. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 44, wherein, The application running on the third master device (101) is partially or entirely the same as the application running on the fourth master device (102).

46. ​​The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 45, wherein, The third master device (101) and the fourth master device (102) communicate via optical fiber or electrical communication.

47. The vehicle communication system according to claim 46, wherein, The fourth master device (102) is configured to: receive messages sent by the third master device (101); identify the status of the third master device (101) based on the messages sent by the third master device (101); wherein the messages include at least one of the following: fault notification messages, fault recovery messages, and heartbeat messages.

48. The vehicle communication system according to claim 46 or 47, wherein, The fourth master device (102) is configured to: receive a synchronization message sent by the third master device (101); and perform information synchronization with the third master device (101) based on the synchronization message.

49. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 48, wherein, At least one of the third master device (101) and the fourth master device (102) includes at least one of the following: Intelligent driving controller, cockpit controller, vehicle controller, sensor controller, multimedia host, power controller, body controller, gateway, intelligent driving domain controller, cockpit domain controller, area controller.

50. The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 49, wherein, The third slave device (103) includes at least one of the following: Image sensors, radar sensors, displays, vehicle lights, dashboards, motor controllers, or brake controllers.

51. An electronic and electrical system comprising a vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 50.

52. A vehicle comprising an in-vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 50, or an electronic and electrical system according to claim 51.

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