Heterogeneous Vehicle Network Controllers Without Gateways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle communication networks face excessive bus load due to increased electronic devices, leading to errors when combining CAN and CAN-FD communication schemes, necessitating separate networks and costly gateways, which increase unit costs and signal delays.
Innovation Solution
A network system that allows heterogeneous communication controllers using different schemes to transmit data without a gateway by selecting a transmission controller based on an identifier field, stopping and resuming message transmission when communication schemes differ, and calculating waiting times to neglect signals as errors, enabling simultaneous operation of CAN and CAN-FD controllers in the same network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a communication-only gateway is used to convert signals between CAN and CAN-FD networks, then data transmission between different communication schemes is enabled, but unit cost increases and signal delay occurs more frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the communication-only gateway from the system architecture. By having controllers directly transmit and receive messages using both CAN and CAN-FD communication schemes without intermediary gateways, the system eliminates the additional cost and signal delay problems associated with gateway devices while maintaining the capability to handle different communication protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes controllers multi-functional by enabling them to operate with both CAN and CAN-FD communication schemes natively. Controllers are designed to handle message transmission and reception across different communication protocols directly, eliminating the need for specialized gateway devices and reducing overall system complexity and cost
2Reliability
If two separate networks for CAN communication and CAN-FD communication are configured, then communication errors due to speed differences are avoided, but device complexity and wiring costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges CAN and CAN-FD communication networks into a single unified network architecture. Controllers are designed to handle both communication schemes within the same network, using message identification fields to distinguish between different protocols. This consolidation reduces wiring complexity and device count while maintaining communication reliability through proper protocol differentiation and error handling mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different communication schemes (CAN and CAN-FD) to different message transmissions within the same network based on local requirements. The system dynamically selects appropriate communication protocols for specific messages using identifier fields, allowing high-speed CAN-FD for time-critical data and standard CAN for less time-sensitive communications, optimizing both reliability and resource utilization
3Speed
If all controllers are converted to CAN-FD communication scheme, then high-speed data transmission is achieved throughout the network, but manufacturing cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into different communication zones based on speed requirements. Not all controllers are converted to CAN-FD; instead, only specific controllers that require high-speed communication are upgraded to CAN-FD, while others continue using standard CAN. This selective approach achieves high-speed data transmission where needed while controlling manufacturing costs and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by converting only the necessary portion of controllers to CAN-FD rather than the entire system. By identifying specific controllers that benefit from high-speed communication and upgrading only those, the system achieves improved performance in critical areas without incurring the full cost and complexity of a complete network overhaul
Data Source
AI summary
A network system for a vehicle includes one or more first communication controllers and one or more second communication controllers. The one or more first communication controllers transmit a message in a first communication scheme. The one or more second communication controllers are connected to the one or more first communication controllers through a network and transmit a message in a second communication scheme different from the first communication scheme. When a transmission controller selected from the one or more first communication controllers and the one or more second communication controllers transmits a message, a communication controller using a communication scheme different from that of the selected transmission controller stops its own message transmission and resumes its own message transmission once the message transmission of the selected transmission controller is complete.