LIN Communication Circuit with Bitwise Cross-Zone Bus Mirroring
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Solution Overview
Problem
LIN communications are difficult to implement within zonal vehicle architectures due to the inability of LIN slaves to transmit messages across different zones, leading to increased complexity and costs, especially when different nodes and ECUs are designed and manufactured by different entities.
Innovation Solution
A communication circuit and method that facilitates communication between LIN slaves in different zones by using mirroring clients and synchronized schedule tables to adjust jitter and inter-byte spaces, allowing standard LIN slaves to be used across multiple clusters without altering their configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If LIN slaves are used in different zones with different LIN masters, then communication coverage is improved, but direct communication between LIN slaves in different zones is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway ECU as an intermediary between LIN buses in different zones. The gateway receives messages from one LIN bus, processes them, and forwards them to another LIN bus, enabling indirect communication between LIN slaves in different zones while maintaining protocol compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the vehicle's communication architecture into multiple LIN buses segmented by zones, each managed by its own LIN master. This segmentation allows independent configuration and management of each zone while the gateway provides inter-zone connectivity
2Adaptability or versatility
If CAN bus is used to distribute LIN messages to different regions, then communication between regions is enabled, but complexity and costs increase due to managing communications between different busses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple LIN buses through a gateway ECU that can act as a LIN master on one bus and a LIN slave on another. This consolidation approach reduces the need for separate communication infrastructure compared to using CAN bus for inter-region communication
3Adaptability or versatility
If wake-up control is implemented for remote LIN networks, then remote nodes can be activated, but initiation control becomes much more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a wake-up mechanism where the gateway ECU monitors message traffic and automatically initiates wake-up sequences for sleeping LIN nodes when needed. This self-service approach reduces the complexity of external wake-up control while ensuring remote nodes are activated when required
4Adaptability or versatility
If configuration changes are made to support different nodes and ECUs from different entities, then system flexibility is improved, but costs become very expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway ECU is designed with universal functionality to communicate with multiple different LIN masters and slaves using the same LIN protocol. This multi-functionality allows the system to accommodate different nodes and ECUs from various manufacturers without requiring custom configuration, reducing manufacturing costs
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
LIN communication circuit (100) including a first LIN master (1) associated with a first LIN bus (12) and a second LIN master (2) associated with a second LIN bus (22). A data link (16) is connected between the first and second LIN masters (1,2). A first mirroring client (13) is established at the first LIN master (12) for receiving message bits corresponding to a LIN message in a first slot on the first LIN bus (12) and for transmitting the message bits bitwise over the data link (16). A second mirroring client (23) is established at the second LIN master (2) for receiving the message bits and transmitting them over the second LIN bus (22). The first and second LIN masters (1,2) include synchronised schedule tables (14,24) such that the message bits on the second LIN bus (22) are transmitted in a corresponding slot to the first.