Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Intrasystem connection
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-05
2001-01-30
Ray, Gopal C. (Department: 2781)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Intrasystem connection
C701S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182171
ABSTRACT:
The contents of the Applications No. Heisei 9-149448, with a filing date of Jun. 6, 1997 in Japan, and No. Heisei 9-179990, with a filing date of Jul. 4, 1997 in Japan, are herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to system and method for communicating an information via a common communication bus applicable to an in-vehicle communication network architecture.
b) Description of the Related Art
A Japanese Patent Application First Publication (not examined) No. Heisei 4-326898 published on Nov. 16, 1992 exemplifies a previously proposed in-vehicle data communication system.
The previously proposed in-vehicle information communication system disclosed in the above-identified Japanese Patent Application First Publication includes: a master unit which performs a display of various types of information using a display; a plurality of slave units, each of which an information used for the display purpose on the display of the master units is transferred therefrom to the master unit; and a common communication bus to which the master unit and the slave units are connected.
Even if another slave unit which is not previously projected by the master unit is connected to the common communication bus, the display of the master unit can display an information representing the function of the other slave unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, in the previously proposed in-vehicle information communication system, in a case where such any one of the slave units as being operated utilizing a function of another slave unit is connected to the common communication bus prior to the connection of the other slave unit which provides the function for the one slave unit to the common communication bus, the one slave unit cannot make use of the function of the other slave unit.
In addition, if one of the slave units which has been connected to the common communication bus is disconnected from the common communication bus, such a countermeasure that how an operation of the whole in-vehicle information communication system should be arranged is not considered.
On the other hand, in the previously proposed in-vehicle communication system, the slave units are operated according to operations by an operator(s). And, the master unit determines the slave unit which is being operated and displays the information used for the display purpose on the display of the master unit. Hence, the slave units cannot be installed at locations inaccessible to the operator(s).
Furthermore, the master unit cannot select any one of the slave units and cannot operate simultaneously the slave units.
In addition, since the contents of operations which are not previously projected on the display information cannot be added, an improvement in operability cannot be expected.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide information communication system and method applicable to an in-vehicle networking architecture which can freely connect and disconnect such a slave unit or slave units as described above to and from a common communication bus and can contribute onto the improvement in operability.
The above-described object can be achieved by providing an information communication system, comprising: a function serving electronic equipment which is so arranged and constructed as to be enabled to serve another electronic equipment with at least one function that the function serving electronic equipment has; a making-use-of function electronic equipment which is so arranged and constructed as to be enabled to make use of at least one function that another electronic equipment has; a common communication bus to which the function serving electronic equipment and the making-use-of function are enabled to be connected; and an equipment managing apparatus which is enabled to be connected to the common communication bus and including a storage block for storing a function serving information representing the function which the function serving electronic equipment is enabled to serve and a making-use-of function information representing the function of which the making-use-of function electronic equipment is enabled to make use, and a comparing block for comparing the function serving information stored in the storage block with the making-use-of function information stored in the storage block so as to determine whether both contents of the function serving information and the making-use-of function information are coincident with each other, the equipment managing apparatus allowing the making-use-of function electronic equipment to make use of the function which the function serving electronic equipment is enabled to serve when determining that both contents of the function serving information and the making-use-of function information are coincident with each other.
The above-described object can also be achieved by providing an information communication system, comprising: a function serving electronic equipment which is so arranged and constructed as to be enabled to serve another electronic equipment with at least one function that the function serving electronic equipment has; a making-use-of function electronic equipment which is so arranged and constructed as to be enabled to make use of at least one function that another electronic equipment has; a common communication bus to which the function serving electronic equipment and the making-use-of function are enabled to be connected; and equipment managing apparatus which is enabled to be connected to the common communication bus and including storage means for storing a function serving information representing the function which the function serving electronic equipment is enabled to serve and a making-use-of function information representing the function of which the making-use-of function electronic equipment is enabled to make use, and comparing means for comparing the function serving information stored in the storage means with the making-use-of function information stored in the storage means so as to determine whether both contents of the function serving information and the making-use-of function information are coincident with each other, the equipment managing apparatus allowing the making-use-of function electronic equipment to make use of the function which the function serving electronic equipment is enabled to serve when determining that both contents of the function serving information and the making-use-of function information are coincident with each other.
The above-described object can also be achieved by providing an information communication method, comprising the steps of: connecting a function serving electronic equipment which is so arranged and constructed as to be enabled to serve another electronic equipment with at least one function that the function serving electronic equipment has to a common communication bus; connecting a making-use-of function electronic equipment which is so arranged and constructed as to be enabled to make use of at least one function that another electronic equipment has to the common communication bus; connecting an equipment managing apparatus to the common communication bus; storing a function serving information representing the function which the function serving electronic equipment is enabled to serve and a making-use-of function information representing the function of which the making-use-of function electronic equipment is enabled to make use into a storage block of the equipment managing apparatus; comparing the function serving information stored in the storage block with the making-use-of function information stored in the storage block so as to determine whether both contents of the function serving information and the making-use-of function information are coincident with each other; and allowing the making-use-of function electronic equipment to make use of the function which the function serving electronic equipment is enabled to serve when determining that both contents of the function serving information and the
Akatsuka Takeshi
Takada Masayuki
Ueno Takashi
Wong Ricardo
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nissan Motor Co,. Ltd.
Ray Gopal C.
LandOfFree
Information communication system and method applicable to... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Information communication system and method applicable to..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Information communication system and method applicable to... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2528151