# US 10,771,282 B2 · Method for transmitting messages between control units of a motor vehicle, and switch apparatus, and motor vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,282 B2 - Document ID: US10771282B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/461,746 - Filed: 2017-09-14 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-28 - Assignees: Audi AG - Applicants: Audi AG - Inventors: Karsten Schmidt; Daniel Kerk; Felix Reimann; Peter Tröger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771282B2 ## CPC - H04L 12/40163: {by assigning priority to messages according to a message field} - H04L 12/4013: {Management of data rate on the bus (systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality H04L1/0001)} - H04L 47/22: Traffic shaping - H04L 47/24: Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS - H04L 47/2458: {Modification of priorities while in transit} - H04L 2012/40241: {Flexray} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract In a motor vehicle, messages from control units arrive at input ports of a switch apparatus with each message indicating a destination address and a priority level. Each input port of the switch apparatus receives at most messages with a predetermined maximum data volume overall, for one priority level or for some or all of the priority levels, during each predetermined unit of time. The received messages are assigned to output port(s) based on their destination address and the messages assigned to each output port are sent onward. This guarantees time limits for the respective transmission period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for transmitting messages between control units of a motor vehicle by a switch apparatus, comprising: receiving the messages from the control units at input ports of the switch apparatus, each of the messages containing an address indication of a destination address and a priority indication of a priority level from among a plurality of predetermined priority levels, each input port of the switch apparatus receiving at most a predetermined maximum data volume overall, for at least one priority level and for each predetermined unit of time; assigning each of the messages received at the input ports to an output port based on the destination address; outputting, at each output port, the messages assigned to the output port; carrying out, by at least two of the control units, time synchronization of respective timers of the control units with one another; outputting, by synchronized control units, the messages with a time delay, such that transmission of the messages by the synchronized control units is interlaced and the messages from the synchronized control units arrive at the switch apparatus alternately and without collisions, the priority levels being indicated in the messages by cryptographically encrypted priority data; and at least one of decrypting the priority data by the switch apparatus based on a cryptographic key, and the switch apparatus having a cryptographically secure internal configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein a number of messages, determined for the priority levels at each input port, is limited per unit of time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, wherein the messages are emitted at the output ports in order of the priority levels of the messages being output. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3, wherein a maximum value of a transmission delay is predefined for at least one priority level and the maximum data volume is determined based on the maximum value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method according to claim 4, wherein the messages from at least one of the synchronized control units represent a broadband signal having a data rate at least 10% of a net data rate of a data network in the motor vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the control units emit the messages independently of a global transmission plan, and a predefined time limit for respective transmission times of the messages is ensured. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the messages are emitted at the output ports in order of the priority levels of the messages being output. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein a maximum value of a transmission delay is predefined for at least one priority level and the maximum data volume is determined based on the maximum value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the messages from at least one of the synchronized control units represent a broadband signal having a data rate at least 10% of a net data rate of the data network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the control units emit the messages independently of a global transmission plan, and a predefined time limit for respective transmission times of the messages is ensured. ### Claim 11 A switch apparatus for a motor vehicle having control units and a data network with network branches, comprising: connection ports provided to connect the network branches of the data network, at least some of the connection ports set up for operation as input ports receiving messages transmitted with a time delay by at least two of the control units performing time synchronization, such that the messages are interlaced and arrive at the switch apparatus alternately and without collisions, and at least some of the connection ports set up for operation as output ports; and a processor configured to control the messages received at the input ports with an address indication of a destination address and a priority indication of a priority level from among a plurality of priority levels indicated by cryptographically encrypted priority data, each input port of the switch apparatus receiving at most a predetermined maximum data volume overall, for at least one priority level during each predetermined unit of time, assign each of the messages received at the input ports to one of the output ports, based on the destination address, that outputs each of the messages assigned thereto, and at least one of decrypt the priority data based on a cryptographic key, and the switch apparatus having a cryptographically secure internal configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The switch apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a number of messages, determined for the priority levels at each input port, is limited per unit of time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The switch apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the messages are emitted at the output ports in order of the priority levels of the messages being output. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The switch apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a maximum value of a transmission delay is predefined for at least one priority level and the maximum data volume is determined based on the maximum value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The switch apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the messages are emitted at the output ports in order of the priority levels of the messages being output. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The switch apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a maximum value of a transmission delay is predefined for at least one priority level and the maximum data volume is determined based on the maximum value. ### Claim 17 A motor vehicle, comprising: a data network with network branches; control units outputting messages, containing an address indication of a destination address and a priority indication of a priority level from among a plurality of priority levels indicated by cryptographically encrypted priority data, at least two of the control units performing time synchronization, such that the messages are output interlaced with a time delay that prevents collisions; and at least one switch apparatus, via which the control units are coupled and the messages are interchanged, the at least one switch apparatus respectively including connection ports connected to the network branches of the data network, at least some of the connection ports set up for operation as input ports receiving the messages transmitted from the control units, each input port receiving at most a predetermined maximum data volume overall for at least one priority level during each predetermined unit of time, and at least some of the connection ports set up for operation as output ports outputting the messages assigned thereto, and a processor configured to control the messages received at the input ports, assign each of the messages received at the input ports to one of the output ports based on the destination address, and at least one of decrypt the priority data based on a cryptographic key, and the switch apparatus having a cryptographically secure internal configuration. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the messages from at least one of the synchronized control units represent a broadband signal having a data rate at least 10% of a net data rate of the data network in the motor vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The motor vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the control units emit the messages independently of a global transmission plan, and a predefined time limit for respective transmission times of the messages is ensured. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the control units emit the messages independently of a global transmission plan, and a predefined time limit for respective transmission times of the messages is ensured.