In-vehicle control device communicatable with external communication system and in-vehicle LAN
AssigneeDenso Corporation
InventorKazunao Yamada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an in-vehicle control device, universal functions, which are universal to all of various corresponding communication modules, are concentrated in a control module. Furthermore, nonuniversal functions, which are not universal to all the communication modules, are concentrated in the respective communication modules. A communication module interface is universal to all the various communication modules. Universal functions, which are universal to all of various vehicular I/O modules, are also concentrated in the control module. Nonuniversal functions, which are not universal to all the vehicular I/O modules, are concentrated in the respective vehicular I/O modules. A vehicular I/O module interface is universal to all the various I/O modules.
Claims10
An in-vehicle control device for a vehicle, the in-vehicle control device comprising:
- a control module that is modularized to control operation of the entire in-vehicle control device;
- a detachably installed communication module that is detachably connected to the control module through a communication module interface and is modularized to communicate with an external communication network;
- and
- a detachably installed vehicular I/O module that is detachably connected to the control module through a vehicular I/O module interface and is modularized to communicate data with an in-vehicle LAN of the vehicle, wherein:
- the control module includes:
- at least one universal function that is universal to the detachably installed communication module and at least one replaceable communication module, wherein each replaceable communication module is replaceable with the detachably installed communication module and uses a communication method that is different from a communication method of the detachably installed communication module;
- and
- at least one universal function that is universal to the detachably installed vehicular I/O module and at least one replaceable vehicular I/O module, wherein each replaceable vehicular I/O module is replaceable with the detachably installed I/O module and meets an in-vehicle LAN standard that is different from an in-vehicle LAN standard met by the detachably installed vehicular I/O module;
- the detachably installed communication module has at least one nonuniversal function that is not universal to the detachably installed communication module and the at least one replaceable communication module;
- the communication module interface is universal to the detachably installed communication module and the at least one replaceable communication module;
- the detachably installed vehicular I/O module has at least one nonuniversal function that is not universal to the detachably installed vehicular I/O module and the at least one replaceable vehicular I/O module;
- and
- the vehicular I/O module interface is universal to the detachably installed vehicular I/O module and the at least one replaceable vehicular I/O module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.