System and method for automotive communication device with voltage shifting module

A network system comprising:

• a first battery;
• a second battery;
• a communication device having a microcontroller for generating a microcontroller output signal and receiving a microcontroller input signal;
• wherein said microcontroller output signal and said microcontroller input signal each indicate a voltage with respect to a first ground potential;
• said communication device further having a bus transceiver configured to generate a bus signal depending on a transceiver input signal which depends on said microcontroller output signal and to observe the bus signal for providing a transceiver output signal depending on said bus signal;
• said transceiver input signal and said transceiver output signal each indicate a voltage to a second ground potential;
• and,
• said communication device further having a shifting module for detecting a potential difference between said first ground potential and said second ground potential, for shifting a potential of the microcontroller output signal depending on the detected potential difference to output said transceiver input signal and for shifting a potential of said transceiver output signal depending on the detected potential difference to output said microcontroller input signal.

A method for automotive communication in a vehicle, wherein the method is executed by a communication device having a microcontroller for generating a microcontroller output signal and receiving a microcontroller input signal, wherein the microcontroller output signal and the microcontroller input signal each indicate a voltage with respect to a first ground potential;

• the communication device further having a bus transceiver configured to generate a bus signal depending on a transceiver input signal which depends on the microcontroller output signal and to observe the bus signal for providing a transceiver output signal depending on the bus signal, wherein the transceiver input signal and the transceiver output signal each indicate a voltage to a second ground potential;
• the communication device further having a shifting module for detecting a potential difference between the first ground potential and the second ground potential, for shifting a potential of the microcontroller output signal depending on the detected potential difference to output the transceiver input signal and for shifting a potential of the transceiver output signal depending on the detected potential difference to output the microcontroller input signal, the method comprising:
• detecting the potential difference between the first ground potential and the second ground potential;
• shifting the potential of the microcontroller output signal depending on the detected potential difference to output the transceiver input signal;
• and,
• shifting the transceiver output signal depending on the detected potential difference to output the microcontroller input signal.