Electronic system

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic system, which is made up of a plurality of electronic components.

[0002] An example of such a system is the comfort and convenience electronics of a motor vehicle, which includes, e.g. an audio-video system, a navigation system, an air conditioner, and other similar components. In this context, the individual components are designed to be autonomous, i.e. fully functional for their respective fields of application alone. To this end, the components are provided with separate input and output units and a separate control unit; hardware and software being united in a common housing. Because of the limited space in motor vehicles, effort is made in various areas to allow a more efficient design of such systems. First of all, multifunctional control units were developed, which are used as a common input and output unit for a plurality of components. The different components of multifunctional control units have a common, central graphics surface, which is formed by a monitor or an LCD display, touch-screen designs also being known. This display unit is assigned a control unit, which interprets the specific inputs and transmits them to the corresponding components or their control units. An important advantage of these multifunctional control units is that they eliminate the need for separate input and output units, which would otherwise have to be built into the console. In addition, it is known that the different components may be interconnected by a bus configuration. In this manner, the different control units can access the data of the other control units and sensors, which means that the multiple acquisition of certain data can be eliminated. The disadvantage of all the known electrical systems is the lack of ability of an electronic component to access parts of other electrical components, so that many redundant component parts are used, which increase the cost of the electrical system as a whole and occupy a large amount of space. In addition, the interfaces of electrical components belonging to autonomous units are mostly proprietary, so that an exchange of their data is severely limited and synergism of the functions is not possible in most cases. A further disadvantage is that most of the electronic components have to be replaced when the system is expanded or improved.

[0003] Therefore, the present invention is based on the engineering problem of providing a flexible electronic system, which may be scaled, is simple and compact, and has improved options for upgrading and functional integration.

[0004] The solution to the engineering problem is given by the subject matter having the features of claim 1. Additional advantageous embodiments of the present invention are derived from the dependent claims.

[0005] To this end, the electronic system includes only one central control unit, which is connected to the electronic components by a bus configuration. The central control unit includes a memory device, in which available functions and specific parameters of each electronic component are stored. The central control unit generates a function selection, which may then be displayed via a central graphics interface. This eliminates the input and output units and the corresponding control units for the individual electronic components. The device-specific data of the electronic components is abstracted or transformed into a format not specific to a device. In this manner, the central control unit can control the existing electronic components and, if necessary, merge their functionality together, so that the number of possible, implementable functions becomes greater than the sum of the individual functions of the electronic components. In addition, this electronic system allows individual parts of electronic components to be used for functions not specific to a component. Therefore, any multimedia data may be transported and transformed, and now functions may be generated from the data, using software engineering alone.

[0006] A further advantage is the ability to retrofit the system in a simple manner, as well as the system's easy adaptability to different equipment. In view of the retrofit capability, plug and play is implemented by the electronic system. If a new electronic component is integrated into the system, then, in a login procedure, it transmits its parameters to the central control unit, which then saves them in the memory device, so that the central control unit may then use the new function and possibly display it in the graphics interface, if the function software is already designed for these expansion possibilities. In the same way, different equipment may be produced by simply exchanging the graphics processing software for the graphics interface, given the same hardware set-up and the same function software. The central control unit preferably takes the form of a PC.

[0007] In a further preferred embodiment, the bus configuration takes the form of an MOST bus (media oriented systems transfer). The electronic system then preferably communicates with components of the comfort and convenience electronics in a motor vehicle, using gateways. In this context, the communication with the safety-related components, which are preferably connected by a CAN bus, can preferably take place via CAN gateways, the communication with other networks such as mobile radio networks taking place via a wireless gateway.

[0008] The wireless gateway preferably has a modular design, i.e. the wireless gateway is designed to have several interfaces for possible, connectible transmitting/receiving units for communicating with external networks.

[0009] It is particularly advantageous that the electronic system may be integrated in a motor vehicle for the comfort and convenience electronics. In principle, the components of the drive unit, such as the transmission control unit, may also be integrated, but this would increase the requirements regarding the functional reliability of the CAN gateway and the control units in question.

[0010] The present invention is elucidated in the following, on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment. The figures show:

[0011] FIG. 1 a schematic layer model of an electronic system; and

[0012] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of the hardware set-up of an electronic system.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a schematic layer model of an electronic system. The electronic system includes a central control unit 1 and a plurality of electronic components 2, although only one is represented in order to retain an overview. The lowest level 3 of central control unit 1 and electronic components 2 represents the actual hardware, which is physically interconnected by a bus configuration 4. In this context, bus configuration 4 preferably takes the form of an MOST bus. The next higher level 5 is formed by the device-specific driver software. Situated above this is level 6, which is formed by the operating system. Levels 3, 5, and 6 represent the device-specific levels, as they occur in the related art, as well. An abstraction level 7 is situated above the operating system. On this level, which is hierarchically superordinate to the operating system, device-specific electronic component 2 and central control unit 1 are abstractly defined in a device-nonspecific manner, using software. A command-interpretation level or demand-interpretation level 8, which is also not specific to a device, is situated above abstraction level 7. Top level 9 of electronic component 2 contains a function and parameter list of electronic components 2. In the case of retrofitting or initialization of a component 2, the contents of the two lists are transmitted to a memory device 12 of control unit 1. The function software modules 10 in central control unit 1 assume arbitrary functions, such as address book, navigation, diagnostic, entertainment, etc. Therefore, existing device functions are mapped in software. Situated above this function level 10 is user graphics interface 11, which may be further subdivided in a user-specific and service-specific manner. Prior to actual operation, each electronic component 2 transmits its function and parameter list via bus configuration 4 to central control unit 1, which stores all function and parameter lists in a memory device 12. Put simply, electronic components 2 inform central control unit 1 about what they are and what they can do. Central control unit 1 then compiles the possible functions for the user from this information, in which case new, integrated functions may be generated by merging individual functions. For example, the address book may be combined with the navigation, whereby destination entries for the navigation may be taken directly from the address book. In addition, existing components may be used for different functions. Thus, e.g. the same CD playing device may be used to play a CD-ROM having navigation data, or a music CD-ROM. To this end, the playback device, which may take the form of a DVD changer, signals to central control unit 1 that it can read both audio and navigation DVD's. In addition, the DVD changer indicates which DVD is located in which slot of the changer. If data from a navigation DVD should then be read, then central control unit 1 informs the DVD changer, that it should read the DVD in the corresponding slot. The DVD changer recognizes the appropriate DVD and automatically sets the corresponding parameters.

[0014] With the aid of the graphics interface, the user inputs a command via an input unit, in order to carry out a function. This command is transmitted via bus configuration 4 to central control unit 1. In central control unit 1, this command is assigned a function not specific to a device. Control unit 1 compiles the parts of the components that are required for the function, as well as how these parts must be controlled. This operation takes place in command-interpretation level and demand-interpretation level 8. The control commands not specific to a device are then converted to device-specific control commands for the electronic components 2 to be controlled, and the commands are transmitted to the electronic components via bus configuration 4. The exchange of data and information between electronic components 2 is also accomplished by central control unit 1. To this end, central control unit 1 receives the device-specific data of an electronic component 2, abstracts these data into a data format not specific to a device, converts these data to a device-specific data format of the electronic component 2 meant for reception, and transmits these device-specific data via bus configuration 4 to electronic component 2.

[0015] Another considerable advantage of the electronic system is that retrofitting it with new or improved electronic components does not effect the other electronic components. To this end, only the software in central control unit 1 may have to be modified, since even functionally interacting, electronic components 2 are decoupled with respect to hardware and only communicate with each other through central control unit 1.

[0016] The simplified hardware layout of the electrical system is represented in FIG. 2. Bus configuration 4 is connected to a multitude of multifunctional input and output units 13, and to electronic components 2. In this context, input and output units 13 may take the form of a touch screen, tip switch, switch, keyboard, microphone, loudspeaker, and instrument cluster 14. Examples of electronic components 2 include CD-ROM reader units, radios, cassette recorders, etc. Central control unit 1 is also connected to bus configuration 4. As previously explained, the electronic components 2 are preferably just comfort and convenience components. Input and output units 13, the instrument cluster, and electronic components 2 are all treated equally by the system architecture.

[0017] When the electronic system is used in a motor vehicle, it can be desirable for data to also be exchanged with other comfort and convenience components or drive components. In this case, the components in a motor vehicle are preferably interconnected by a CAN bus. This CAN bus may also be further subdivided into a comfort and convenience CAN for the comfort and convenience components, and a drive CAN for the drive components, the two CAN buses then being interconnected by a gateway. In the same way, bus configuration 4 may be connected to the CAN bus by a CAN gateway 15 and thus receive data from safety-related control units and sensors. In particular, due to safety-engineering aspects, CAN gateway 15 must ensure that unauthorized access to certain control units connected to the CAN bus does not occur. Thus, it must be ensured that, e.g. the transmission control unit cannot be manipulated through CAN gateway 15. The communication with other external networks takes place via a wireless gateway 16. Wireless gateway 16 preferably has a modular construction and is designed to have interfaces for all conceivable receivers. For example, the wireless gateway is designed to have suitable interfaces for AM/FM receivers, TV/DVBT receivers, GPS, GSM, and other radio-communication systems. Depending on the equipment of the motor vehicle, the corresponding receivers and, in some instances, transmitters are connected to wireless gateway 16. In this context, the adaptation to various external devices is likewise carried out at wireless gateway 16, by using software only. The substantial advantage of this architecture is that wireless gateway 16 therefore transmits the already demodulated data to bus configuration 4. Thus, the electronic system is decoupled from the receiver side, and technical modifications such as data-transmission formats, transmitting frequencies, etc. have no influence on the electronic system. An adaptation must only be carried out in accordance with the wireless gateway.

[0018] In a further specific embodiment, the user graphics interface is also subdivided and abstracted, using software engineering. Standard functional software, over which a variable graphics-processing software is situated, exists for this purpose. This shall be explained by way of example. Navigation data are transmitted in different ways, depending on the equipment of a motor vehicle or the type of motor vehicle. For example, this may be dependent on the different sizes of the display units at hand. The separation of function software and processing software now allows the same function software to be used in all motor vehicles. This function software yields a result in a specific output format. The runtime software positioned above it is vehicle-specific and properly adapted to the desired display. If the user wishes to modify the display of the navigation data, then only the processing software must be replaced. Therefore, a multitude of outwardly different systems may be produced with a minimum of expenditure.