Hugh B Johnson

US Patent:

7593344, Sep 22, 2009

Filed:

Dec 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/015133

Inventors:

Patrick D. Jordan - Austin TX, US
Hai Dong - Austin TX, US
Hugh W. Johnson - Cedar Park TX, US
Prakash U. Kartha - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Temic Automotive of North America, Inc. - Deer Park IL

International Classification:

H04J 1/16
H04J 3/14

US Classification:

370241, 370242

Abstract:

A system and method for reprogramming nodes in an automotive switch fabric network using a diagnostic interface. The switch fabric network includes a plurality of nodes joined by communication links for the transmission of data there between. The plurality of nodes includes at least one target node. The target node includes a processor, a transceiver, and a memory. The memory includes an erasable memory portion and a protected memory portion. The processor in the target node switches from executing instructions in the erasable memory portion to executing instructions in the protected memory portion during a reprogramming period when the target node erases a current software component and stores a new software component in its erasable memory portion. The diagnostic interface is adapted to transmit the new software component to the target node.

US Patent:

7593429, Sep 22, 2009

Filed:

Dec 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/014936

Inventors:

Patrick D. Jordan - Austin TX, US
Hai Dong - Austin TX, US
Hugh W. Johnson - Cedar Park TX, US
Prakash U. Kartha - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Temic Automotive of North America, Inc. - Deer Park IL

International Classification:

H04J 3/06

US Classification:

370503

Abstract:

A system and method for time synchronizing nodes in a switch fabric network of a vehicle. The network has a plurality of nodes that are joined by communication links for the transmission of data there between. Each node of the switch fabric may include a processor, a memory, a clock, a transceiver, and an input capture. The memory is adapted to store and retain timer offsets associated with communication links with neighboring nodes. The transceiver is adapted to transmit and receive synchronization messages between the node and neighboring nodes. The input capture is adapted to capture a timestamp associated with the transmission of synchronization messages. The processor is configured to compute the timer offsets associated with the communication links with neighboring nodes based on the captured timestamps by the input capture function. The computed offsets may then be broadcast and stored by the nodes for subsequent use in time synchronizing data packets through the switch fabric network.

US Patent:

7599377, Oct 6, 2009

Filed:

Dec 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/015606

Inventors:

Patrick D. Jordan - Austin TX, US
Hai Dong - Austin TX, US
Walton L. Fehr - Mundelein IL, US
Hugh W. Johnson - Cedar Park TX, US
Prakash U. Kartha - Round Rock TX, US
Samuel M. Levenson - Arlington Heights IL, US
Donald J. Remboski - Dearborn MI, US

Assignee:

Temic Automotive of North America, Inc. - Deer Park IL

International Classification:

H04L 12/28
H04L 12/56

US Classification:

370400

Abstract:

A system and method for tunneling standard bus protocol messages through an automotive switch fabric network. When a bus protocol message arrives on a connecting node in the network, a bus driver in the node will capture the message and store it into a message buffer where the message can be further processed by a tunneling application. Each received bus protocol message will be broken, or combined, to suit the available packet size of the underlying transmit layer of the switch fabric network. Data portions such as message identification, sequence number, port number, bus data type, and data length are reserved in each data packet. If the message is being broken down, the sequence number is used to differentiate the broken segments of the bus protocol message. The bus data type is used to indicate the type of protocol data being transmitted over the switch fabric. The same tunneling application may be used to reassemble the bus protocol message at a receiving node.

US Patent:

7613190, Nov 3, 2009

Filed:

Dec 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/015153

Inventors:

Patrick D. Jordan - Austin TX, US
Hai Dong - Austin TX, US
Hugh W. Johnson - Cedar Park TX, US
Prakash U. Kartha - Round Rock TX, US
Samuel M. Levenson - Arlington Heights IL, US

Assignee:

Temic Automotive of North America, Inc. - Deer Park IL

International Classification:

H04L 12/28
H04L 12/56

US Classification:

370394

Abstract:

A system and method for streaming sequential data through a vehicle switch fabric network. This is particular useful in areas such as reprogramming nodes in the automotive switch fabric network where relatively large records or messages need to be transmitted through the switch fabric, although the invention may be used in other areas. In sum, the system and method described herein takes large data records and breaks them down into smaller units (data packets) that fit within the constraints of the physical layer on which communication links in the switch fabric network is built. The smaller data packets are assigned with a message identification and a sequence number. Data packets associated with the same data record or message are assigned with the same message identification but may differ in their sequence number. Each data packet is transmitted over the vehicle switch fabric network to a destination node. At the destination node, the data packets may be reassembled to its original data format based on the message identification and sequence numbers.

US Patent:

7623552, Nov 24, 2009

Filed:

Dec 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/016139

Inventors:

Patrick D. Jordan - Austin TX, US
Hai Dong - Austin TX, US
Hugh W. Johnson - Cedar Park TX, US
Prakash U. Kartha - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Temic Automotive of North America, Inc. - Deer Park IL

International Classification:

H04J 3/06

US Classification:

370503, 370516

Abstract:

A system and method for time synchronizing nodes in a switch fabric network of a vehicle. A synchronization request message is transmitted from a requesting node to a neighboring node. At the time the synchronization request message is sent, the requesting node will store a unique message identification associated with the request message as well as a first timestamp that is associated with the time that the synchronization request message was transmitted by the requesting node. The neighboring node will receive the synchronization request message and store a second timestamp associated with the time that the synchronization request message was received by the neighboring node. Thereafter, the neighboring node will transmit to the requesting node a synchronization response message that includes the message identification and the second timestamp. The requesting node will then calculate a timer offset value that is based on the first timestamp and the second timestamp. The timer offset values may then be shared with other nodes in the network so that a summed offset may be used to transmit network messages across a plurality of nodes.

US Patent:

20060083172, Apr 20, 2006

Filed:

Dec 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/015529

Inventors:

Patrick Jordan - Austin TX, US
Alexey Bakhtin - St. Petersburg, RU
Hai Dong - Austin TX, US
Hugh Johnson - Cedar Park TX, US
Prakash Kartha - Round Rock TX, US
Samuel Levenson - Arlington Heights IL, US
Olga Tykuchinskaya - St. Petersburg, RU

International Classification:

H04L 1/00

US Classification:

370241000

Abstract:

A system and method for evaluating the performance of an automotive switch fabric network using a diagnostic interface. A diagnostic device and interface is connected to an automotive switch fabric network, comprising of a plurality of communication nodes, through one of the nodes in the switch fabric network. The diagnostic device and interface configures the switch fabric network to operate in a test mode. The diagnostic device and interface will issue a first command to one node to start traffic across a test node at a predetermined traffic rate and a second command to another node to generate a test message that passes through the test node. The test node contains message processing logic that will process the messages as they pass through the test node. A plurality of timestamps is generated in the message processing logic of the test node to monitor the progression of the messages through the processing logic. The test node includes a diagnostic interface agent that collects the timestamp data and reports the data back to the diagnostic interface and device.

US Patent:

20070102998, May 10, 2007

Filed:

Nov 8, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/268872

Inventors:

Patrick Jordan - Austin TX, US
Hai Dong - Austin TX, US
Walton Fehr - Mundelein IL, US
Hugh Johnson - Cedar Park TX, US
Prakash Kartha - Round Rock TX, US
Donald Remboski - Akron OH, US

International Classification:

B60L 1/00

US Classification:

307009100

Abstract:

Nodes which include additional sensing and communication capability as compared to prior nodes. The sensing capability allows determination of actual current flows through the particular nodes, including each port of the node, to allow a determination of power flow to better control operations. Because of this understanding of power flow, smaller modules or nodes can be utilized if desired. For protection of a lower power node, an upstream node can open the link to the node should it go overcurrent or otherwise fault. Further, with the additional sensing capability, actual load balancing and multiple controllable flows, such as for standby, can be developed. The additional communication in combination with the sensing also allows better fault isolation. By being able to determine the actual location of the fault, other operations in the vehicle can continue with just the faulty area being disconnected.

US Patent:

20080046142, Feb 21, 2008

Filed:

Jun 29, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/427574

Inventors:

PATRICK D. JORDAN - AUSTIN TX, US
HAI DONG - AUSTIN TX, US
WALTON L. FEHR - MUNDELEIN IL, US
HUGH W. JOHNSON - CEDAR PARK TX, US
PRAKASH U. KARTHA - ROUND ROCK TX, US
SAMUEL M. LEVENSON - ARLINGTON HEIGHTS IL, US
DONALD J. REMBOSKI - AKRON OH, US

Assignee:

MOTOROLA, INC. - SCHAUMBURG IL

International Classification:

G06F 7/00

US Classification:

701 36

Abstract:

Methods and systems for distributed failover in a vehicle network, including processor load shedding to reallocate processing power to applications controlling critical vehicle functions and providing for failover in a vehicle network according to the criticality of the affected vehicle function. In embodiments of the presently disclosed vehicle control method and system, the components of the system, including sensors, actuators, and controllers, are implemented as nodes in a network or switch fabric capable of communicating with other nodes.

Address:

3921 Cyn Gln Cir, Austin, TX 78732

Phone:

817 329-4551

VIN:

1GNFK13037R273341

Make:

CHEVROLET

Model:

TAHOE

Year:

2007

Author:

Hugh Johnson

ISBN #:

1740664590

Author:

Hugh Johnson

ISBN #:

0080392199

Author:

Hugh Johnson

ISBN #:

0316735841

Author:

Hugh Johnson

ISBN #:

0517138697

Author:

Hugh Johnson

ISBN #:

0517227479

Author:

Hugh Johnson

ISBN #:

0517322579

Author:

Hugh Johnson

ISBN #:

0517695014

Author:

Hugh Johnson

ISBN #:

0520248503