Abstract: A system matches frame counter values between a timing master and one or more slave devices in a synchronous network. To detect synchronization losses, a timing master counts transmitted frames of a continuous data stream. When a synchronization loss occurs, the timing master transmits a message to the slave devices that includes a synchronization frame counter value. The message synchronizes the frame counter value of the timing master to the frame counter value of the slave devices.

Abstract: A vehicle illumination system includes a light source emitting light for illuminating the vehicle surroundings or the vehicle interior or both, and a modulation unit modulating the emitting of light of the light source, where the emitted light is modulated with a frequency that is high enough so that the modulation of the light is substantially not perceivable by a person.

Abstract: A method for data transmission via several data channels in a network linking several units to one another, where the units can function as data sources, data sinks or transceivers, includes the steps of arbitrarily assigning a first data channel to a first predetermined one or more connection segments; arbitrarily assigning the first channel to a second predetermined one or more connection segments other than the first predetermined one or more connection segments; and simultaneously transmitting data between two units across the first predetermined one or more connection segments via the first data channel, and between two or more other units across the second predetermined one or more connection segments via the first data channel. The data are transmitted in a first direction over the first predetermined at least one connection segment, and the data are transmitted in a second direction over the second predetermined at least one connection segment, where the first ands second directions are the same.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus to display a geographical picture on a screen (36) of a monitor (30), which is connected over a data bus (3) to a first computer (1). The invention specifies that the first computer (1) furnishes abstract data (a, c, f), determined on a geographical basis, to the data bus (3), and that these data (a, c, f) are processed in a second computer (31) situated in the monitor (30), for the visual display of a picture on the screen (36) of the monitor (30).

Abstract: To transmit an anisochronic data stream on an isochronic transmission route with a plurality of channels over a transmission network, a number of channels is reserved by the transmitter before beginning the transmission, where the sum of the transmission capacities of the reserved channels just exceeds the bandwidth of the asynchronous data stream. During the course of transmission, the data of the anisochronic data stream are formed into packets; each packet is transmitted over the reserved channels. After a packet has been sent, unused portions of the reserved channels are filled with filler data that is discarded at the receiver, until sufficient data are again available at the transmitter to begin transmission of the next packet.

Abstract: A vehicle sound system provides an audio signal to a speaker system. The vehicle sound system comprises a first input unit that receives a first priority value indicative of a first scope of authority that the first input unit has been assigned over the vehicle sound system. A second input unit receives a second priority value indicative of a second scope of authority the second input unit has been assigned over the vehicle sound system. A plurality of sound system generating components are capable of communicating with the first and second input units over a system bus and being selectively controlled by the first and second input units via the system bus. The first input unit comprises an input interface that allows a user to specify the first priority value.

Abstract: A vehicle illumination system includes a light source emitting light for illuminating the vehicle surroundings or the vehicle interior or both, and a modulation unit modulating the emitting of light of the light source, where the emitted light is modulated with a frequency that is high enough so that the modulation of the light is substantially not perceivable by a person.

Abstract: An optical ring network for use, for example, in a motor vehicle, includes an optical data line that defines a ring network, a playback transducer and at least one data source connected to the optical data line, where the data source provides compressed data onto the optical data line. The network also includes at least one data sink connected to the optical data line, which receives the compressed data from the optical data line. The data sink includes a bit stream decoder that decompresses the received compressed data and provides the decompressed data to the playback transducer. The local network transmits audio and video data in compressed form via the data line, and has a single bit stream decoder, centrally situated at the respective data sink, for decompressing the audio and/or video data. As a result, the individual data sources no longer need their own bit stream decoder for decompressing the data.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system transmits navigation information to a vehicle display in form of video data in a standard video format. The video data may be displayed as a still or a moving image. The vehicle navigation system includes a decoder for decoding and displaying video data and a display that may be interfaced to a vehicle entertainment system. The video data may include map data, user information, directional instructions, video information (still or moving images) or information relating to a destination or point of interest.

Abstract: A voice signal is transmitted in an MOST network on a single channel. The width of the transmitted voice data words is preferably up to 14 bits, and each voice data word is transmitted into successive clock periods of the MOST network, in a byte that includes seven bits of the voice data word and one identifier bit.

Abstract: A method for data transmission via several data channels in a network linking several units to one another, where the units can function as data sources, data sinks or transceivers, includes the steps of arbitrarily assigning a first data channel to a first predetermined one or more connection segments; arbitrarily assigning the first channel to a second predetermined one or more connection segments other than the first predetermined one or more connection segments; and simultaneously transmitting data between two units across the first predetermined one or more connection segments via the first data channel, and between two or more other units across the second predetermined one or more connection segments via the first data channel. The data are transmitted in a first direction over the first predetermined at least one connection segment, and the data are transmitted in a second direction over the second predetermined at least one connection segment, where the first ands second directions are the same.

Abstract: To transmit an anisochronic data stream on an isochronic transmission route with a plurality of channels over a transmission network, a number of channels is reserved by the transmitter before beginning the transmission, wherein the sum of the transmission capacities of the reserved channels just exceeds the bandwidth of the asynchronous data stream. During the course of transmission, the data of the anisochronic data stream are formed into packets; each packet is transmitted over the reserved channels. After a packet has been sent, unused portions of the reserved channels are filled with filler data that is discarded at the receiver, until sufficient data are again available at the transmitter to begin transmission of the next packet.

Abstract: A vehicle sound system provides an audio signal to a speaker system. The vehicle sound system comprises a first input unit that receives a first priority value indicative of a first scope of authority that the first input unit has been assigned over the vehicle sound system. A second input unit receives a second priority value indicative of a second scope of authority the second input unit has been assigned over the vehicle sound system. A plurality of sound system generating components are capable of communicating with the first and second input units over a system bus and being selectively controlled by the first and second input units via the system bus. The first input unit comprises an input interface that allows a user to specify the first priority value.

Abstract: A motor vehicle navigation system comprises a position sensor that senses the geographical position of the navigation system and provides a first navigation system position signal indicative thereof. The navigation system system also includes a navigation computing unit that recieves the first navigation system position signal and transmits onto a data bus (i) a first position signal indicative of the position of a trip starting location, (ii) a second position signal indicative of a trip destination location and (iii) the first navigation system position signal. A road map memory device includes map data.

Abstract: The utilization of the capacity of a data transmission system (e.g., a MOST vehicle network) is improved in the event that the operating frequency and channel width of the system do not match the word frequency and word width of the digitized signal. The data words of the digitized signal are decomposed into partial words with a smaller width than that of the channels on which they are transmitted. Consequently, in each individual channel there remains a residual transmission capacity that makes it possible to transmit an identifier for each individual transmitted partial data word. A data sink, connected to the transmission system, uses this identifier to obtain information about the position of the respective partial data word in its original data word. This identifier may be one bit (i.e., a Boolean signal).

Abstract: The invention relates to a sound system for a motor vehicle and to a process for specifying the functional scope of such. The sound system (1) for a motor vehicle comprises a control unit (2), and several input units (3, 3a) for operating the system (1), as well as display units (4) and several units (5, 11) to generate the source data in the form of sound or video data. The sound data are amplified in an amplifier unit (6), and are conducted to several loudspeakers (7). The units are linked to one another via a bus (8) with a ring topology. Both source data and control data are transmitted over the bus. The functional scope of the individual input units (3, 3a) is specified by means of a priority value of the input units (3, 3a). This priority value is stored in the memory (12) of each input unit (3, 3a).

Abstract: In a network, for example, a ring-type MOST network installed in a vehicle, a plurality of units— a master unit (M) as well as a plurality of slave units oo (S)— are networked, preferably through an optical data bus (D), and connected through supply lines (L) to a central voltage source such as the on-board battery of the et) vehicle. In order to enhance the operational reliability, error diagnostics, and overall performance of the network, data are also transmitted through the supply lines (L)—for example, diagnostic data for error diagnostics or update data to update the individual units (M, S). The invention is especially suited for use in a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A method of joint data transmission of digital source data and control data is provided between data sources and data sinks which are subscribers of a uni-directionally operated communication network having a ring configuration, in which source data and control data are transmitted in a format which prescribes a clocked sequence of individual bit groups of the same bit width which are transmitted in a continuous data stream, in each case specific bit positions predetermined by the format are reserved, in which the subscribers sample data in each case with a first sampling frequency and the communication network samples data with a second sampling frequency, which is an integral multiple of the first sampling frequency, in which, within each bit group, at least one contiguous region with a predetermined number of bit positions can be reserved for source data and the contiguous region(s) in each case have a beginning and a defined length and are in each case assigned to a subscriber address, in which at least o

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system transmits navigation information to a vehicle display in form of video data in a standard video format. The video data may be displayed as a still or a moving image. The vehicle navigation system includes a decoder for decoding and displaying video data and a display that may be interfaced to a vehicle entertainment system. The video data may include map data, user information, directional instructions, video information (still or moving images) or information relating to a destination or point of interest.

Abstract: A control command, which has a command header sequence and a sequence of n parameters, is generated in a data source of a local network. The control command has a variable length defined by the data source. The control command is passed to the ring data line of the local network and is forwarded to a data sink. This data sink contains a control unit, a picture output unit, an interface and a memory, in which video data are stored. The video data can be read out and displayed on the picture output unit. The control command has n parameters of which the first m parameters are interpreted by the control unit. The number m is determined by the properties of the data sink and is independent of the properties of the data source. Using the m interpreted parameters, specific video data are read from the memory and are reproduced.