Abstract: A method for managing a plurality of devices interconnected as a communications network in a motor vehicle via one or a plurality of interconnected bus systems is presented, the method including recognizing and generating a device specific control component for newly attached devices. The method includes operating a generic control module to operate upon data stored in a newly attached device to generate the device-specific control component, which is used to control the device. The device-specific control component either can be added to the generic control module or can be stored independently of the generic control module in the respective device. The generic control module is used in a gateway or a system manager of the communications network. A human-machine interface adapts to the device-specific control component. The network is interconnected by a bus system, preferably embodied according to IEEE 1394.

Abstract: A method of accessing a device in a communications network in a motor vehicle via an external device is described, in which a software element is transmitted to the external device in the case of authorized access to a device in the communications network to permit control of the device in the communications network by the external device. A gateway checks on whether access is possible, either checking directly with the device requested or via the system manager. Security in communication between the external device and the device to be controlled may be achieved by an additional encryption and/or a specified validity period of the software element transcribed to the external device. If there is no software element for a device to be controlled, such a software element may be created by using a control module and data stored in the device. A bus system, according to IEEE 1394, for example, may be used as the communications network.

Abstract: A method for handling a faulty device in a vehicle communication network is provided, which is used to identify devices that are either faulty, were removed from the vehicle communication network or were switched off, and to automatically initiate a fault-remedying measure. An expanded, device-specific driver having diagnostic functions is loaded by another device of the network to send a test signal to the faulty device. Either the faulty device is restarted or the faulty device is switched off depending on the reaction to the test signal. If a device is removed from the network, this is indicated in a database. A bus manager will inform other devices connected to the network that this device was removed from the network. Due to a classification of the individual devices connected to the network, not every device is able to perform the fault handling, but rather only suitably classified devices. Misuse is thereby prevented.

Abstract: To control links in a communication system, a message having information about the transmission format is transmitted in response to a link request. After the determination of whether sufficient transmission capacity is available for this transmission format, link data and priority attributes are used to check if an existing link can be stopped in favor of the desired link.

Abstract: To control access to elements within a bus system or network, an external device identifies itself with a bus manager or network manager via a device-specific identifier. After authentication on the basis of a digital key, access is granted to the external device in accordance with its membership in a certain class of elements of the bus system or network.

Abstract: In a method for the dynamic assignment of resources in a communication system, a cyclical time frame of at least intermittently fixed temporal duration is predefined for the access of communication participants, time slots in the time frame being assigned to the communication participants. The duration of unused time slots is shortened, which means that additional time slots are able to be accommodated in the time frame, which are assigned to communication participants dynamically, in particular as a function of their communication requirements.

Abstract: A method for managing a plurality of devices interconnected as a communications network in a motor vehicle via one or a plurality of interconnected bus systems is presented, the method including recognizing and generating a device specific control component for newly attached devices. The method includes operating a generic control module to operate upon data stored in a newly attached device to generate the device-specific control component, which is used to control the device. The device-specific control component either can be added to the generic control module or can be stored independently of the generic control module in the respective device. The generic control module is used in a gateway or a system manager of the communications network. A human-machine interface adapts to the device-specific control component. The network is interconnected by a bus system, preferably embodied according to IEEE 1394.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for initializing a distributed software architecture as well as an electronic system. A control module for a network function is made available in the form of a DCM. This control module is registered in a registry as a DCM. The present invention permits extending a distributed software architecture, e.g., in accordance with the HAVi standards, by network and system administration functions, which, in particular, permit the application to motor vehicles.

Abstract: In a method and a system for providing data to a software application of a control unit, data emitted by a sensor are prepared in a data preparation module and the software application requests data required by it from a central information provider. The information provider retrieves data required for this from a data preparation module.

Abstract: In a method of power saving operation of communication terminals in a communication system, at least two operating modes are defined: active and sleep plus optionally standby. Announcements sent out from a master station over an announcement channel are monitored within fixed time windows and thereafter the operating modes of the terminals are controlled. Synchronization information/frame symbols from the master station are also analyzed in the sleep phases and in the standby phases.

Abstract: A method of controlling a first wireless station and a second wireless station is described, the wireless stations being connected with one another via at least one communication link and being controlled according to a communication protocol, the first wireless station communicating with at least one terminal according to a frame-structured wireless transmission protocol using packet transfer, with control messages being defined via an additional protocol layer using the communication protocol for controlling the at least one link and/or for managing the wireless stations.

Abstract: A method of operating a device which is connected to a vehicle communications network is described, a switched-off device being reactivated by the bus manager via a frequency pulse transmitted over a power supply line. The device may be switched off by the bus manager or by itself if there is no data communication with the device for a predetermined period of time. The frequency pulse is analyzed by an analyzer circuit of the switched-off device, the analyzer circuit having a frequency-selective filter and a threshold detector. The frequency pulse may be transmitted at a frequency which is valid for only one device or at a frequency for a group of devices or at a frequency for all devices. If the devices are arranged in branches, then all the devices downstream from a switched-off device are also switched off or reactivated.

Abstract: A method for operating a navigation system and a navigation system for a vehicle, a motor vehicle in particular, data concerning geographic positions of the vehicle being determined by a position-finding system and transmitted to an electronic data processing device having access to a database and a digital road map. Based on this data, the location of the vehicle on the digital road map is determined and route guidance instructions are output to the driver of the vehicle acoustically and/or visually. Also, information from the navigation system may be used for traveling routes selected by the driver himself before the start of the trip and to which the navigation system does not output any route guidance instructions. Routes selected by the driver himself are entered into the navigation system and stored by a route memory of the navigation system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for initializing a distributed software architecture as well as an electronic system. A control module for a network function is made available in the form of a DCM. This control module is registered in a registry as a DCM. The present invention permits extending a distributed software architecture, e.g., in accordance with the HAVi standards, by network and system administration functions, which, in particular, permit the application to motor vehicles.

Abstract: The electronic system, especially a security system, includes a number of different units that access a network according to a multiple access protocol, which is designed to minimize collisions between frames while reducing bandwidth requirements. The units may monitor different spatial regions according to several different criteria. Respective units that monitor according to correspondingly different criteria in a given spatial region may be assembled into one group and units that monitor different spatial regions but according to the same criterion may be assembled into another group. Each of the units of the one group are provided access to the network in one concurrent time slot, while the units of the other group are provided access to the network in a different concurrent time slot.

Abstract: An identifier is stored within the transmission frame to provide a connection-oriented transmission in a communications system, the identified indicating the connection to which containers for useful data packets transmitted by a subscriber to the master station belong.

Abstract: In a method for repeat transmission of messages in a centrally controlled communication network including a plurality of terminals and a central station messages assigned sequence numbers are broadcast or multicast from the central station for reception by terminals of a participating group. As soon as a terminal detects loss of a transmitted message or an error in the transmitted message, it transmits a repeat request for repeat transmission of that message, which includes the sequence number of the lost or erroneous message, over another communication link, especially a point-to-point communication link. The central station repeats the message transmission of the lost or erroneous message but only until a predetermined maximum number of repetitions occurs within a predetermined time interval or until a positive acknowledgement of receipt of the previously lost or erroneous message is received.

Abstract: In order to operate a communications network in a power-saving mode, a central processing unit decides, on the basis of activities and/or states, if it is possible to switch network elements to the power-saving mode. A forthcoming switch to the power-saving mode is announced to the network elements.

Abstract: Transmission resource allocation by a central station (ZE) for control of data flow of terminals (T1, T2, . . . ) of a centrally controlled communication system is performed in the terminals (T1, T2, . . . ). A concerned terminal (T1, T2, . . . ) independently decides whether it might only need reduced transmission resource capacity. The decision regarding this reduction in needed transmission capacity is transmitted to the central station, so that it can distribute the unneeded transmission capacity to the remaining terminals.

Abstract: A method for handing over a link between a mobile station and a network from a first base station to a second base station of the network. In the case of an existing link, link data for the link are stored in the base station in question and resources of the base station are held in reserve for the link. When a link is handed over, the link data initially remain stored in the first base station and the resources of the first base station initially remain held in reserve. At a later timepoint the link data are deleted and the resources are freed up. Furthermore, a method is used in which in the case of a handover the mobile station sends the network a query as to whether the network can support the handover by transferring the link data from the first mobile station to the second mobile station. If the mobile station is informed that the network cannot support the handover the mobile station makes the link data available to the second base station.