JPH03139025A - On-vehicle information system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To discriminate the presence of a fault in a peripheral equipment and to obtain a system with excellent response by connecting a line generating a signal corresponding to the connection or the like of the peripheral equipment to a control unit. CONSTITUTION:When a cassette unit 3 is connected to a communication line 11 or a tape kind identifying line 13, a control unit 8 inputs an H level signal from a line 13, and when a DAT unit 4 is connected, the unit 8 inputs an L level signal from the line 13. The unit 8 discriminates whether the unit is 3 or 4 by detecting a signal level of the line 13. When a hand-free telephone set adaptor 5 is not connected to the communication line 12 and the identification line 14, the line 14 goes to an H level. Thus, the lines 11, 12 connected to the peripheral equipment are used when the communication is disabled, for the unit 8 to discriminate the fault of the peripheral equipment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The invention relates to an on-vehicle information system that displays information and controls audio/visual equipment.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, the control unit for NOW's in-vehicle information system, which controls various aspects such as display and audio/video output, has been the TV tuner unit. It is connected to any peripheral equipment such as a radio tuner unit, cassette unit, DAT unit, hands-free telephone adapter, etc. through individual communication lines or communication path lines. The control unit then sends commands, etc. via this communication line or communication path line (however, in the case of a communication path line, an identification (ID) signal for identifying the unit is added), and response signals ( (including ID signals).

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, in the conventional in-vehicle information system, when the control unit identifies the connection state or type of the peripheral device based on the ID signal from the peripheral device, when communication is not possible, the control unit identifies the connection state or type of the peripheral device. There was an issue in which it was not possible to determine whether a peripheral device was not connected or was malfunctioning.

Also, what software is needed to be able to identify when a communication error occurs? x The system itself became expensive due to the complexity, and there were problems such as it took time to make decisions and the responsiveness of the system was poor.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. The purpose is to obtain an information system.

[Means to solve the problem]

The in-vehicle information system of the present invention is an in-vehicle information system in which identification line means for generating a signal depending on the connection state or type of peripheral equipment is connected to a control unit.

[Function] In the in-vehicle information system according to the present invention, since the control unit can identify the connection state or type of the peripheral device through the identification line means, if communication is impossible, it can be determined that the peripheral device is malfunctioning.

(Example〕 Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing each connection state of an in-vehicle information system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, numeral 2 is a television tuner unit that receives television broadcast waves and outputs video and audio signals; 2 is a radio tuner unit that receives radio broadcast waves and outputs audio signals; and 3 is a radio tuner unit that receives radio broadcast waves and outputs audio signals. A cassette unit for reproducing analog recorded information on a cassette tape, 4 a digital audio tape (DAT) unit for reproducing digitally recorded information on a cassette tape, and 5 a hands-free telephone adapter for a hands-free telephone. Reference numeral 6 indicates a key power section which generates a selection signal for selecting any of the peripheral devices indicated by the above reference numerals 1 to 5 by external operation, and is composed of, for example, hard keys or touch switches, and 7 indicates a television tuner unit. It is a display unit, such as a CRT, that receives a video signal from a computer, converts it into an image, and displays it, or receives a computer image signal and displays various information. Reference numeral 8 denotes a computer-configured control unit that processes digital data according to a predetermined control program, and is connected to input a selection signal from the key input unit 6, and is connected to the display unit so that the display on the display unit 7 can be controlled. 7, and are connected to each negative side of first to fourth communication lines 9 to 12, each of which is configured bidirectionally. 1st. At the other end of the second communication lines 9, 10 there is a television tuner unit 1. Radio tuner units 2 are connected to each.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a tape type identification line for identifying the type of tape, and on the side IM connected to the control unit 8, it is pulled up by a DC type 5-+-B and a pull amplifier resistor. This tape type identification line 13
The third communication line 11 is connected to the cassette unit 3 or the DAT unit 4 at the other end.
is configured to be removable.

14 is a telephone adapter connection identification line for identifying the connection state of the telephone adapter; tape type m line 1;
Like 3, it is pulled up on the control unit 8 side. This telephone adapter connection identification line 14 is arranged in parallel with the communication line 12, and is configured such that a hands-free telephone adapter 5 can be attached and detached from the other end. Although not shown, an audio output device that outputs audio signals output from peripheral devices indicated by reference numerals 1 to 5, for example, is composed of a pair of amplifiers and speakers whose connection is switched by the control unit 8. is provided. or,
A telephone body (not shown) is connected to the hands-free telephone adapter 5.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit 8, which is stored in a memory device in the control unit 8 as a control program.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. First, in step S1, it is determined whether the tape type is connected, that is, whether the cassette unit 3 or the DAT unit 4 is connected. As shown in FIG. 1, when the cassette unit 3 is connected to the third communication line 11 and the tape type identification line 13, the tape type identification line 13 is not grounded, so the control unit 8 is connected to the 'H' line from this line 13. "level signal is input. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, when the DAT unit 4 is connected, the tape type identification line 13
Since the control unit 8 is connected to the ground terminal of the unit 4 to be grounded, the control unit 8 manually outputs an "L" level signal from this line 13.

The control unit 8 can make the determination in step S1 by detecting the signal level input from the tape type identification line 13. If it is determined that the cassette unit 3 is installed, the process advances to step S2 to perform processing for the cassette unit 3, and if it is determined that the DAT unit 4 is installed, the process advances to step S3 to process the cassette unit 3.
Performs processing for AT unit 4.

Next, in step S4, by detecting the level of the manually input signal from the telephone adapter connection identification line 14, it is determined whether the hands-free telephone adapter 5 is connected. As shown in FIG. 1, if the hands-free telephone adapter 5 is not connected to the fourth communication line 12 or the telephone adapter identification line 14, the telephone adapter identification line 14 becomes "H" level. As shown in FIG. 2, if the hands-free telephone adapter 5 is connected, the telephone adapter identification line 14 is connected to the ground terminal of the power/filler adapter 5 and becomes grounded, and becomes a "L" level. If it is determined, the process advances to step S5, and processing for the hands-free telephone adapter 5, ie, a hands-free telephone, is performed. If it is determined that the connection is not made, the process advances to step S6, and processing is performed when the hands-free telephone adapter 5 is not connected. Do this.

In step Sl and step S4, the connection of the cassette unit 3, the connection of the DAT unit 4, and the connection/non-connection of the hands-free telephone adapter 5 can be identified, and when connected, the third or fourth communication line corresponding to the peripheral device can be identified. 11
．． 12, if communication is impossible, the control unit 8 can determine that the peripheral device is out of order.

Note that the control unit 8 identifies the selection signal from the key human power section 6, and selectively communicates the selection signal with the peripheral devices indicated by numerals 1 to 5 via the first to fourth communication lines 9 to 12 according to the identification result. Exchange information. The control unit 8 causes the display section 7 to display not only television broadcast images but also other peripheral devices. Further, the control unit 8 controls the audio signal from the peripheral equipment selected from among the peripheral equipment shown by reference numerals 1 to 5 to be outputted as sound from an audio output device (not shown).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, since the identification line means that generates a signal according to the connection/non-connection or type of peripheral equipment separately from the communication line is connected to the control unit, it is possible to prevent communication failure. In some cases, it can be determined whether the peripheral device in question is not connected or is malfunctioning, and because the identification is not performed on the communication line, the identification signal will not be indistinguishable due to a communication error, making the system cheaper.
Moreover, there is an effect that good responsiveness can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are block diagrams showing connection states of peripheral devices of an in-vehicle information system according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. In the figure, 1... TV tuner unit, 2... Radio tuner unit, 3... Cassette unit, 4...
... DAT unit, 5... Hands-free telephone adapter, 6... Key power section, 7... Display section, 8...
- Control unit, 9 to 12... First to fourth communication lines, 13... Tape type identification line, 14.
...Telephone adapter identification line. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an in-vehicle information system that has a control unit connected to peripheral devices via a communication line, and controls and outputs display information and audio information of the peripheral device, a signal corresponding to connection/disconnection of the peripheral device. An in-vehicle information system characterized in that identification line means is connected to the control unit to generate a signal according to the type of the peripheral device connected to the end of the same communication line.