VEHICLE WITH A ZONE ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

A vehicle. The vehicle has a front region zone, a right-hand cabin zone, a left-hand cabin zone, and a rear region zone. Each zone has a defined number of zone controllers.

Claims

1-7. (canceled)

8. A vehicle, comprising: a front region zone; a right-hand cabin zone; a left-hand cabin zone; and a rear region zone; wherein each of the zones includes a defined number of zone controllers.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the front region zone and the rear region zone include consumers for implementing vehicle functions.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the consumers for implementing vehicle functions are connected to one another via a QM network.

11. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein safety-related ASIL consumers are connected to one another via a safety-related vehicle electrical power system.

12. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein a power source is disposed in the front region zone, wherein the power source is a DC/DC converter.

13. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the right-hand cabin zone, the left-hand cabin zone, and the rear region zone are supplied from the front region zone via a channel and via electronic switches.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the consumers for implementing vehicle functions are connected to one another via a QM network, wherein the front region zone and the rear region zone include consumers for implementing vehicle functions, wherein safety-related ASIL consumers are connected to one another via a safety-related vehicle electrical power system, and wherein a plurality of switches which are capable of avoiding feedback effects between the QM network or the consumers for implementing vehicle functions and the safety-related ASIL consumers are disposed in the zones.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle comprising a zone architecture according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a simplified illustration of a vehicle 10 comprising four defined zones. The following zones can be seen: [0013] Front region zone 12 [0014] Right-hand cabin zone 14 [0015] Left-hand cabin zone 16 [0016] Rear region zone 18

[0017] The FIGURE also shows a number of zone controllers.

[0018] Consumers 20, 22 for implementing vehicle functions are disposed in the front zone 12 and the rear region zone 18. The consumers for implementing vehicle functions 20, 22 are connected to one another via a QM network 21.

[0019] Safety-related ASIL consumers 24, 26 are connected to one another via a safety-related vehicle electrical power system 25.

[0020] In the embodiment according to the present invention, a power source 30 is disposed in the front zone. The power source 30 is a DC/DC converter. Any other power source that appears useful to the person skilled in the art is possible too, however.

[0021] It is also possible for the power source 30 to be disposed in a different zone and not in the front region zone 12.

[0022] The front zone further comprises a separating element. The separating element is configured as a vehicle electrical system switch.

[0023] The separating element can disconnect the safety-related vehicle electrical power system from the QM network. The front zone thus forms a so-called safety island.

[0024] However, it is also possible for another zone to be configured as a safety island and for the separating element to accordingly be disposed in a different zone ECU.

[0025] In an alternative embodiment, the vehicle electrical system disconnecting switch can also be implemented as an external component that is not integrated into a zone ECU.

[0026] Each zone comprises a plurality of switches which are capable of avoiding feedback effects between the QM network 21 or the consumers for implementing vehicle functions 20, 22 and the safety-related ASIL consumers 24, 26, 28a and 28b. In the event of a fault, multiple consumer groups are not disconnected at the same time. Being able to actuate individual switches, makes it possible to only disconnect individual consumers or small groups from the safety-related consumers.