IP Library Granted Patent US 12,155,505
Granted Patent B1
US 12,155,505 · App. 18/330,909 · Granted Nov 26, 2024

Variable termination in a vehicle communication bus

Inventors: Justin Tingao Xiao (San Francisco, CA); Benedict Fraser Walker (San Francisco, CA); Xin Yang (Oakland, CA)
Assignee: Samsara Inc.
H04L12/40H04L2012/40215H04L2012/40273
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,155,505
App. No.
18/330,909
Granted
Nov 26, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for variable termination in a vehicle communication bus. To provide compatibility with multiple vehicles, a device may include a software selectable terminator resistor that can be programmatically enabled or disabled to add or remove resistance as needed. For example, the software selectable terminator resistor may be enabled when the device is added as an end node in a high-speed communication bus and operates as a terminator resistor. Alternatively, the software selectable terminator resistor may be disabled when the device is added as an intermediate node positioned between terminator resistors in the high-speed communication bus.

Claims (47)

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by one or more processors of a device, a connection between the device and a high-speed communication bus implemented within a vehicle, the device comprising a software selectable terminator resistor;

applying a voltage across the high-speed communication bus;

measuring current at a first point on the high-speed communication bus and at a second point on the high-speed communication bus, yielding a current reading;

determining a resistance on the high-speed communication bus based on the current reading;

determining a configuration of the software selectable terminator resistor should be modified based on the resistance transgressing a threshold resistance range; and

causing, in response to determining that the configuration should be modified, the one or more processors of the device to modify the software selectable terminator resistor to another configuration among a plurality of configurations.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an identifier associated with the vehicle based on the connection of the vehicle to the high-speed communication bus, the identifier including a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the causing the one or more processors of the device to modify the software selectable terminator resistor includes:

causing, by the one or more processors of the device, to disable the software selectable terminator resistor.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the causing the one or more processors of the device to modify the software selectable terminator resistor includes:

accessing a vehicle data index that comprises data that correlates the another configuration of the software selectable terminator resistor with the identifier.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the causing the one or more processors of the device to modify the software selectable terminator resistor includes:

causing, by the one or more processors of the device, to transmit the identifier to a remote computing system; and

receiving, by the one or more processors of the device, a response from the remote computing system, the response comprising an indication of the another configuration.

6. A system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

a software selectable terminator resistor; and

one or more computer-readable mediums storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

detecting, by the one or more computer processors of the system, a connection between the system and a high-speed communication bus implemented within a vehicle;

applying a voltage across the high-speed communication bus;

measuring current at a first point on the high-speed communication bus and at a second point on the high-speed communication bus, yielding a current reading;

determining a resistance on the high-speed communication bus based on the current reading;

determining a configuration of the software selectable terminator resistor should be modified based on the resistance transgressing a threshold resistance range; and

causing, in response to determining that the configuration should be modified, the one or more computer processors of the system to modify the software selectable terminator resistor to another configuration among a plurality of configurations.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, by the one or more computer processors of the system, an identifier associated with the vehicle based on the connection of the vehicle to the high-speed communication bus, the identifier including a VIN.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the causing the one or more computer processors of the system to modify the software selectable terminator resistor includes:

causing, by the one or more computer processors of the system, to disable the software selectable terminator resistor.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the causing the one or more processors of the system to modify the software selectable terminator resistor includes:

accessing a vehicle data index that comprises data that correlates the another configuration of the software selectable terminator resistor with the identifier.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the selecting the configuration of the software selectable terminator resistor from among the plurality of configurations includes:

causing, by the one or more computer processors of the system, to transmit the identifier to a remote computing system; and

receiving, by the one or more computer processors of the system, a response from the remote computing system, the response comprising an indication of the configuration.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

detecting, by the one or more computer processors of the computing device, a connection between the computing device and a high-speed communication bus implemented within a vehicle, the computing device comprising a software selectable terminator resistor;

applying a voltage across the high-speed communication bus;

measuring current at a first point on the high-speed communication bus and at a second point on the high-speed communication bus, yielding a current reading;

determining a resistance on the high-speed communication bus based on the current reading;

determining a configuration of the software selectable terminator resistor should be modified based on the resistance transgressing a threshold resistance range; and

causing, in response to determining that the configuration should be modified, the one or more computer processors of the computing device, to modify the software selectable terminator resistor to another configuration among a plurality of configurations.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, by the one or more computer processors of the computing device, an identifier associated with the vehicle based on the connection of the vehicle to the high-speed communication bus, the identifier including a VIN.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the causing the one or more computer processors of the computing device to modify the software selectable terminator resistor includes:

causing, by the one or more computer processors of the computing device, to disable the software selectable terminator resistor.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the causing the one or more processors of the computing device to modify the software selectable terminator resistor includes:

accessing a vehicle data index that comprises data that correlates the another configuration of the software selectable terminator resistor with the identifier.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 17, 2024
From: SAMSARA NETWORKS INC.
To: SAMSARA INC.
Reel/Frame 066154/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2023
From: XIAO, JUSTIN TINGAO; WALKER, BENEDICT FRASER; YANG, XIN
To: SAMSARA NETWORKS INC.
Reel/Frame 063885/0803 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17654934 · Mar 15, 2022
Continuation 16943652 · Jul 30, 2020