US 12,309,726 B2
Vehicular control system with synchronized communication between control units
Gaurav Shrikant Patil, Munich (DE)
Assigned to Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/641,678.
Application 18/641,678 is a continuation of application No. 17/454,329, filed on Nov. 10, 2021, granted, now 11,968,639.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/199,154, filed on Dec. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/198,761, filed on Nov. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0276412 A1, Aug. 15, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 56/00 (2009.01); H04W 4/40 (2018.01)
CPC H04W 56/004 (2013.01) [H04W 4/40 (2018.02)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular control system, the vehicular control system comprising:
a first electronic control unit (ECU) disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular control system;
a second ECU disposed at the equipped vehicle;
wherein the first ECU and the second ECU are in digital communication with one another via a communication channel, and wherein the digital communication comprises communication of a first propagation delay frame and communication of a second propagation delay frame;
wherein the first ECU transmits the first propagation delay frame to the second ECU;
wherein the second ECU, responsive to receiving the first propagation delay frame from the first ECU, transmits the second propagation delay frame to the first ECU;
wherein the first ECU, responsive to receiving the second propagation delay frame from the second ECU, determines a propagation delay based on a time interval between (i) a first point in time when the first ECU transmits the first propagation delay frame to the second ECU and (ii) a second point in time when the first ECU receives the second propagation delay frame from the second ECU;
wherein the first ECU determines a back off time delay resulting from simultaneous transmissions by the first ECU and the second ECU on the communication channel;
wherein the first ECU transmits a time synchronization frame to the second ECU, and wherein the time synchronization frame comprises the determined propagation delay and the back off time delay; and
wherein the second ECU adjusts synchronization of a clock based on the time synchronization frame.