Bus architecture and access method for plastic waveguide

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system that uses a switch to convey wireless signals between a plurality of electronic devices interconnected by dielectric waveguides. In some embodiments, the system includes a plurality of electronic devices respectively having a transceiver element that generates a wireless signal that transmits a data packet. A switch receives the wireless signal from a first one of the plurality of electronic devices and re-transmits the wireless signal to a second one of the plurality of electronic devices. A plurality of dielectric waveguides convey the wireless signal between the plurality of electronic devices and the switch. Respective dielectric waveguides have a dielectric material disposed at a location between one of the plurality of electronic devices and the switch. Using the switch to convey wireless signals between the plurality of electronic devices provides a system that has a low wireless signal attenuation and reduced number of transceivers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of electronic devices respectively comprising a transceiver element configured to generate a wireless signal that transmits a data packet;   a switch comprising a routing element coupled to a plurality of antennas, wherein a first one of the plurality of antennas is configured to receive the wireless signal from a first one of the plurality of electronic devices and a second one of the plurality of antennas is configured to re-transmit at least a part of the data packet in a second wireless signal to a second one of the plurality of electronic devices; and   a plurality of dielectric waveguides comprising a dielectric material disposed at locations between the plurality of electronic devices and the switch.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices respectively comprise:
 a data generation element configured to generate a data frame;   an ID management element configured to generate a destination ID that designates the second one of the plurality of electronic devices to which the data frame is to be sent; and   an appending element configured to append the destination ID to the data frame to generate the data packet.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the routing element is configured to remove the destination ID from the data packet before re-transmitting at least the part of the data packet in the second wireless signal. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the switch further comprises:
 a plurality of transceiver chains coupled between the routing element and the plurality of antennas.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the routing element is configured to read a destination ID of the data packet and to route at least the part of the data packet to one of the plurality of transceiver chains configured to transmit at least the part of the data packet to one of the plurality of electronic devices associated with the destination ID. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the switch further comprises:
 one or more buffers configured to store data packets between reception and re-transmission.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the switch further comprises:
 a token generation element configured to generate a token that grants communications rights to one of the plurality of electronic devices that receives the token.   
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a switch comprising a token generation element configured to generate a token that grants communications rights, and further comprising an antenna configured to transmit the token as a first wireless signal;   a plurality of electronic devices respectively comprising a transceiver element configured to receive the first wireless signal, wherein one of the plurality of electronic devices that is granted communication rights by the token is further configured to generate a second wireless signal that transmits a first data packet comprising a destination ID, data content, and a response token that indicates to the switch that the one of the plurality of electronic devices has finished transmitting data;   a plurality of dielectric waveguides comprising a dielectric material disposed at locations between the plurality of electronic devices and the switch; and   wherein the switch is configured to receive the second wireless signal from a first one of the plurality of electronic devices and to forward at least a part of the first data packet to one or more of the plurality of electronic devices as a third wireless signal.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices respectively comprise:
 a data generation element configured to generate a data frame; and   an appending element configured to generate the data packet by appending the destination ID to the data frame.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the token generation element is configured to generate a plurality of tokens that are respectively provided to different ones of the plurality of electronic devices in a sequential order. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , where the plurality of tokens that are respectively provided to the different ones of the plurality of electronic devices in a fixed cyclical order. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the switch is configured to modify the sequential order during operation. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices are respectively configured to attach the response token to a data frame to form the data packet, and to transmit the data packet. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices are respectively configured to attach the response token to an empty data frame not having data to form the data packet, and to transmit the data packet. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the switch further comprises:
 a plurality of filters coupling the antenna within the switch to a transceiver chain, wherein each of the plurality of filters pass signals having a different frequency.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the transceiver chain is configured to generate a carrier frequency that depends upon the destination ID. 
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising:
 a first plurality of electronic devices respectively configured to generate a first wireless signal that transmits a first data packet;   a first switch configured to receive the first wireless signal from one of the first plurality of electronic devices and to re-transmit the first data packet to one or more of the first plurality of electronic devices by way of one or more first dielectric waveguides disposed at locations between the first plurality of electronic devices and the first switch;   a second plurality of electronic devices respectively configured to generate a second wireless signal that transmits a second data packet;   a second switch configured to receive the second wireless signal from one of the second plurality of electronic devices and to re-transmit the second data packet to:
 one or more of the second plurality of electronic devices by way of one or more second dielectric waveguides disposed at locations between the second switch and the second plurality of electronic devices; or 
 one or more of the first plurality of electronic devices by way of a shared dielectric waveguide disposed between the first switch and the second switch; and 
   wherein the second switch is configured to more frequently send data packets to one or more of the second plurality of electronic devices than to the one or more of the first plurality of electronic devices.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein one the first plurality of electronic devices is a shared electronic device connected to the first switch by way of one of the one or more first dielectric waveguides and further connected to the second switch by one of the one or more second dielectric waveguides. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the shared electronic device is a safety critical device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the safety critical device comprises an air bag sensor.