阅读说明：本技术 一种发动机机油压力报警方法及系统 (Engine oil pressure alarm method and system ) 是由 欧阳丹 施发义 刘向晖 万建 丁伟 于 2021-07-23 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明公开了一种发动机机油压力报警方法及系统,通过设置一发动机机油压力报警电路,将机油压力开关,ECU,仪表、机油灯和电源串联在所述电路中,利用发动机ECU采集发动机转速信号,结合发动机机油压力进行判断,并利用仪表计时功能,只有当发动机油压低于目标压力、发动机转速高于目标转速、持续时间大于目标时间三种情况都满足时,才进行机油压力报警,可以避免短时间油压低于目标压力,导致机油压力误报警的情况出现。(The invention discloses an engine oil pressure alarm method and system, which is characterized in that an engine oil pressure alarm circuit is arranged, an engine oil pressure switch, an ECU, an instrument, an engine oil lamp and a power supply are connected in series in the circuit, the engine ECU is used for collecting an engine rotating speed signal, judgment is carried out by combining the engine oil pressure of an engine, and the instrument timing function is used, only when the three conditions that the engine oil pressure is lower than the target pressure, the engine rotating speed is higher than the target rotating speed and the duration is longer than the target time are met, the engine oil pressure alarm is carried out, and the condition that the engine oil pressure is lower than the target pressure in a short time to cause false alarm of the engine oil pressure can be avoided.)

1. The engine oil pressure alarm method is characterized in that the method is applied to an engine oil pressure alarm system, and the system is provided with an engine oil pressure alarm circuit, an oil pressure switch, an ECU, an instrument, an engine oil lamp and a power supply which are connected in series in the circuit;

after the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started,

judging whether the engine speed is higher than a target speed through the ECU; if yes, the ECU is communicated with the circuit;

measuring whether the oil pressure of the main oil gallery of the engine is lower than a target pressure through the oil pressure switch; if yes, the contact of the oil pressure switch is connected to communicate with the circuit, and the instrument is triggered to judge whether the duration time is higher than the target time, and if yes, the instrument communicates with the circuit;

the engine oil lamp is prompted to light for alarming through the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument which are communicated with the circuit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein after the determining, by the ECU, whether the engine speed is higher than a target speed, the method further comprises:

if not, the ECU disconnects the circuit to prompt the engine oil lamp to be disconnected from the ground and to be in an off state.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein after measuring whether the oil pressure of the engine main gallery is lower than a target pressure by the oil pressure switch, the method further comprises:

if not, the contact of the engine oil pressure switch is disconnected, and the engine oil lamp is prompted to be disconnected from the ground and is in an off state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein after said triggering the meter to determine if the duration is above a target time, the method further comprises:

if not, the instrument disconnects the circuit to prompt the engine oil lamp to be in an off state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: when the vehicle is electrified and the engine is not started, judging that the vehicle is electrified and the engine is not started at a rotating speed through the ECU, and connecting the circuit through the ECU;

judging whether the engine oil pressure is zero pressure through the engine oil pressure switch, switching on a switch contact of the engine oil pressure, triggering the instrument to judge whether the duration time is higher than the target time, and if so, communicating the circuit through the instrument;

the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument are communicated with the circuit, so that the engine oil lamp is prompted to be lightened to represent that the engine oil pressure alarm system is normal in function.

6. An engine oil pressure alarm system of an engine is characterized in that the system is provided with an engine oil pressure alarm circuit, an engine oil pressure switch, an ECU, an instrument, an engine oil lamp and a power supply which are connected in series in the circuit;

after the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started,

the ECU is used for judging whether the engine rotating speed is higher than a target rotating speed or not; if yes, the ECU is communicated with the circuit;

the engine oil pressure switch is used for measuring whether the engine oil pressure of the main oil gallery of the engine is lower than a target pressure; if yes, the contact of the oil pressure switch is connected to communicate with the circuit;

the instrument is used for receiving the control of the engine oil pressure switch to judge whether the duration time is higher than the target time, and if so, the instrument is communicated with the circuit;

the engine oil lamp is prompted to light for alarming through the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument which are communicated with the circuit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the ECU is further configured to: if not, the ECU disconnects the circuit to prompt the engine oil lamp to be disconnected from the ground and to be in an off state.

8. The system of claim 6 or 7, wherein the oil pressure switch is further configured to cause the oil light to be off when a contact of the oil pressure switch is open if not.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the meter is further configured to open the electrical circuit if not, causing the oil light to be in an off state.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein when the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started, said ECU for determining at a speed that the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started, said ECU completing said electrical circuit;

the engine oil pressure switch is used for judging whether the engine oil pressure is zero pressure or not, the switch contact of the engine oil pressure is connected, the instrument is triggered to judge whether the duration time is longer than the target time or not, and if yes, the instrument is communicated with the circuit;

the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument are communicated with the circuit, so that the engine oil lamp is prompted to be lightened to represent that the engine oil pressure alarm system is normal in function.

Technical Field

The application relates to the technical field of engines, in particular to an engine oil pressure alarm method and system.

Background

In order to ensure the normal operation of the engine, a certain pressure and flow of engine oil are required to be provided to each oil consumption part of the engine through the engine oil pump for lubricating and cooling each oil consumption part. The engine oil component has requirements on the pressure and flow of the engine oil, and whether the engine lubrication system has a fault is generally judged by monitoring the pressure of the engine oil in the main oil gallery of the engine.

In practical application, the oil pressure is lower than the alarm pressure, but the engine is not damaged. For example, when there is a speed fluctuation in the vehicle, there may be a short time when the engine speed is below idle, where the oil pressure may be low, possibly below the warning pressure, but this condition lasts very short and is not harmful to the engine. For another example, at the moment when the engine VVT is turned on, the oil pressure in the main oil gallery of the engine may be pulled down, and there may be a moment when the oil pressure in the main oil gallery of the engine is lower than the warning pressure, but the duration of the situation is very short, and the engine is not damaged.

However, the existing pressure alarm method only depends on the engine oil pressure for judgment, and cannot solve the problem that the engine oil pressure is lower than the target pressure instantly due to the fact that some special working conditions exist in the engine, but false alarm caused by any harm to the engine does not exist.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides an engine oil pressure alarm method and system, which aim to solve or partially solve the technical problem of false alarm.

In order to solve the technical problem, the invention provides an engine oil pressure alarm method, which is characterized in that the method is applied to an engine oil pressure alarm system, and the system is provided with an engine oil pressure alarm circuit, an oil pressure switch, an ECU, an instrument, an engine oil lamp and a power supply which are connected in series in the circuit;

after the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started,

judging whether the engine speed is higher than a target speed through the ECU; if yes, the ECU is communicated with the circuit;

measuring whether the oil pressure of the main oil gallery of the engine is lower than a target pressure through the oil pressure switch; if yes, the contact of the oil pressure switch is connected to communicate with the circuit, and the instrument is triggered to judge whether the duration time is higher than the target time, and if yes, the instrument communicates with the circuit;

the engine oil lamp is prompted to light for alarming through the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument which are communicated with the circuit.

Preferably, after the determining, by the ECU, whether the engine rotation speed is higher than a target rotation speed, the method further includes:

if not, the ECU disconnects the circuit to prompt the engine oil lamp to be disconnected from the ground and to be in an off state.

Preferably, after the measuring whether the oil pressure of the engine main oil gallery is lower than the target pressure by the oil pressure switch, the method further includes:

if not, the contact of the engine oil pressure switch is disconnected, and the engine oil lamp is prompted to be disconnected from the ground and is in an off state.

Preferably, after triggering the meter to determine whether the duration is greater than the target time, the method further comprises:

if not, the instrument disconnects the circuit to prompt the engine oil lamp to be in an off state.

Preferably, the method further comprises: when the vehicle is electrified and the engine is not started, judging that the vehicle is electrified and the engine is not started at a rotating speed through the ECU, and connecting the circuit through the ECU;

judging whether the engine oil pressure is zero pressure through the engine oil pressure switch, switching on a switch contact of the engine oil pressure, triggering the instrument to judge whether the duration time is higher than the target time, and if so, communicating the circuit through the instrument;

the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument are communicated with the circuit, so that the engine oil lamp is prompted to be lightened to represent that the engine oil pressure alarm system is normal in function.

The invention discloses an engine oil pressure alarm system, which is provided with an engine oil pressure alarm circuit, an engine oil pressure switch, an ECU, an instrument, an engine oil lamp and a power supply which are connected in series in the circuit;

after the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started,

the ECU is used for judging whether the engine rotating speed is higher than a target rotating speed or not; if yes, the ECU is communicated with the circuit;

the engine oil pressure switch is used for measuring whether the engine oil pressure of the main oil gallery of the engine is lower than a target pressure; if yes, the contact of the oil pressure switch is connected to communicate with the circuit;

the instrument is used for receiving the control of the engine oil pressure switch to judge whether the duration time is higher than the target time, and if so, the instrument is communicated with the circuit;

the engine oil lamp is prompted to light for alarming through the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument which are communicated with the circuit.

Preferably, the ECU is further configured to: if not, the ECU disconnects the circuit to prompt the engine oil lamp to be disconnected from the ground and to be in an off state.

Preferably, the oil pressure switch is further configured to, if not, open a contact of the oil pressure switch to cause the oil lamp to be disconnected from the ground and be in an off state.

Preferably, the meter is further configured to disconnect the circuit if no, so as to prompt the oil lamp to be in an off state.

Preferably, when the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started, the ECU is configured to determine that the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started at a rotating speed, and the ECU switches on the circuit;

the engine oil pressure switch is used for judging whether the engine oil pressure is zero pressure or not, the switch contact of the engine oil pressure is connected, the instrument is triggered to judge whether the duration time is longer than the target time or not, and if yes, the instrument is communicated with the circuit;

the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument are communicated with the circuit, so that the engine oil lamp is prompted to be lightened to represent that the engine oil pressure alarm system is normal in function.

Through one or more technical schemes of the invention, the invention has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

this scheme is through setting up an engine oil pressure warning circuit, with machine oil pressure switch, ECU, instrument, machine oil lamp and power series connection are in the circuit, utilize engine ECU to gather engine speed signal, combine engine oil pressure to judge, and utilize the instrument timing function, only when engine oil pressure is less than target pressure, engine speed is higher than target rotational speed, duration is greater than when three kinds of circumstances of target time all satisfy, just carry out machine oil pressure and report to the police, can avoid the short time oil pressure to be less than target pressure, lead to the condition of machine oil pressure wrong report to the police to appear.

The foregoing description is only an overview of the technical solutions of the present invention, and the embodiments of the present invention are described below in order to make the technical means of the present invention more clearly understood and to make the above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more clearly understandable.

Drawings

Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. Also, like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

1-2 illustrate a schematic diagram of an engine oil pressure warning circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of an engine oil pressure warning strategy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of an engine oil pressure warning method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

Generally, under some special conditions, it may happen that the oil pressure in the main gallery is momentarily below the target pressure, but there is no danger to the engine. However, the existing oil pressure alarm mode can not distinguish the situation, and then a false alarm is generated. Therefore, the embodiment of the invention provides an engine oil pressure alarm method and system, which are used for solving the technical problem of false alarm in the prior art.

In the following, an engine oil pressure warning system is first described, referring to fig. 1, the system is provided with an engine oil pressure warning circuit, an oil pressure switch, an ECU, a meter, an oil lamp and a power supply which are connected in series in the circuit. The power source may be a battery.

Specifically, the present embodiment arranges an oil pressure switch on the engine main oil gallery for measuring the resulting oil pressure of the engine main oil gallery. Specifically, when the oil pressure is lower than the target pressure, the contact of the oil pressure switch is turned on, see fig. 1; when the oil pressure is higher than the target pressure, the contacts of the oil pressure switch are opened, see fig. 2. And the ECU is used for acquiring the rotating speed and switching on and off the circuit through the rotating speed. And the instrument is used for switching on and off the circuit through time.

The engine oil pressure alarm system provided by the embodiment of the invention adopts the engine oil pressure switch, the engine rotating speed acquired by the ECU, the instrument timing function and the engine oil lamp to alarm the engine oil pressure. The engine oil pressure alarm is only carried out when the three conditions that the engine oil pressure is lower than the target pressure, the engine rotating speed is higher than the target rotating speed and the duration is longer than the target time are met, so that the situation that the engine oil pressure is lower than the target pressure in a short time and the engine oil pressure is false alarm can be avoided.

In a specific control strategy, control is respectively carried out according to three control stages of 'vehicle is not electrified', 'vehicle is electrified and the engine is not started' and 'vehicle is electrified and the engine is started'. The following is described separately in terms of these three phases.

When the vehicle is not electrified, the engine oil lamp cannot be lightened because all devices are not electrified.

When the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started, the engine oil lamp is turned on by default, and the function is used for self-checking the engine oil pressure alarm system.

In a specific implementation, referring to fig. 1, the ECU, for determining at a speed that the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not starting, completes the circuit. The engine oil pressure switch is used for judging whether the engine oil pressure is zero pressure, the switch contact of the engine oil pressure is connected, at the moment, the engine oil pressure switch is connected to an instrument in a grounding signal mode, the instrument is triggered to judge whether the duration time is longer than the target time, and if yes, the instrument is connected with the circuit. The ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument are communicated with the circuit, so that the engine oil lamp is prompted to be lightened to represent that the engine oil pressure alarm system is normal in function.

By way of example of specific values, the overall oil pressure warning strategy is shown in FIG. 3.

When the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started, the engine oil pressure is 0, the engine oil pressure switch is in contact connection, the ECU judges that the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started through the state, the ECU is connected with a circuit between the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument, the instrument detects that the connection duration of the ECU circuit is more than 4s, the instrument is connected with a circuit between the ECU and the engine oil lamp, the engine oil lamp is connected with the anode and the cathode of the battery, and the engine oil lamp is lightened. This whole process can carry out the self-checking to machine oil pressure switch, pencil, ECU function, machine oil lamp, if the machine oil lamp can normally light, explains that whole machine oil pressure alarm system function is normal.

After the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started, the ECU is used for judging whether the rotating speed of the engine is higher than a target rotating speed; if yes, the ECU is communicated with the circuit. The engine oil pressure switch is used for measuring whether the engine oil pressure of the main oil gallery of the engine is lower than a target pressure; if yes, the contact of the oil pressure switch is connected to communicate with the circuit. The instrument is used for receiving the control of the engine oil pressure switch to judge whether the duration time is longer than the target time, and if so, the instrument is communicated with the circuit. Specifically, the switch contact of the oil pressure is communicated, and at the moment, the oil pressure switch is connected with the instrument in a grounding signal mode, so that the instrument is triggered to judge the duration. The engine oil lamp is prompted to light for alarming through the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument which are communicated with the circuit.

Further, if the instrument judges that the duration is less than or equal to the target time, the instrument disconnects the circuit to prompt the engine oil lamp to be in an off state.

In terms of specific values, still refer to fig. 3. After the vehicle is electrified and the engine is started, if the rotating speed of the engine is more than 750rpm, the ECU is communicated with a circuit between the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument, at the moment, if the engine oil pressure is less than the limit value of 50kPa, the contact of the engine oil pressure switch is communicated (see figure 1), at the moment, the grounding signal of the engine oil pressure switch is communicated to the instrument, the instrument judges whether the grounding signal time is more than 4s, if the grounding signal time is more than 4s, the instrument is communicated with the circuit between the ECU and the engine oil lamp, the engine oil lamp is communicated with the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery, and the engine oil lamp is lightened. If the grounding signal time is less than or equal to 4s, the instrument disconnects the circuit between the ECU and the engine oil lamp, and the engine oil lamp is not lightened.

As an alternative embodiment, if the engine speed is lower than or equal to the target speed, the ECU opens the electric circuit to cause the oil lamp to be disconnected from the ground in an off state. For example, after the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started, if the engine speed is less than or equal to 750rpm, the ECU directly disconnects the circuit between the oil pressure switch and the instrument, and the oil lamp is disconnected with the ground at the moment, so that the oil lamp cannot be lightened no matter whether the oil pressure is lower than a limit value or not.

As an alternative embodiment, no matter the result of the determination of the engine speed and the target speed, if the oil pressure of the engine main oil gallery is not lower than the target pressure, the contact of the oil pressure switch is opened, so that the oil lamp is disconnected from the ground and is in an off state. Taking the example that the engine speed is higher than the target speed, after the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started, if the engine speed is greater than 750rpm, the ECU is communicated with a circuit between the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument, at the moment, if the engine oil pressure is greater than or equal to the limit value of 50kPa, the contact of the engine oil pressure switch is disconnected (see figure three), at the moment, the engine oil lamp is disconnected with the ground, and the engine oil lamp is not lightened.

Therefore, the system provided by the embodiment of the invention has the advantages that the engine oil pressure alarm circuit is arranged, the engine oil pressure switch, the ECU, the instrument, the engine oil lamp and the power supply are connected in series in the circuit, the engine ECU is used for collecting the engine rotating speed signal, judgment is carried out by combining the engine oil pressure, the instrument timing function is used, the engine oil pressure alarm is carried out only when the three conditions that the engine oil pressure is lower than the target pressure, the engine rotating speed is higher than the target rotating speed and the duration is longer than the target time are met, and the condition that the engine oil pressure is falsely alarmed due to the fact that the oil pressure in a short time is lower than the target pressure can be avoided.

After the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started, the engine oil lamp can be turned on or turned off by using the engine oil pressure alarm strategy of the embodiment as long as conditions change under the condition that the engine oil lamp is turned on or not turned on.

As an optional embodiment, in some vehicle types with start-stop functions or new energy sources, under some working conditions, when a vehicle is in a start-stop state or a pure electric drive state, an engine is in a stop state, at this time, whether the engine is in a state that the vehicle is just powered on and the engine is not started is judged through an ECU (electronic control unit), if the vehicle is just powered on and the engine is not started, the corresponding strategy is executed, and an engine oil lamp is lighted for self-checking; if the ECU judges and judges that the vehicle is in a starting and stopping state or a pure electric driving state, the engine is in a stop state at the moment, a circuit between the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument is disconnected through the ECU, the engine oil lamp is not lightened, and misjudgment is avoided.

Based on the same inventive concept as the previous embodiment, the embodiment of the invention also provides an engine oil pressure alarm method, which is applied to an engine oil pressure alarm system, wherein the system is provided with an engine oil pressure alarm circuit, an oil pressure switch, an ECU, a meter, an engine oil lamp and a power supply which are connected in series in the circuit.

In the method of the embodiment, an engine oil pressure switch, the engine speed acquired by an ECU, an instrument timing function and an engine oil lamp are also adopted to alarm the engine oil pressure. In a specific control strategy, control is respectively carried out according to three control stages of 'vehicle is not electrified', 'vehicle is electrified and the engine is not started' and 'vehicle is electrified and the engine is started'. For the specific control strategy, reference is made to the detailed description of the above system embodiment, which is not repeated herein.

Referring now to FIG. 4, after the vehicle is powered on and the engine is started, the method includes the steps of:

step 101, judging whether the engine speed is higher than a target speed through the ECU; if yes, the ECU is communicated with the circuit.

Specifically, the ECU acquires the engine speed and makes the above determination, and the target speed is a preset speed. For a detailed process, please refer to the above system embodiments, which are not described herein again.

As an alternative embodiment, after the ECU determines whether the engine speed is higher than the target speed, if not, it indicates that the engine speed is not higher than the target speed, the ECU opens the circuit to cause the oil lamp to be disconnected from the ground and to be in an off state. For a detailed process, please refer to the above system embodiments, which are not described herein again.

102, measuring whether the oil pressure of an engine main oil gallery is lower than a target pressure through the oil pressure switch; if yes, the contact of the oil pressure switch is connected to communicate with the circuit, and the instrument is triggered to judge whether the duration time is higher than the target time, and if yes, the instrument communicates with the circuit.

It should be noted that step 101 and step 102 are not in a sequential relationship and may be executed in parallel.

As an alternative embodiment, regardless of the determination result of the engine speed and the target speed, if the oil pressure is not lower than the target pressure, the contact of the oil pressure switch is opened, so that the oil lamp is caused to be disconnected from the ground in an off state. For a detailed process, please refer to the above system embodiments, which are not described herein again.

As an alternative embodiment, for a meter that does not have a duration above the target time, the meter opens the circuit, causing the oil light to go out. For a detailed process, please refer to the above system embodiments, which are not described herein again.

And 103, communicating the circuit through the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument to prompt the engine oil lamp to light for alarming.

Above scheme, through setting up an engine oil pressure warning circuit, with oil pressure switch, ECU, instrument, engine oil lamp and power series connection in the circuit, utilize engine ECU to gather engine speed signal, combine engine oil pressure to judge to utilize the instrument timing function, only when engine oil pressure is less than target pressure, engine speed is higher than target speed, duration is greater than when three kinds of circumstances of target time all satisfy, just carry out the oil pressure warning, can avoid the short time oil pressure to be less than target pressure, lead to the condition of engine oil pressure wrong report to appear.

When the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started, the ECU judges that the vehicle is powered on and the engine is not started at a rotating speed, and the ECU is connected with the circuit; judging whether the engine oil pressure is zero pressure through the engine oil pressure switch, switching on a switch contact of the engine oil pressure, triggering the instrument to judge whether the duration time is higher than the target time, and if so, communicating the circuit through the instrument; the ECU, the engine oil pressure switch and the instrument are communicated with the circuit, so that the engine oil lamp is prompted to be lightened to represent that the engine oil pressure alarm system is normal in function. For a detailed process, please refer to the above system embodiments, which are not described herein again.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer, virtual machine, or other apparatus. Various general purpose systems may also be used with the teachings herein. The required structure for constructing such a system will be apparent from the description above. Moreover, the present invention is not directed to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present invention as described herein, and any descriptions of specific languages are provided above to disclose the best mode of the invention.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. It is understood, however, that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. However, the disclosed method should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that: that the invention as claimed requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the modules in the device in an embodiment may be adaptively changed and disposed in one or more devices different from the embodiment. The modules or units or components of the embodiments may be combined into one module or unit or component, and furthermore they may be divided into a plurality of sub-modules or sub-units or sub-components. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and all of the processes or elements of any method or apparatus so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or processes or elements are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that while some embodiments herein include some features included in other embodiments, rather than other features, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

The various component embodiments of the invention may be implemented in hardware, or in software modules running on one or more processors, or in a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP) may be used in practice to implement some or all of the functionality of some or all of the components of a gateway, proxy server, system according to embodiments of the present invention. The present invention may also be embodied as apparatus or device programs (e.g., computer programs and computer program products) for performing a portion or all of the methods described herein. Such programs implementing the present invention may be stored on computer-readable media or may be in the form of one or more signals. Such a signal may be downloaded from an internet website or provided on a carrier signal or in any other form.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in a claim. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The usage of the words first, second and third, etcetera do not indicate any ordering. These words may be interpreted as names.