FR2807531A1 - Car electronics integrated system coherency control having systems interchanging digital word messages and command system identifying source send/receive message and words and establishing each system coherence. - Google Patents

Abstract

The integrated electronic assembly control technique has digital words producing messages. For each digital word a function is sought which has been executed by an electronic command (UCEi) of the system (Si). The system transmitting and receiving digital words is identified and an absence of non coherence found if both the send and receive messages contain the system function.

Description

The present invention relates to a method of checking the coherence of a set of integrated electronic systems receiving and producing embedded data messages materialized by groups of digital signals propagating on at least one common multiplex.

There are known sets of electronic systems of this type, designed in particular for equipping motor vehicles. Such a vehicle commonly comprises several systems each ensuring the performance of a service such as the control of the engine propelling the vehicle, the management of the air conditioning of the passenger compartment, the management of the links of the vehicle on the ground (braking, suspension .. .), the management of telephone communications etc, etc ...

FIG. 1 shows schematically the hardware means constituting all these systems: These means essentially comprise electronic control units or "ECU computers" each computer being optionally connected to sensors Cni and Ami actuators, all the computers being connected to a bus bus B to send or receive properly multiplexed information, from or to other computers connected to the bus B.

This multiplexing is obtained in particular, as is well known for the CAN bus for example, by introducing the information in question into messages materialized by digital signal frames including in particular an "identifier field" of said frame and a "data field" "commonly gathering several information of different natures (pressure, temperature, etc ...) each contained in a predetermined portion of this field.

By way of illustrative example, the system S2 of "engine control" comprises the computer ECU2, several sensors C2i sensitive to quantities such as the engine speed, internal combustion for example, the collector pressure

<SEP> admission of <SEP> this <SEP> engine, <SEP><SEP> pressure <SEP> of <SEP> outside <SEP> air, <SEP>
<tb> temperature <SEP> of <SEP> water <SEP> of <SEP> cooling <SEP> of <SEP> motor, <SEP><SEP> of
<tb> the <SEP> state <SEP> of <SEP> load <SEP> of <SEP> the <SEP> farm, <SEP> etc, <SEP> etc ..., <SEP> and <SEP> several
<tb> actuators <SEP> A2j. <SEP> The <SEP> calculator <SEP> UCE2 <SEP> is <SEP> duly <SEP> programmed <SEP> for
<tb> run <SEP> multiple <SEP><SEP> functions of <SEP>SEP><SEP> command <SEP> engine such
<tb> the <SEP> regulation <SEP> of <SEP> idle, <SEP> the <SEP> regulation <SEP> of <SEP> the <SEP> richness <SEP> of
<tb> mixture <SEP> air / fuel, <SEP><SEP> setting <SEP> of <SEP> advance <SEP> to <SEP> ignition <SEP> of
<tb> this <SEP> mixture <SEP> and <SEP> the <SEP> recirculation <SEP> of the <SEP> exhaust gas <SEP>. <SEP> For <SEP> this
<tb> make <SEP> the <SEP> calculator <SEP> UCE2 <SEP> exploits <SEP> of <SEP> information <SEP>
<tb> sensors <SEP> C2i <SEP> above <SEP> and <SEP> build <SEP><SEP> signals <SEP> from <SEP> command
<tb> actuators <SEP> A2j <SEP> constituted <SEP> by <SEP> a <SEP> valve <SEP> of <SEP> command <SEP> of air
<tb> additional <SEP> and <SEP> a <SEP> coil <SEP> ignition <SEP> of <SEP> candle <SEP> for <SEP><SEP> function
<tb>"SEP" control of <SEP> idle speed, <SEP><SEP><SEP> injector <SEP> fuel <SEP> for <SEP>
<tb> function <SEP>"controller<SEP> of <SEP>richness",<SEP> the same <SEP><SEP> coil <SEP>
<tb> for <SEP> the <SEP> function <SEP>"advance<SEP> of <SEP>ignition"<SEP> and <SEP> a <SEP> valve <SEP> for <SEP>
<tb> function <SEP>"recirculation<SEP> of <SEP> gas <SEP>exhaust".
<tb> The <SEP> other <SEP>"benefits"<SEP> evoked <SEP> above,
<tb>"air conditioning <SEP> from <SEP>cabin",<SEP>"connection<SEP> with <SEP> the <SEP>floor",<SEP> etc.
<tb> are <SEP> executed <SEP> by <SEP> of <SEP><SEP> systems with <SEP> Analog <SEP> architecture to
<tb> that <SEP> presented <SEP> above <SEP> for <SEP> the <SEP><SEP> command of the <SEP> engine.
<tb> All <SEP> these <SEP> systems <SEP> set <SEP> in <SEP> communication <SEP> by <SEP> a <SEP> same <SEP> bus <SEP> B
<tb> make <SEP> a multiplexed <SEP> network. <SEP> On <SEP> design <SEP> then <SEP> that
<tb> Multiple <SEP><SEP><SEP> functions of <SEP><SEP> different <SEP> systems can
<tb> exploit <SEP> of <SEP> information <SEP> issues <SEP> from <SEP> same <SEP> sensors, <SEP> by
<tb> example, <SEP> this <SEP> which <SEP> avoids <SEP> from <SEP> costly <SEP> redundancy <SEP> in <SEP>
<tb> structure <SEP> of <SEP> the <SEP> set of <SEP> systems. <SEP> Using <SEP> a <SEP> network
<tb> multiplexed <SEP> allows <SEP> also <SEP> of <SEP> reduce <SEP> of <SEP> way <SEP> very <SEP> important
<tb> the <SEP> length <SEP> of <SEP> lines <SEP> electrical <SEP> interconnecting <SEP>
<tb> different <SEP><SEP> elements of <SEP> set. <SEP> A <SEP> such <SEP> set <SEP> multiplexed
<tb> allows <SEP> also <SEP> the <SEP> setting <SEP> in <SEP><SEP> place of <SEP><SEP> non <SEP> classic <SEP> functions and
<tb> possibly <SEP> complex, <SEP> making <SEP> intervene <SEP> sometimes <SEP> several
<tb> systems <SEP> and <SEP> say <SEP> for <SEP> this <SEP> reason <SEP>"crosswise".<SEP> A <SEP> title
<tb> example <SEP> illustrative <SEP> and <SEP> no <SEP> limiting, <SEP> the <SEP> perception <SEP> of
<tb><SEP> information <SEP> air bag <SEP> (or <SEP>"airbag")<SEP> triggered
<tb> significant <SEP> of <SEP> this <SEP> that <SEP> the <SEP> vehicle <SEP> has <SEP> undergone <SEP> a <SEP> shock, <SEP> can <SEP> be treated then so as to control the transmission of a call for help by a mobile phone device embedded in the vehicle.

A set of electronic systems of the type described above is, under the pressure of technical progress, subject to constant evolution, both in its design phase and in its successive versions after its first placing on the market.

These evolutions can result, for example, from the integration into the system of new functions, for example so-called "second level" functions, such as for example the "ESP" function intended to control the stability of the vehicle while turning from information provided by functions of "first level (anti-skid, anti-lock wheels, engine control, etc ...) .These changes can also result from the need to change the architecture of the whole. function of the different services offered by the different vehicles of a range of such vehicles, of the belonging of a particular vehicle to such or such "segment" or category of vehicles ("normal" or "superior", for example), or even of software or hardware modifications made to a given architecture by the replacement of a specific computer, provided by an equipment manufacturer, by a computer originating from another equipment r.

These evolutions can affect a system only, or even an element or a function of this system. It should be possible at any time to check the compatibility of the modifications made by a particular evolution of said system, of said system element or of said function, with the characteristics of the other systems of the assembly, particularly at the level of information flows which are operate in the multiplex network.

The object of the present invention is precisely to provide a method of checking the coherence of a set of electronic systems, this method being implemented using a software tool that makes it possible to automate this control, and therefore to avoid a control by a classic intellectual analysis long, painful and therefore expensive.

The present invention also aims to provide such a method that allows to automatically check this consistency at any time, during the design phase of the set for example, and possibly indicate the corrections to be made to the set to ensure this consistency, which allows a safe progression of said design phase.

These aims of the invention, as well as others which will become apparent from reading the description which follows, are achieved with a method of checking the coherence of a set of integrated electronic systems receiving and producing data di incorporated into messages Mk materialized by groups of digital signals propagating on at least one common multiplexed bus B, this method being remarkable for each of the data di thus propagated, consumed by function f executed by an electronic control unit UCEj forming part of a (Sj) of said electronic systems, the existence of a function g executed is sought an electronic control unit UCEi of a system Si forming part of said systems of the set and producing said dat di and, if the function is found g, one identifies the systems (SXo, ... S_, r,) producing the messages Mk containing the data di and the systems (SYO, ... SYn) receivers of one of said Mk messages containing the data and c) a lack of inconsistency is diagnosed if

(SXo, ... <SEP> S ..) <SEP> contains <SEP> If <SEP> and
<tb> (SYo, <SEP><B> ... <SEP> S ,,) </ B><SEP> contains <SEP> Si. As will be seen below, the method according to the invention makes it possible to at all times to carry out a reliable and automatic verification of the coherence of the set of electronic systems examined, irrespective of the possible modifications made successively to this set.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent on reading the following description and on examining the appended drawing in which - FIG. 1 is a diagram of a set of electronic systems already described in the preamble of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the functional and structural relationships that are established between the various elements of the assembly of FIG. 1, this flowchart being useful for the description of the method according to the invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram. functional of a "routing" of information that can be used throughout the whole of FIG.

Referring to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawing, the flowchart shows the functional and structural relationships that are established between the various elements of a set of electronic systems such as that shown in Figure 1. On this flow chart it appears that these relationships are organized into two parallel branches that go from each of the systems to the data.

Indeed, whatever the particular system considered in the set, it is observed that this system is implemented using a computer duly programmed to perform or several functions consuming data to produce others.

Moreover, observed from the material point of view, the systems appear as transmitters or consumers of messages Mk, digital data frames Tk for example, these frames containing data.

electronic systems must be coherent in both functional and material terms.

Next <SEP> The <SEP> process <SEP> of <SEP><SEP> check of <SEP> This <SEP> consistency
<tb> according to <SEP> present <SEP> invention, <SEP> for <SEP> each <SEP> given <SEP> di <SEP> consumed
<tb> by <SEP> function <SEP> f <SEP> executed <SEP> by <SEP> a <SEP> calculator <SEP> UCEj <SEP> forming
<tb> part <SEP> of <SEP> one <SEP> (Sj) <SEP> of <SEP> systems, <SEP> on <SEP> search <SEP> existence
<tb> of a <SEP> function <SEP> g, <SEP> executed <SEP> by <SEP> one <SEP> (UCEi) <SEP> of <SEP> calculators
<tb> for <SEP> produce <SEP> said <SEP> given <SEP> di. <SEP><SEP> consistency <SEP> requires <SEP> obviously
<tb> that <SEP> one <SEP> finds <SEP> a <SEP> such <SEP> function <SEP> g, <SEP> in <SEP> a <SEP> system <SEP> If.
<tb> The latter <SEP> being, <SEP> by <SEP> hypothesis, <SEP> found, <SEP> it <SEP> must <SEP> still
<tb> check <SEP> that <SEP><SEP> frames <SEP> containing <SEP> this <SEP> data <SEP> circulate <SEP> well
<tb> between <SEP><SEP> or <SEP><SEP> systems <SEP> which <SEP><SEP> produce <SEP> and <SEP><SEP> or <SEP>
<tb><SEP> systems that <SEP><SEP> exploit. <SEP> Next <SEP> the invention <SEP> on <SEP> identifies
<tb> then <SEP> the <SEP> systems <SEP> (SXo, <SEP> ... <SEP> Sx ",) <SEP> which <SEP> produce <SEP> the <SEP> frames <SEP> YOU,
<tb> considered <SEP> and <SEP> the <SEP> systems <SEP> (Syo, <SEP> ... <SEP> Syn) <SEP> that <SEP> consume.
<tb> The set <SEP> is <SEP> so <SEP> considered <SEP> as <SEP> consistent, <SEP> or <SEP> of
<tb> less <SEP> lacking <SEP> of inconsistency, <SEP> if, <SEP> to <SEP><SEP> times <SEP> on <SEP> finds <SEP> the
<tb> system <SEP> If <SEP> in <SEP> the <SEP> group <SEP> of <SEP> systems <SEP> producers <SEP> (S-, o, <SEP> ... <SEP> S.)
<tb> and <SEP> the <SEP> system <SEP>S;<SEP> in <SEP> the <SEP><SEP> group of <SEP><SEP> consumer <SEP> systems (S.0,
<tb> ... <SEP> Syn) <SEP>.
<tb><SEP> frames <SEP> Tk <SEP> which <SEP> are running <SEP> on <SEP><SEP> bus <SEP> B <SEP> (see <SEP> figure <SEP> 1)
<tb> can <SEP> pass <SEP> directly <SEP> from a <SEP> system <SEP> If <SEP> producer <SEP> to <SEP> a
<tb> system <SEP> If <SEP> consumer. <SEP> In <SEP> this <SEP> case <SEP><SEP><SEP> indices <SEP> of
<tb> systems <SEP> If <SEP> and <SEP> If <SEP> evoked <SEP> above <SEP> are <SEP> linked <SEP> by <SEP> the <SEP> relation
<tb> j <SEP> = <SEP> i <SEP> + <SEP> 1 <SEP> (1)
<tb> relation <SEP> where <SEP><SEP> satisfaction <SEP> allows <SEP> then <SEP> from <SEP> certify
<tb> the absence <SEP> of inconsistency <SEP> diagnosed <SEP> previously.
<tb> On <SEP> understands <SEP> however <SEP> only <SEP> such <SEP> direct <SEP> transmission
<tb> of <SEP> SEP frames between <SEP><SEP> producers <SEP> and <SEP> systems <SEP> users
<tb> forces <SEP> to <SEP> to predict <SEP> a <SEP> large <SEP><SEP> number of <SEP><SEP> frames different than <SEP>
<tb> management <SEP> is <SEP> so much <SEP> more <SEP> heavy.
<tb> To <SEP> avoid <SEP> this <SEP> disadvantage, <SEP> on <SEP> can <SEP> predict <SEP> a
<tb>"routing"<SEP> of <SEP> data <SEP> to <SEP> passing <SEP> with <SEP> the <SEP> intermediate of
<tb> existing <SEP> frames, <SEP> this <SEP><SEP> routing being <SEP> shown <SEP> by <SEP><SEP> diagram
<tb> functional <SEP> represented <SEP> to <SEP><SEP> figure <SEP> 3. <SEP> On <SEP> this <SEP> diagram, <SEP> on <SEP> a
<tb> schematized, <SEP> to <SEP> only <SEP> example <SEP> title, <SEP> a <SEP><SEP> transmission of
<tb> data <SEP> between <SEP> a <SEP> system <SEP> S1 <SEP> running <SEP> a <SEP> function <SEP> f1 producing the data and a system S "_1 executing a function f2 consumer the data.

Rather than providing direct transmission between S1 and Sn_1, which would require a specific frame, the data is transported successively by existing frames T1, T2, .... Tn_2, normally transmitting data between the systems S1 and S2, S2 and. , Sn-2 and S, -1. In this case, a sending system Si and consumer system Sj have indexes of order i and j which are linked by the relation i <j (2) more general than the relation. Practically, to carry out the consistency check explained above one is, according to the present invention, a database gathering all the information to describe the set of electronic systems, both in its functional aspects in its material aspects. Moreover, a software tool is created which is able to interrogate said database, by way of requests, so as to execute all the coherence rules set out above and to determine whether these are satisfied and, if not, to identify data, functions or systems that do not meet these rules so that they can be remedied.

As an illustrative and non-limiting example, we can use for this purpose the SQL query language, well known to those skilled in the art.

When implementing such a method to check the consistency of a particular architecture of a set of electronic systems embedded in a motor vehicle, for example, it must be taken into account that this set is constantly evolving to adapt to the progress rapid techniques of the automotive industry. As indicated in the preamble of this description, the architecture of such a set then evolves constantly, both during the design phase of the set, and after the first marketing of the vehicle. This evolution may concern one or more systems or parts of systems, placed under the responsibility of different people. It is obviously important and necessary that a person who modifies the system or part of the system for which it is responsible, can ensure that this modification does not disrupt the operation of all systems. Such a disturbance is indeed possible given the multiple data exchanges that take place between these systems, integrated in a multiplex network.

 As we have seen above, in order to ensure that the coherence of the whole is maintained, the persons in charge mentioned above have a database integrating all the information allowing to describe structurally and functionally the whole. , this information concerning the manipulated data, the constraints on these data (maximum or minimum value of a quantity for example) the architecture of the whole, the vehicles concerned, the "segments" to which these vehicles belong, the systems, their functions, calculators, links between data and frames, between systems and frames, between functions and data, between architecture, systems and calculators, etc., etc.

This information is recorded in the average database of corresponding "tables", entitled "architecture", "vehicles", "segments", "systems", "functions" ..., "manufacturer" data, "supplier" data, .. "frame data links", "data-function links", "system-data links", "system-calculator links", etc., etc.

Each person in charge of a system or part of a system is thus also responsible for updating a group of tables associated with the system or with that part of the system. In case of modification, the corresponding tables are updated and these tables are in turn used to update the database. The query language referred to above then makes it possible to query the updated database so as to verify the satisfaction or non-satisfaction of the rules of coherence set out above. In case of non-satisfaction of the rules, the software diagnoses the causes to allow the persons responsible to remedy it.

It now appears that the present invention makes it possible to achieve the goal set, namely to enable the automatic realization of a consistency check of a set of electronic systems, both in the design phase of it and in phase of operation, and this after any modification affecting the structure or operation of the whole.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to an embodiment described and shown which has been given by way of example only. Thus, the invention is applicable in any industry to the verification of the coherence of any set of multiplexed electronic systems, whatever the type of network used for the multiplexing, the CAN network mentioned above being able to be replaced by a network. For example, the messages transporting the information flowing in the network could be constituted other than by digital information frames, for example by statically defined time intervals in the case of a TDMA bus. Time Division Multiple Access), that is to say one for which the exchange between two computers is done in time interval defined in advance between the two computers, or by frequency ranges for FDMA type media (Frequency Division Multiple Access), that is, media for which data is exchanged at frequency ranges agreed in the advance between the two calculators.

Claims (4)

A method of controlling the coherence of a set of integrated electronic systems receiving and producing data (di) embedded in messages (Mk) materialized by groups of digital signals propagating on at least one common multiplexed bus (B) , characterized in that, for each of the data (di) thus propagated, consumed by a function (f) executed by an electronic control unit (UCEj) forming part of a (Sj) of said electronic systems, the existence of a function (g) executed by an electronic control unit (ECU) of a system (Si) forming part of said systems of the set and producing said data and, if the function (g) is found, b ) identifies the systems (Sxo, ... SX,) generating one of the messages (Mk) containing the data (di) and the systems (S ,, o, ... Syn) receiving one of said messages (Mk) ) containing the data (di), and c) diagnoses an absence of inconsistency if <tb> (Syo, <SEP> ... Sy ") <SEP> contains <SEP> (Sj) <SEP>. Method according to claim 1, applied to a set of electronic systems between which the messages (Mk) are possibly routed through a series of intermediate systems (Si, ... Sj), between the generating system (Si and consumer system (Sj), characterized in that the order indices (i) and (j) of the systems (-) and (Sj) are such that j> i. Method according to claim 2, applied to a set of electronic systems in which the messages <B> (MO </ B>) are not routed through intermediate systems, characterized in that the order indices (i ) and (j) systems (Si) and (Sj) are such that: j = i + 1. 4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said messages (M # - j each take the form of a frame (TK) of digital signals comprising field identifier of the frame and a data field containing one or more data (di) arranged in predetermined portions of said data field, each of the systems in the set selecting the frames containing data used in said system.     (Sxo .... <SEP> Sx ") <SEP> contains <SEP> (Si) <SEP> and