CN113839847B - Vehicle-mounted communication method, vehicle-mounted electronic device, vehicle-mounted communication system, and medium - Google Patents

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various details of the embodiments of the disclosure are included to assist understanding, and which are to be considered as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted in the following description for clarity and conciseness.

The term "include" and variations thereof as used herein is meant to be inclusive in an open-ended manner, i.e., "including but not limited to". Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term "or" means "and/or". The term "based on" means "based at least in part on". The terms "one example embodiment" and "one embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment". The terms "first," "second," and the like may refer to different or the same object. Other explicit and implicit definitions are also possible below.

As described above, the conventional CAN bus, LIN, FlexRay bus, and the like have been unable to meet the demand of the in-vehicle bus.

To address, at least in part, one or more of the above problems and other potential problems, example embodiments of the present disclosure propose an EPA-based in-vehicle communication method. The method comprises the following steps: at the in-vehicle electronic device, if it is determined that there is first non-real-time vehicle-related data to be transmitted, then: transmitting a first transmission priority and a first duration for transmitting first non-real-time vehicle-related data in a corresponding time slice in a cycle time in a current EPA macro-cycle; if it is determined that the second transmission priority from the other vehicle-mounted electronic equipment and the second duration for transmitting the second non-real-time vehicle-related data are not received within the cycle time, transmitting the first non-real-time vehicle-related data at a start time of the non-cycle times in the current EPA macro-cycle; and if it is determined that one or more second transmission priorities from one or more other in-vehicle electronic devices and one or more second durations for transmitting one or more second non-real-time vehicle-related data are received within the periodic time, transmitting the first non-real-time vehicle-related data in a non-periodic time in the current EPA macro cycle based on the first transmission priority, the first duration, the one or more second transmission priorities, and the one or more second durations. In this way, the data transmission time and the data transmission time can be determined according to the priority and the data transmission time and the non-periodic time in the EPA macro-period, so that the non-real-time vehicle-related data can be transmitted in order according to the priority, and the phenomenon that the transmission of the real-time vehicle-related data is influenced due to the occupation of the periodic time is avoided.

Hereinafter, specific examples of the present scheme will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The first and second vehicle control units 110-1 and 110-2 may be configured for autonomous or assisted driving, infotainment functions, overall vehicle control, and the like.

A pair of domain control units 120-1 and 120-2 may be configured for the relevant functions of the corresponding vehicle domain. For example, the domain control unit 120-1 may be configured for a part of functions in a vehicle body and convenience system, a chassis and safety system, and a power system, and the domain control unit 120-2 may be configured for another part of functions in a vehicle body and convenience system, a chassis and safety system, and a power system.

The first vehicle control unit 110-1, the second vehicle control unit 110-2, and the at least one pair of domain control units 120-1 and 120-2 are connected through an EPA bus having a first communication bandwidth to a first ring network 130-1 and a second ring network 130-2 (which may also be referred to as a dual ring network) that are redundant with each other. The first communication bandwidth is, for example, greater than or equal to 1 Gbps.

As shown in fig. 1, each in-vehicle control unit, such as a vehicle control unit and a domain control unit, is connected using 4 ports. Every two ports are in a group and are sequentially connected to form a ring network, the two ring networks are mutually redundant, and the operation of the other ring network is not influenced when any one ring network fails. In each ring network, data streams in clockwise and counterclockwise directions can run simultaneously to form two channels which are redundant with each other. In any ring network, any vehicle-mounted control unit can be configured to send the same data out of the clockwise and counterclockwise ports when sending the data, and carry out redundancy arbitration when receiving the data, and send the first part of the data to the processor in the vehicle-mounted control unit for processing.

When any link failure or equipment failure occurs, the ring network is degraded into a line network, in the line network, messages are still sent out from two ports at the same time and flow through all node equipment in the system, and the rest nodes can receive the messages from at least one port no matter where the failure occurs, so that switching delay and packet loss do not exist.

Thus, the vehicle control units such as the vehicle control unit and the domain control unit are connected through the redundant dual ring type EPA network, and the operation bandwidth, the data real-time property, the network safety and the redundancy reliability of the vehicle network can be improved. In addition, the vehicle control unit and the domain control unit are subjected to redundant backup, so that the redundancy reliability of the vehicle-mounted control unit is further improved.

In some embodiments, the at least one pair of field control units may include left and right body control units that are redundant of each other, front and rear body control units that are redundant of each other, and power and chassis control units that are redundant of each other.

The power control unit 220-1 may be configured to control motors, engines and transmissions, battery management, etc., and the chassis control unit 220-2 may be configured to control steering, braking, etc. The left side vehicle body control unit 230-1 may be configured to control the door locks, windows, seats, mirrors, etc. of the left side vehicle body, and the right side vehicle body control unit 230-2 may be configured to control the door locks, windows, seats, mirrors, etc. of the right side vehicle body. The front side body control unit 240-1 may be configured to control the front side body lamps, wipers, temperature/pressure sensors, etc., and the rear side body control unit 240-2 may be configured to control the rear side body lamps, wipers, temperature/pressure sensors, etc.

It should be understood that three pairs of domain control units are also merely illustrative, and two or more pairs of domain control units are also possible.

In some embodiments, at least one domain control unit of the at least one pair of domain control units and one or more modules in the controlled domain may be connected by an EPA bus having a second communication bandwidth, the second communication bandwidth being smaller than the first communication bandwidth. The second communication bandwidth includes, for example, but is not limited to, 10Mbps or 100 Mbps.

Therefore, for the equipment with lower requirement on the communication speed in the control domain, the EPA bus with the bandwidth lower than that of the main ring network can be adopted for connection, thereby reducing the cost.

In further embodiments, at least one domain control unit of the at least one pair of domain control units and one or more modules in the controlled domain may be connected via an EPA bus having a first communication bandwidth or a vehicle bus different from the EPA. Onboard buses other than EPA include, for example, but not limited to, CAN bus, LIN bus, FlexRay bus, and MOST bus.

For example, a parking brake module, a steering control module, a vehicle stability control module (not shown), etc. may be included in a domain controlled by the chassis control unit 220-2, and these several modules may be connected to the chassis control unit 220-2 through an EPA bus having a first communication bandwidth, or may be connected through a CAN bus, for example. Also for example, a motor control module and a battery management module, etc. may be included in a domain controlled by the power control unit 220-1, and these several modules and the power control unit 220-1 may be connected through an EPA bus having a first communication bandwidth, or may be connected through a CAN bus, for example. It should be understood that the chassis control unit, the power control unit, and the modules in the control domain thereof are only examples, and may be other modules or other numbers of modules in the control domain, or other domain control units and modules in the control domain thereof, and the scope of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Therefore, for the equipment with higher requirement on the communication speed in the control domain, the EPA bus with the same bandwidth as the main ring network can be adopted for connection, thereby maintaining the real-time performance of data. In addition, the domain controlled by the domain control unit can be compatible with the existing vehicle-mounted bus, so that the compatibility is ensured.

Therefore, the vehicle-mounted control unit based on the traditional vehicle-mounted bus can be connected to the whole vehicle-mounted network through the EPA gateway, and therefore compatibility is guaranteed.

In some embodiments, at least one of the at least one domain control unit, the first vehicle control unit, and the second vehicle control unit may include a diagnostic debug interface to facilitate subsequent data diagnosis and analysis.

In the EPA network, each in-vehicle electronic device may be assigned a corresponding time slice in the periodic time in the EPA macro-period for transmitting data, and the aperiodic time in the EPA macro-period may be used for the respective in-vehicle electronic device to transmit data by transmitting priority. In the EPA network, each in-vehicle electronic device may be assigned a different transmission priority, for example, may be assigned based on ip address.

It should be understood that transmitting the first non-real-time vehicle-related data herein includes transmitting a portion of the first non-real-time vehicle-related data. For example, if the duration from the aperiodic time is less than the first duration, a portion of the first non-real-time vehicle-related data corresponding to the duration of the aperiodic time may be transmitted, and the remaining data may be transmitted at the aperiodic time in the subsequent EPA macrocycle.

Specifically, the in-vehicle electronic device may search for at least one second transmission priority higher than the first transmission priority among the one or more second transmission priorities. For a second transmission priority, it can be determined directly whether the second transmission priority is higher than the first transmission priority.

If the in-vehicle electronic device determines that at least one second transmission priority higher than the first transmission priority is found among the one or more second transmission priorities, the first non-real-time vehicle-related data is transmitted in a non-periodic time in the current EPA macro-cycle based on the at least one second duration and the first duration corresponding to the at least one second transmission priority. The method for transmitting the first non-real-time vehicle-related data during the non-periodic time in the current EPA macro-cycle is described in detail below in conjunction with fig. 6 and 7.

If the in-vehicle electronic device determines that a second transmission priority higher than the first transmission priority is not found in the one or more second transmission priorities, the first non-real-time vehicle-related data is transmitted at a start time of the aperiodic time in the current EPA macro-cycle.

Therefore, the data sending time and the data sending time are determined according to the non-periodic time in the EPA macro-period based on the priority and the data sending time, so that the non-real-time vehicle related data can be sent in order according to the priority, and the influence on the sending of the real-time vehicle related data due to the occupation of the periodic time is avoided.

Further, the in-vehicle electronic device may also transmit the real-time vehicle-related data in corresponding time slices in the cycle time in the current EPA macro cycle. The real-time vehicle-related data includes at least one of vehicle control data and real-time vehicle acquisition data.

Thus, real-time transmission of real-time vehicle-related data is ensured by transmitting the real-time vehicle-related data in corresponding time slices of the cycle time in the EPA macro-cycle.

As described above, the vehicle-mounted electronic devices may be connected via the EPA dual-ring network, and the vehicle-mounted electronic devices may transmit the real-time vehicle-related data via 4 ports when transmitting the real-time vehicle-related data.

Specifically, for each ring network, the onboard electronic device may transmit first real-time vehicle-related data in a clockwise direction in a first time slice of the cycle time in the current EPA macro cycle via a first port connected to the ring network, and transmit the first real-time vehicle-related data in a counterclockwise direction in a second time slice of the cycle time in the current EPA macro cycle via a second port connected to the ring network. The first time slice and the second time slice are shared with another vehicle-mounted electronic device. The other vehicle-mounted electronic device may transmit the second real-time vehicle-related data in a first time slice in the cycle time in the current EPA macro-cycle in a counterclockwise direction via the third port connected to the ring network, and transmit the second real-time vehicle-related data in a second time slice in the cycle time in the current EPA macro-cycle in a clockwise direction via the fourth port connected to the ring network.

Therefore, the two vehicle-mounted electronic devices in the EPA ring network can transmit the real-time vehicle related data through the ports in the opposite directions in the same time slice, and the bandwidth in the EPA ring network is improved under the condition that the data transmission is not conflicted.

If the second duration is 1, the second duration is determined as the transmission start offset. If the second time length is multiple, determining the sum of the multiple second time lengths as the transmission start offset.

The duration of the transmission ending offset being less than or equal to the aperiodic time indicates that the first non-real-time vehicle-related data can be completely transmitted during the aperiodic time, otherwise indicates that the first non-real-time vehicle-related data cannot be completely transmitted during the aperiodic time.

Thus, the first non-real-time vehicle-related data is transmitted only when at least one second duration corresponding to at least one second priority higher than the first priority enables the first non-real-time vehicle-related data to be completely transmitted in the non-periodic time of the current EPA macro cycle, and the first transmission priority is incremented when at least one duration enables the first non-real-time vehicle-related data not to be completely transmitted in the non-periodic time of the current EPA macro cycle, so that the probability of transmitting the first non-real-time vehicle-related data in the non-periodic time of the subsequent EPA macro cycle is increased.

A duration of the transmission start offset being less than or equal to the aperiodic time indicates that the first non-real-time vehicle-related data can be at least partially transmitted during the aperiodic time, otherwise indicates that the first non-real-time vehicle-related data cannot be transmitted during the aperiodic time.

It should be understood that transmitting the first non-real-time vehicle-related data herein includes transmitting a portion of the first non-real-time vehicle-related data. For example, if the length of time from the transmission start offset to the end of the aperiodic time is less than the first length of time, a portion of the first non-real-time vehicle-related data corresponding to the length of time from the transmission start offset to the end of the aperiodic time may be transmitted, and the remainder of the data may be transmitted at the aperiodic time in the subsequent EPA macrocycle.

Thus, the first non-real-time vehicle-related data is transmitted only if at least one second duration corresponding to at least one second priority higher than the first priority enables the first non-real-time vehicle-related data to be transmitted at least partially in the non-periodic time of the current EPA macrocycle, and the first transmission priority is incremented if the at least one duration enables the first non-real-time vehicle-related data not to be transmitted in the non-periodic time of the current EPA macrocycle, thereby increasing the probability of transmitting the first non-real-time vehicle-related data in the non-periodic time of the subsequent EPA macrocycle.

In some embodiments, the first data may be received at the onboard control unit or the onboard EPA gateway from a first EPA bus to a second EPA bus, the first and second EPA buses having different bandwidths. Subsequently, the in-vehicle control unit or in-vehicle EPA gateway may forward the first data to the second EPA bus at a corresponding time slice in the cycle time in the EPA macrocycle associated with the second EPA bus.

Therefore, communication between the vehicle-mounted EPA buses with different bandwidths is realized.

In some embodiments, a first data destined for a different vehicle bus than EPA may be received from an EPA bus at a vehicle control unit or a vehicle EPA gateway. The first data may be forwarded at the onboard control unit or the onboard EPA gateway to an onboard bus different from the EPA if it is determined that the onboard bus different from the EPA is idle.

The second data destined for the EPA bus may be received at the onboard control unit or the onboard EPA gateway from an onboard bus different from the EPA. The second data may be forwarded to the EPA bus at the onboard control unit or the onboard EPA gateway in a corresponding time slice in a cycle time in an EPA macrocycle associated with the EPA bus.

Thus, communication between the vehicle EPA bus and other types of vehicle buses is achieved.

The EPA communication unit may include a CPU interface unit, an EPA management unit, a PHY initialization unit, and a parameter and status management unit. And the CPU interface unit is used for carrying out communication and control between the EPA communication unit and the CPU. The EPA management unit is used for realizing EPA real-time transmission and EPA deterministic scheduling. The PHY initialization unit is used for configuring and managing an external PHY module. The parameter and state management unit is used for storing configuration parameters and controlling the external storage unit.

The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses, systems, electronic devices, computer-readable storage media and/or computer program products. The computer program product may include computer-readable program instructions for performing various aspects of the present disclosure.

The computer readable storage medium may be a tangible device that can hold and store the instructions for use by the instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic memory device, a magnetic memory device, an optical memory device, an electromagnetic memory device, a semiconductor memory device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanical coding device, such as punch cards or in-groove projection structures having instructions stored thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Computer-readable storage media as used herein is not to be construed as transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., optical pulses through a fiber optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through electrical wires.

The computer-readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to a respective computing/processing device, or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and/or a wireless network. The network may include copper transmission cables, fiber optic transmission, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. The network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer-readable program instructions for storage in a computer-readable storage medium in the respective computing/processing device.

The computer program instructions for carrying out operations of the present disclosure may be assembler instructions, Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) instructions, machine-related instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C + + or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, the electronic circuitry that can execute the computer-readable program instructions implements aspects of the present disclosure by utilizing the state information of the computer-readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, such as a programmable logic circuit, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or a Programmable Logic Array (PLA).

Various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

These computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processing unit of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

Having described embodiments of the present disclosure, the foregoing description is intended to be exemplary, not exhaustive, and not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terms used herein were chosen in order to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application, or technical improvements to the techniques in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.