Methods for error detection in a communication system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (100) for fault detection in a communication system (1) in the form of a LIN bus system, comprising the following steps: - Initiating (101) a transmission of at least one data packet by a primary device (2) of the communication system (1) to at least one secondary device (3) of the communication system (1), - Receiving (102) at least one status message from a transmit-receiver (5) of the communication system (1), - Evaluating (103) the at least one received status message regarding an error in receiving a response data packet in response to the at least one transmitted data packet, - Identifying (104) an error based on the evaluation.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for error detection in a communications system. Furthermore, the invention relates to a communications system, a computer program, a device, and a storage medium. State of the art

[0002] It is known that open loads can occur in communication systems such as LIN bus systems if a conductor within the bus system is interrupted. This can have the consequence that data communication between the networked units is impaired. Furthermore, short circuits to ground can occur, for example, in vehicle bus systems if the data conductor or the supply line is inadvertently connected to the vehicle's ground potential. This can impair data communication and potentially damage the control units involved. Short circuits to the supply voltage occur when the data conductor comes into direct contact with the supply voltage line. This can lead to an increase in the current flow in the network, which activates the integrated protection mechanisms and, in the worst case, can damage the control units.

[0003] Conventional solutions fail to detect errors such as open lines or short circuits in LIN systems. Thus, the primary device, i.e., the master of the LIN bus, has no event to react to. This leads to the primary device continuing to operate normally even though an error actually exists. This makes it very difficult to determine the actual cause of the error. Disclosure of the invention

[0004] The subject matter of the invention is a method having the features of claim 1, a communications system having the features of claim 6, a computer program having the features of claim 8, a device having the features of claim 9, and a computer-readable storage medium having the features of claim 10. Further features and details of the invention emerge from the respective subclaims, the description, and the drawings. Features and details described in connection with the method according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the communications system according to the invention, the computer program according to the invention, the device according to the invention, and the computer-readable storage medium according to the invention, and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention, reference is or can always be made to each other.

[0005] The invention particularly relates to a method for error detection in a communications system, wherein the communications system is preferably provided in the form of a LIN bus system. The communications system, ie in particular the LIN bus system, can be a bus system of a vehicle, i.e., for example, integrated into the vehicle.

[0006] A Local Interconnect Network, or LIN bus for short, is a communication system that can be used for data exchange between devices—such as control units in automotive applications. It can be a serial communication system, specifically for networking sensors and actuators. Typical application examples include networking within the door or seat of a motor vehicle.

[0007] The method according to the invention may comprise the following steps, which are preferably carried out repeatedly and / or sequentially: - initiating a transmission of at least one data packet, preferably a digital data packet, by a primary device, preferably a master unit, of the communication system to at least one secondary device, preferably a slave unit, in particular to several secondary devices, of the communication system, - receiving at least one status message from a transceiver, in particular a transceiver, of the communication system, preferably the primary device, wherein the status message is preferably received in digital form, - Evaluating the at least one received status message with regard to an error in receiving a response data packet in response to the at least one transmitted data packet - in other words, an error indicating a problem or an unexpected event in receiving the response data packet, wherein the response data packet is expected as a response to the transmitted data packet -, wherein for this purpose, a status code of the status message is preferably evaluated, - Detecting an error based on the evaluation, preferably by determining the cause of the error.

[0008] The invention can have the advantage of reliably detecting faults according to error categories such as "open load," "short circuit to ground," or "short circuit to the supply voltage." This makes it possible to provide an event to which the primary device can react in the event of a fault. Precise pinpointing to the actual cause of the fault can also facilitate workshop diagnostics and / or enable targeted replacement response and fault handling in the vehicle.

[0009] The transceiver is, in particular, a transceiver, preferably a LIN transceiver, and can be responsible for the physical transmission and reception of signals on the bus, preferably the LIN bus. For this purpose, the transceiver can, for example, convert the digital data from the primary or secondary devices into electrical signals for transmission over the bus line, and conversely, also receive the signals and convert them into data.

[0010] It is also advantageous if multiple secondary devices are provided at which the transmission of at least one data packet is initiated. In this case, it is advantageous if the status message is specific to an individual device and / or to a source identifier of the secondary devices. The source identifier includes, for example, a unique identifier for the secondary devices and / or an indication of which of the secondary devices (e.g., for a current frame) a response data packet was expected from.

[0011] Furthermore, the detection method step can further comprise: detecting an error-causing secondary device among the plurality of secondary devices based on the status message. The communication system comprises, for example, up to 16 secondary devices connected to the one primary device. The cause of the error can be determined, for example, based on the status message and, in particular, using an origin identifier, which for this purpose includes, for example, an indication of which of the secondary devices a response was received or expected from. This makes it possible to differentiate whether no response data packets are permanently received from all secondary devices or only from individual secondary devices of the communication system.

[0012] Preferably, within the scope of the invention, the detection may further comprise: assigning the error to one of at least two or at least three error categories. The error categories may include at least one of the following: - A short-circuit fault in which transmission (e.g. of the response data packet) by at least one of the secondary devices is prevented by a transmission line (bus line) of the communication system being connected to electrical ground, e.g. the ground of a vehicle, - An open line error, in which the transmission (e.g. of the response data packet) by at least one of the secondary devices is prevented by the fact that the transmission line of the communication system is interrupted, - An operating error in one of the secondary devices.

[0013] This allows for further differentiation of the cause of the error.

[0014] In a further possibility, it can be provided that the evaluation is carried out on the basis of a predefined system specification of the communication system, wherein the recognition further comprises: - Detecting the cause of an error based on a comparison of at least one received status message with the system specification.

[0015] The primary device, also known as the LIN master, can use the status message as feedback from the transceiver for error diagnostics thanks to the system specification in conjunction with additional system knowledge. This makes it possible to deduce the cause of an error based on existing knowledge of the communication system.

[0016] It may also be possible for the evaluation to include evaluating at least one received status message with regard to a failure to receive the response data packet. This also makes it possible to detect if reception or transmission is completely prevented by a secondary device.

[0017] The invention also relates to a communication system, preferably in the form of a LIN bus system, comprising: - a primary device, - at least one or more secondary devices, - a device for error detection in the communication system, wherein the device is preferably provided in the form of an electronic data processing device and / or a data processing system and / or a device according to the invention.

[0018] The device, e.g. a data processing device or a data processing system, may further comprise: - an initiation means for initiating a transmission of at least one data packet by the primary device to the at least one secondary device or to the plurality of secondary devices, - a receiving means for receiving at least one status message from a transceiver of the communication system, preferably the primary device, - an evaluation means for evaluating the at least one received status message with regard to an error in receiving a response data packet in response to the at least one transmitted data packet, wherein the response is preferably expected from at least one of the secondary devices, - a detection tool for detecting an error based on the evaluation.

[0019] The communication system according to the invention thus offers the same advantages as those described in detail with reference to a method according to the invention. Furthermore, the communication system, and specifically the device in particular, can be suitable for implementing a method according to the invention. The individual means can, for example, be part of one or more computer programs.

[0020] Furthermore, it is optionally provided that the device and / or the transceiver are part of the primary device, wherein additional transceivers of the at least one or more secondary devices can be provided. Furthermore, the primary device can be provided as a commander (master unit) and the respective secondary device as a responder (slave unit) of the communication system. This enables reliable communication, e.g., in the vehicle between different vehicle components. The LIN can, for example, comprise a single master unit as the primary device and multiple slave units as the secondary devices for data exchange between control units and / or devices in automotive applications.The LIN can be located in various vehicle components, including but not limited to the dashboard, center console, and door modules, to enable targeted communication between specific control units such as climate control, window regulators, and seat adjustment.

[0021] The invention also relates to a computer program, in particular a computer program product, comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute the method according to the invention. Thus, the computer program according to the invention provides the same advantages as those described in detail with reference to a method according to the invention.

[0022] The invention also relates to a data processing device configured to carry out the method according to the invention. The device can be, for example, a computer that executes the computer program according to the invention. The computer can have at least one processor for executing the computer program. A non-volatile data memory can also be provided, in which the computer program is stored and from which the computer program can be read by the processor for execution. The device can also be implemented as a distributed computer system.

[0023] The invention may also provide a computer-readable storage medium that has the computer program according to the invention and / or includes instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to the invention. The storage medium is designed, for example, as a data storage device such as a hard disk and / or a non-volatile memory and / or a memory card. The storage medium can, for example, be integrated into the computer.

[0024] Furthermore, the method according to the invention can also be implemented as a computer-implemented method.

[0025] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which describes embodiments of the invention in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic visualization of a method, a device, a storage medium and a computer program according to embodiments of the invention. Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a communication system according to embodiments of the invention. Fig. 3 a further representation of a device according to embodiments of the invention.

[0026] In Fig. 1, a method 100, a device 10, a storage medium 15 and a computer program 20 according to embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated. The method 100 can be used for error detection in a Fig. 2 in the form of a LIN bus system. According to a first method step 101, a transmission of at least one data packet can be initiated by a primary device 2 of the communication system 1 to at least one secondary device 3 of the communication system 1. According to a second method step 102, at least one status message from a transceiver 5 can be received. According to a third method step 103, the at least one received status message can be evaluated with regard to an error upon receipt of a response data packet in response to the at least one transmitted data packet. Then, according to a fourth method step 104, the error can be detected based on the evaluation.

[0027] In Fig. 2 shows that multiple secondary devices 3 can also be provided, at which the transmission of the at least one data packet is initiated. The status message can be specific to an individual and / or to an originating identifier of the secondary devices 3. Detection 104 may make it possible to determine an error-causing secondary device 3' of the secondary devices 3 based on the status message.

[0028] Detection 104 may also include assigning the error to one of at least two or at least three error categories. For example, this may be a short-circuit error, in which transmission by at least one of the secondary devices 3 is prevented because a transmission line 7 of the communication system 1 is connected to electrical ground. To perform this error assignment, the status message can be evaluated to the effect that the transceiver delivers a "frame header error." This can occur, for example, in the case of a LIN short circuit to ground, in which all bits of the secondary device are set to zero (low level), or in the case of a LIN short circuit to supply voltage, in which all bits of the secondary device are set to one (high level). The short-circuit error is thus diagnosed by evaluating this "frame header error."

[0029] Furthermore, an open-load error may occur, in which transmission by at least one of the secondary devices 3 is prevented due to the interruption of the transmission line 7 of the communication system 1. The transceiver can provide a so-called "no response" state via the status message as soon as no response is received from the secondary device (or devices). This "no response" state can be used to diagnose an "open load" error.

[0030] With both of the aforementioned diagnostics, various system states can be taken into account before an error is reported. This includes, for example, the frequency detection of the error state. During frequency detection, a counter is incremented each time the "no response" state occurs. The counter can then be checked against an applicable threshold. If this threshold is exceeded, an "open load" error can be diagnosed and reported as a reaction. If a valid response from a secondary device is received in the primary device during the frequency check, no "open load" error can exist and the counter is reset to zero. In this way, a system specification and / or system knowledge can be used in the evaluation and / or detection.

[0031] The device 10 and / or the transceiver 5 can be part of the primary device 2, wherein optionally further transceivers 5' of the at least one or more secondary devices 3 are provided (see Fig. 2). The communication system can be configured as a LIN bus, operating on a time-slot basis according to the request-response principle (master-slave) using a schedule table (transmission scheme). A schedule table can refer to a predefined sequence of frames that controls the timing of communication between the primary device and the secondary devices. This transmission scheme can determine when and in what order certain frames are sent over the LIN bus to ensure coordinated and efficient data exchange. The actual communication between master and slave is divided into two main components of the data packet and / or response data packet: the frame header and the payload.

[0032] In the context of a Local Interconnect Network (LIN), a data packet, also known as a frame, can consist of a frame header and the associated payload. The frame header contains information such as the identifier and the frame length. The payload carries the actual information load and can include control commands or measured values ​​exchanged between the control units.

[0033] Unconditional frames are data frames that are transmitted between the primary device and the secondary devices according to a specified transmission pattern (schedule table). These frames can contain payload data such as control commands or measured values ​​and are sent regardless of specific conditions or events in the system. They can form the basis for regular and scheduled communication within the LIN bus system.

[0034] Conventionally, only the payload data of the secondary devices is processed. According to embodiments of the invention, the frame header can also be evaluated based on the LIN transceiver's feedback (i.e., the status message) and subsequently converted to error states.

[0035] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the method can be based not on so-called unconditional frames (i.e., standard data frames), but instead send a special so-called event-triggered frame at specific intervals, which addresses all secondary devices on the bus. This would allow all secondary devices to be polled as "simultaneously" as possible, simplifying the debouncing process for error detection. Since the primary device on a LIN bus can, by definition, resolve potential collisions using a special transmission scheme (collision resolving), polling of all secondary devices is also guaranteed.

[0036] In Fig.3 shows a device 10 of a communication system 1 according to embodiments of the invention in further detail. An initiation means 11 can be provided for initiating 101 the transmission of the at least one data packet from the primary device 2 to the at least one secondary device 3. Furthermore, a receiving means 12 for receiving 102 the at least one status message from the transceiver of the communication system 1 and an evaluation means 13 for evaluating 103 the at least one received status message with regard to the error in receiving the response data packet in response to the at least one transmitted data packet can be part of the device 10. A detection means 14 can also be used to detect 104 the error based on the evaluation.

[0037] The above explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention exclusively by way of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided they are technically feasible, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

[1] Method (100) for error detection in a communication system (1) in the form of a LIN bus system, comprising the following steps: - initiating (101) a transmission of at least one data packet by a primary device (2) of the communication system (1) to at least one secondary device (3) of the communication system (1), - receiving (102) at least one status message from a transceiver (5) of the communication system (1), - evaluating (103) the at least one received status message with regard to an error upon receipt of a response data packet in response to the at least one transmitted data packet, - Detecting (104) an error based on the evaluation. [2] Method (100) according to claim 1, characterized bythat a plurality of secondary devices (3) are provided at which the transmission of the at least one data packet is initiated, wherein the status message is specific to an individual and / or to an origin identifier of the secondary devices (3), wherein the recognition (104) further comprises: - Detecting a fault-causing secondary device (3') of the secondary devices (3) based on the status message. [3] Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that recognition (104) further includes: - Assigning the error to one of at least two or at least three error categories, the error categories including at least one of the following: - a short-circuit fault in which transmission by at least one of the secondary devices (3) is prevented by a transmission line (7) of the communication system (1) being connected to electrical ground, - An open line fault in which transmission by at least one of the secondary devices (3) is prevented by the transmission line (7) of the communication system (1) being interrupted, - An operating error in one of the secondary devices (3). [4] Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the evaluation (103) is carried out on the basis of a predefined system specification of the communication system (1), wherein the recognition (104) further comprises: - Identifying the cause of an error based on comparing the status message with the system specification. [5] Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that during the evaluation (103) the at least one received status message is evaluated with regard to a failure to receive the response data packet. [6] Communication system (1) in the form of a LIN bus system, comprising: - a primary device (2), - at least one secondary device (3), - a device (10) for detecting errors in the communication system (1), the device (10) further comprising: - an initiation means (11) for initiating (101) a transmission of at least one data packet by the primary device (2) to the at least one secondary device (3), - a receiving means (12) for receiving (102) at least one status message from a transceiver (5) of the communication system (1), - an evaluation means (13) for evaluating (103) the at least one received status message with regard to an error upon receipt of a response data packet in response to the at least one transmitted data packet, - a detection means (14) for detecting (104) an error based on the evaluation. [7] Communication system (1) according to claim 6, characterized bythat the device (10) and / or the transceiver (5) is part of the primary device (2), wherein further transceivers (5') of the at least one or more secondary devices (3) are provided, wherein the primary device (2) is provided as a commander and the secondary device (3) as a responder of the communication system (1). [8] Computer program (20) comprising instructions which, when the computer program (20) is executed by a computer (10), cause the computer (10) to carry out the method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5. [9] Device (10) for data processing, which is arranged to carry out the method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5. [10] A computer-readable storage medium (15) comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer (10), cause the computer (10) to carry out the steps of the method (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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