Modules with serializer unit and deserializer unit from different product families

Abstract

The present invention relates to a module, comprising: a functional unit for generating a data stream; a data output end, which outputs the data stream to a deserializer unit, and the deserializer unit is configured to obtain the data stream; a serializer unit of a second product series, which includes registers for configuring the serializer unit; and a configuration data input end, which is used to obtain configuration data defining a first register configuration of the serializer unit, and is provided with a data storage device on which a first mapping from the register address of the serializer unit of the first product series to the register address of the serializer unit of the second product series is stored; and a configuration unit, the configuration unit is configured to read configuration data from the configuration data input end, and the serializer unit of the second product series can be configured by means of the second register configuration so that the registers of the serializer unit of the second product series are configured according to the second register configuration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to serialization. Background Art

[0002] Sensor systems with imaging sensors are used in various ways, for example in monitoring systems, and are also increasingly used in highly automated vehicles. An imaging sensor can be understood as a sensor whose raw data can reconstruct an image of the sensor's surroundings. Examples include camera sensors, infrared sensors, ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, and lidar sensors. Typically, such a sensor system comprises a sensor module and a receiving module, wherein the sensor module comprises a sensor, the sensor module is configured to output a data stream from the sensor raw data, and the receiving module is configured to acquire and process the data stream.

[0003] It is common to serialize the data stream before transmitting it to the receiver module and deserialize the data stream after it is acquired in the receiver module. Well-known suppliers of serializers or deserializers suitable for this are Texas Instruments (FPD Link III) and Maxim GMSL series.

[0004] In particular, for the testing and development of image processing sensor systems, there are programmable interface modules on the market that can acquire the raw data of the imaging sensor and process it in the manner desired by the user in order to ultimately transmit the image data to a receiving module, such as a PC, a control device, or simply to a screen. An example is the Compact Vision Systems from National Instruments. As vehicles become more and more automated, a market has recently emerged for sensor simulation systems that can generate synthetic raw data based on computer models or can present raw data recorded by real sensors. Such systems simulate the presence of imaging sensors for receiving modules, such as control devices for automotive ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance Systems), and thus enable the control devices to be tested in a virtual environment without risk and in a reproducible manner. An example is the Environment Sensor Interface Unit (ESI Unit) from dSPACE.

[0005] In practice, development systems, such as the two development systems mentioned above, naturally utilize multiple different receiving modules to operate, and different deserializers are also installed in each receiving module. In terms of compatibility, this is problematic. Typically, the serializer can be configured via registers, wherein the registers are connected to a specific bus, such as I²C, SPI or UART. In the bus, each register is assigned an address, and each register is writable and readable via its corresponding address. The register configuration is automatically performed by the receiving module after the entire system is put into operation, in which the receiving module accesses the register of the serializer via the specific bus mentioned, and writes the value in a determined manner that is pre-set by its programming. The register configuration can be implemented by a deserializer installed in the receiving module or by other components of the receiving module.

[0006] As a result, the serializer of a given product series is incompatible with most of the deserializers available on the market or with the receiving modules equipped with the corresponding deserializers, because the programming of the configuration process of the deserializer is based on the determined registers of the serializer, which can be accessed via a determined bus address. In general development systems, such as the development system mentioned above, it is impossible to show that these assumptions apply. Even if it is technically possible in principle to correctly transmit valid data from the serializer to the deserializer, the two can only be incompatible due to the failure of the initial configuration process. It is currently common in the case of ESI units to install a specifically produced serializer circuit board that matches its receiving module for each customer. This practice causes additional costs and increased production expenses. Summary of the invention

[0007] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to improve the compatibility of a serializer of a given product line with as many receive modules as possible having deserializers of a different product line.

[0008] In order to solve the task, a novel module with a serializer unit is proposed. As known in the prior art, the module includes a functional unit for generating a data stream, such as a data stream of sensor raw data, in particular a data stream of simulated sensor raw data for a simulated sensor. In addition, the module includes a data output for outputting the data stream to a deserializer unit in a peripheral device of the module. The serializer unit includes registers for configuring the serializer unit and is configured to serialize the data stream and output it via a data output. In addition, the module includes a configuration data input for acquiring configuration data, which defines a first register configuration of the serializer unit.

[0009] The module according to the invention is characterized by a data storage device on which a first mapping from register addresses of serializer units of a first product series to register addresses of serializer units of a second product series is stored, wherein the serializer units actually installed on the module belong to the second product series. In contrast, serializer units belonging to the first product series do not have to be installed on the module within the scope of the invention and are not normally installed on the module.

[0010] Within the scope of this description, a product family is defined in that two serializer units or deserializer units belonging to a common product family are identical with regard to their technical configuration and technical means.

[0011] Furthermore, the module according to the invention comprises a configuration unit which is configured to read configuration data from a configuration data input and convert it into a technically corresponding second register configuration by means of a mapping stored in a data storage device. By means of the second register configuration, the serializer units of the second product series can be configured in such a way that they behave in operation like serializer units of the first product series according to the first register configuration. Furthermore, the configuration unit is configured to configure registers of the serializer units of the second product series according to the second register configuration.

[0012] The configuration unit thus acts as a converter. The deserializer unit installed in the receiving module is designed for use with serializer units of a first product series of a determined serializer unit, or possibly also for a limited product series family. If the serializer unit in the module belongs to a second product series that is incompatible with the deserializer unit in terms of register configuration, the register configuration performed by the deserializer unit is not implementable or results in undesirable properties of the serializer unit. The configuration unit, by means of its programming and with the help of the information contained in the mapping, is able to: detect and interpret write accesses to register addresses by the deserializer unit during the configuration process; convert the write accesses into a valid and technically corresponding second register configuration of a serializer unit of a second product series, which results in the desired properties of the serializer unit or at least satisfactorily similar properties; and configure the registers of the serializer unit of the second product series according to the second register configuration.

[0013] Similar concepts for redirecting access to bus addresses are known from the prior art. For example, CN 108462 660 discloses a reprogrammable switch on which a mapping from the logical port addresses of the switch to the physical port addresses can be stored. Conventional memory management units also fulfill similar functions in principle.

[0014] However, the information content present in the mapping and used by the configuration unit usually exceeds a simple mapping from one register address group to another register address group. In other words, it is generally not sufficient to simply store the value that the serializer unit attempts to store at a certain register address of the first serializer unit in another register address of the second serializer unit. In addition, it may be necessary, for example, to scale or calibrate the data written by the deserializer unit and set for storage in the registers of the serializer units of the first product series, for example because the serializer units of the second product series use other units than the serializer units of the first product series and / or to reformat the data. It is also possible that information that can be stored on a serializer unit of a first product series by means of data stored in a single register requires that the same information be stored in a serializer unit of a second product series by storing values ​​in multiple registers, or vice versa - more broadly speaking: the mapping can include a mapping of first data onto second data, the first data being set to store a first number of registers for storing deserializer units of the first product series, the second data being set to store a second number of registers, different from the first number, for storing deserializer units of a second product series, in order to cause the desired technically corresponding characteristics of the serializer units of the second product series.

[0015] The configuration unit simulates for the deserializer unit the presence of a serializer unit of a first product series in the module, and sets the deserializer unit for the automated register configuration of the serializer unit of the first product series. For this purpose, it is important that the register addresses of the serializer unit of the second product series actually installed in the module are different from the register addresses that the deserializer unit is set to access for register configuration. The deserializer unit is set to store configuration data in the module at a register address set of registers that are set for the serializer unit of the first product series from the perspective of the deserializer unit. In the module according to the invention, this set of register addresses indicates a register set of a storage medium, for example a configuration unit, and the configuration unit is set to read configuration data from the storage medium.

[0016] The module according to the invention can be programmed without replacing the serializer unit of the second product line in order to be compatible with a plurality of deserializer units of different product lines. It is sufficient to program a new mapping matched to a certain deserializer unit when necessary and store it on the configuration unit, which is far less expensive than programming a new serializer circuit board. In addition, the mapping programmed once can be reused as often as desired.

[0017] Which options are provided for configuring the technical characteristics of the serializer units of a given product line by means of register configuration depends on the requirements of the market and is in principle limited only by technical feasibility. Therefore, it is almost impossible to give generally valid technical guidance for designing the mapping. The specific design of the mapping depends on the product line of the serializer units and deserializer units and the requirements of the customer, but in principle depends on human intellectual activity that is competently performed by a person skilled in the art.

[0018] The module may comprise an interface by means of which new mappings can be stored on the data storage device as required. Alternatively, a plurality of mappings alternatively readable by the configuration unit may also be stored on the data storage device in order to make the module compatible with a plurality of deserializer units of different product lines at the same time. In the embodiment described, there is therefore a first mapping on the data storage device from the register addresses of the serializer units of the first product line to the register addresses of the serializer units of the second product line, and at least one second mapping is additionally stored on the data storage device from the register addresses of the serializer units of the third product line to the register addresses of the serializer units of the second product line.

[0019] The invention also relates to a computer system, comprising a module according to the invention and a receiving module, the receiving module having a configuration data output and a deserializer unit arranged to obtain a data stream. The receiving module is arranged to output configuration data via the configuration data output to configure the serializer unit. A configuration data connection is connected across the configuration data output and the configuration data input, the configuration data connection being arranged, for example, as an I 2 C bus, SPI bus or UART bus. A first channel can be provided for the data flow, that is, for the transmission of useful data, and a separate second channel can be provided for the configuration data connection. It is not important here whether separate physical lines are provided for the first channel and the second channel, respectively, or whether the first channel and the second channel are logical channels, the data transmission of which extends via a common physical line.

[0020] The receiving module can be configured to read status data from a register of the serializer unit by means of a configuration data connection during operation after the configuration process has ended. In this case, it is advantageous if read accesses of the deserializer to register addresses are also taken into account in the mapping and the configuration unit is configured to provide the status data to the deserializer unit by means of the configuration data connection. Advantageously, the configuration unit is designed to read status data requested by the deserializer unit from a register of a serializer unit of the second product line and to provide it to the register address to which the deserializer unit has read access in order to query the status data. Particularly advantageously, the configuration device is configured to reformat or scale at least one status data for the deserializer unit before storage by means of the mapping. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of the drawings. The drawings are highly schematic and do not allow conclusions to be drawn about the size ratios or geometric dimensions of the elements shown. The elements shown and their effective connection to one another are selected according to their relevance to the technical solution of the invention, which does not exclude the presence of further, not shown, elements in the device according to some embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 A driver assistance system known from the prior art having an imaging sensor is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A development system known from the prior art for a driver assistance system is shown, which has a module for generating simulated sensor raw data; and

[0024] Figure 3 A development system designed according to the invention for such a driver assistance system is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] exist Figure 1The driver assistance system shown in the diagram of comprises a camera as a module M, which comprises a lens L and a camera sensor SN as a functional unit, which converts an image projected by the lens L into a data stream consisting of digital image data and transmits the digital image data via a first internal data connection D1 to a serializer unit S1 installed in the module M and belonging to a first product series, which is configured to serialize the data stream and output it via a data output DO of the module M. In addition, the driver assistance system comprises a receiving module RM with a deserializer unit DS, which is configured to acquire and deserialize the data stream from a data input DI of the receiving module and transmit the data stream via a second internal data connection D2 to a processing unit C configured to process the data stream. The processing unit C can include a plurality of components, such as a unit for preprocessing the image data transmitted via the data stream, a microprocessor, a RAM memory block or a bus adapter for transmitting data to a vehicle bus, such as CAN, FlexRay or Ethernet. The receiving module RM may also include an interface for connecting the receiving module RM to a control unit, which interface is provided for intervening in vehicle operation based on data provided by the receiving module RM.

[0026] Between the data output DO and the data input DI there is a data connection CH1 which is provided for transmitting a data stream from the serializer unit S1 to the deserializer unit DS.

[0027] The module M comprises a configuration data input CI for acquiring configuration data, which is designed as an interface for an I²C-bus in the module M, by means of which the receiving module RM can access the configuration registers of the serializer unit S1. In this case, a specific address is assigned to each configuration register. According to the I²C standard, each register address comprises a device address. For example, the serializer unit is located at device address 20. In addition, each register address comprises a sub-address, by means of which the individual registers can be addressed within the serializer unit S1. The receiving module RM comprises a configuration data output CO, and a configuration data connection CH2 is connected between the configuration data output CO and the configuration data input CI.

[0028] The processing unit C is configured to store configuration data defining the register configuration of the serializer unit S1 in the module M before the start of the data stream transmission via the configuration data output CO. This is done in that the processing unit C accesses register addresses of the I²C-bus by means of the configuration data connection in order to store data in the registers according to the desired register configuration. The processing unit C can also read-access the registers of the serializer unit S1 by means of the configuration data connection CH2 during ongoing operation, i.e. after the start of the data stream transmission, in order to read status data, such as the temperature or fault information of the deserializer unit S1, from these registers.

[0029] The module M and the receiving module RM form a unified computer system as a whole using the data connections CH1, CH2 provided between the two modules. This means that the module M and the receiving module RM are configured to operate together, as described above. Therefore, when designing the receiving module RM, it is known to which product series the serializer unit S1 belongs and at which addresses its individual registers can be accessed. Accordingly, a deserializer unit DS provided for operating together with the serializer unit S1 is installed in the receiving module, and the processing unit C is configured to configure the serializer unit S1 provided for the module M in a desired manner using the specified register addressing.

[0030] exist Figure 2 In the diagram, the receiving module RM and Figure 1 , but the module M is replaced by a development system according to the prior art, which is configured to safely test the receiving module RM to generate a data stream of simulated sensor raw data. This development system is used in a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation device to provide a virtual test environment for an advanced driver assistance system. Figure 1 The difference.

[0031] The functional unit in the module M is the simulator unit E. The latter comprises, for example, a graphics processor (GPU), which renders images based on a virtual test environment simulated on a simulation computer (not shown), and in this case, for example, simulates a lens L, and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), which in this case generates a data stream from the image data in a realistic manner, as it would be generated by the camera sensor SN, and transmits it to the serializer unit S2 via a first internal data connection D1.

[0032] Therefore, the task of the module M is to simulate, for the receiving module RM, Figure 1 . Because the receiving module RM, as described above, expects the serializer unit S1 of the first product series to be at the device address 20 in the module M, the corresponding serializer unit package is held at the corresponding device address in the module M. Therefore, in the prior art, a serializer circuit board according to customer requirements is installed in a single module M for each customer.

[0033] Figure 3 The diagram of FIG. 1 shows a computer system having a module M provided according to the invention. Only the differences with respect to the preceding figures will be explained below.

[0034] Module M is similar to Figure 2 , but the serializer unit S2 installed in the module belongs to a second product series, which is not set up for operation with the deserializer unit DS, and the module M includes a configuration unit CN, which is configured to read configuration data from the configuration data input CI. The device address of the configuration unit CN is the address that is actually set for the serializer unit S1 of the first product series from the perspective of the processing unit C, in the following case, that is, the I²C device address 20. The serializer unit S2 of the second product series that is actually installed in the module M is associated with a further device address, for example, the I²C device address 24. Therefore, all accesses to register addresses by the processing unit C therefore access subaddresses of the configuration unit CN, for example, registers of the configuration unit CN. By assigning different device addresses to the configuration unit CN and the serializer unit S2 of the second product series, double assignment of register addresses is excluded. The receiving module RM accesses a first register address group that only includes subaddresses of the configuration unit, and the subaddresses of the serializer unit S2 of the second product series form a second group of register addresses, which the configuration unit CN, but not the receiving module RM, is set up to access.

[0035] A first register configuration of a serializer unit S1 of a first product series is defined by a processing unit C by means of register access to stored configuration data. A first mapping from register addresses of the serializer unit S1 of the first product series to register addresses of the serializer unit S2 of a second product series is stored in a data memory MEM of a module M. The mapping is information with the aid of which the configuration unit CN is configured to convert or rewrite the first register configuration into a second register configuration that is usable on the serializer unit S2 of the second product series but is technically based on the first register configuration. With the aid of the second register configuration, the serializer unit S2 of the second product series can be configured in such a way that it behaves in operation like the serializer unit S1 of the first product series that is configured based on the first register configuration. Furthermore, the configuration unit CN is configured to access the register address of the serializer unit S2 of the second product series by means of a third internal data connection D3 integrated in the I²C bus and to configure the serializer unit S2 of the second product series based on the second register configuration.

[0036] If the processing unit C is configured to read status data from a serializer unit of a first product line during ongoing operation, the configuration unit CN also provides matching status data at register addresses, which the processing unit C accesses to read the status data. In this case, the configuration unit CN uses the information stored in the mapping to read the status data from the registers of the serializer unit S2 of the second product line, reorganize or reformat or scale them if necessary, and store them at the register addresses that are correct for the processing unit C.

[0037] In this way, the configuration unit simulates for the processing unit C, or more generally for the receiving module RM, that a serializer unit S1 of a first product family is present at the set device address, which is set for the receiving module RM. Thus, the module M can be set up for operation with deserializer units DS of different product families by simply storing a matching mapping on the memory module MEM, as long as the serializer unit S2 of the second product family and the corresponding deserializer unit DS are compatible with respect to the transmission of the data stream on the data connection CH1.

[0038] The module M is also designed to simulate the functions of other imaging sensors, if necessary, i.e., to generate a data stream from simulated radar image data, for example. Apart from this, it is not necessary according to the invention to design the module for simulating imaging sensors. The invention can also be used in systems for presenting acquired raw sensor data ("data reproduction") or in real imaging systems, for example, in Figure 1 The camera system is shown.

Claims

1. A module (M), comprising: Functional units for generating data streams (SN, E); a data output terminal (DO) for outputting a data stream to a deserializer unit (DS) in a peripheral device of the module, the deserializer unit being arranged to obtain a data stream from a serializer unit (S1) of a first product series; a second product series serializer unit (S2), the second product series serializer unit comprising a register for configuring the second product series serializer unit (S2), and the second product series serializer unit is configured to serialize the data stream and output the data stream through the data output terminal (DO); and a configuration data input (CI), the configuration data input being used to obtain configuration data defining a first register configuration of the serializer unit; Characterized in that a data storage (MEM) is provided, in which a first mapping from register addresses of serializer units (S1) of a first product series to register addresses of serializer units (S2) of a second product series is stored or can be stored; and a configuration unit (CN) configured to read configuration data from a configuration data input (CI), a first register configuration defined by the configuration data being converted by means of the mapping into a technically corresponding second register configuration, by means of which a serializer unit (S2) of a second product series can be configured in such a way that the serializer unit (S2) of the second product series behaves in operation like a serializer unit (S1) of the first product series configured according to the first register configuration, and configuring registers of a serializer unit (S2) of a second product family according to a second register configuration.

2. The module (M) according to claim 1, wherein: The functional units (SN, E) of the module are configured to generate a data stream of sensor raw data.

3. The module (M) according to claim 1, wherein: The functional units (SN, E) of the module are configured to generate a data stream of simulated sensor raw data for a simulated sensor or a data stream of sensor raw data for an acquired content representation.

4. The module (M) according to claim 1, wherein The module comprises an interface for storing a mapping on the data storage (MEM).

5. The module (M) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: A first mapping from a register address of a serializer unit (S1) of a first product series to a register address of a serializer unit (S2) of a second product series is stored in a data storage (MEM) of the module, And at least one second mapping from the register address of the serializer unit of the third product series to the register address of the serializer unit (S2) of the second product series is stored in the data storage (MEM) of the module.

6. The module (M) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The mapping of the module includes at least one mapping rule, and the mapping rule belongs to one of the following types of mapping rules: - reformatting or scaling data to be stored in at least one register of a serializer unit (S1) of a first product family; - mapping first data to second data, the first data being set to registers for storing a first number of serializer units (S1) of a first product series, and the second data being set to registers for storing a second number of serializer units (S2) of a second product series.

7. A computer system, comprising: A module (M) according to any one of claims 1 to 6; a receiving module (RM), the receiving module having a deserializer unit (DS) configured to obtain a data stream and a configuration data output terminal (CO), the receiving module being configured to output configuration data via the configuration data output terminal (CO) in order to configure the serializer unit; and A configuration data connection is bridged between the configuration data output (CO) and the configuration data input (CI).

8. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein: A first channel (CH1) is provided for transmitting a data stream and a second channel (CH2) is provided for configuring a data connection.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein: The configuration data connection of the computer system is set to an I²C bus, an SPI bus or a UART bus.

10. The computer system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein: The receiving module (RM) of the computer system is arranged to store configuration data in the module (M) at a register address group of registers of a serializer unit (S1) arranged for a first product family, And the configuration unit (CN) of the computer system is configured to read the configuration data stored in the register address group.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein: The register address group references a register or a data input terminal of a configuration unit (CN).

12. The computer system according to claim 7 , wherein the receiving module (RM) of the computer system is configured to read status data of the serializer unit (S2) of the second product series by means of the configuration data connection after the configuration of the serializer unit (S2) of the second product series has been completed; The mapping of the computer system includes at least one mapping rule for reformatting or scaling state data; and The configuration unit (CN) of the computer system is configured to read status data from a serializer unit (S2) of a second product family, scale or reformat at least one status data by means of the mapping, and provide the status data to a receiving module (RM) by means of a configuration data connection.

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