In-vehicle Telematics Box (T-BOX) System

Abstract

An embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle-mounted telematics processor T-BOX system, which includes: an application processor AP and three modems. PCIe interfaces are respectively provided on the AP processor and the three modems, and the AP processor is connected to each modem through the PCIe interface. In the embodiment of the present application, the network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle information entertainment domain and the intelligent driving domain is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of automobiles, and particularly relates to a vehicle-mounted telematics processor T-BOX system. Background Art

[0002] A vehicle-mounted telematics processor (Telematics BOX, T-BOX) system is a communication system that enables a vehicle to connect to an external network. Existing vehicle-mounted T-BOX systems generally adopt an architecture of a single modem and an application processor (AP). Based on this architecture, the existing vehicle-mounted T-BOX systems can only access one operator, resulting in a relatively low network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle's infotainment domain and intelligent driving domain. Summary of the Invention

[0003] An embodiment of this application provides a vehicle-mounted telematics processor T-BOX system, which improves the network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle's infotainment domain and intelligent driving domain.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a vehicle-mounted telematics processor T-BOX system, which includes: an application processor AP and three modems Modem. PCIe interfaces are respectively provided on the AP processor and the three Modems, and the AP processor is connected to each Modem through the PCIe interface.

[0005] In an optional implementation manner of the first aspect, the AP processor includes a first SerDes chip and a second SerDes chip. The first SerDes chip is connected to a target Modem through the PCIe interface, and the second SerDes chip is respectively connected to the Modems other than the target Modem among the three Modems through the PCIe interface. The target Modem is any one or two of the three Modems.

[0006] In an optional implementation manner of the first aspect, the target Modem is any one of the three Modems, and the first SerDes chip is connected to one Modem through the PCIe interface.

[0007] The first SerDes chip includes a group of pins for forming a PCIe interface to connect to a Modem.

[0008] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, a set of pins includes a plurality of first pins and a plurality of second pins corresponding to the plurality of first pins respectively. The first pins include pins from SD2_RX0_P to SD2_RX1_N, and the plurality of second pins include pins from SD2_TX0_P to SD2_TX1_N.

[0009] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, the target Modem is any two of the three Modems, and the first SerDes chip is connected to the two Modems through a PCIe interface.

[0010] The first SerDes chip includes two sets of pins for respectively forming two PCIe interfaces to connect to the two Modems.

[0011] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, each set of pins includes a plurality of first pins and a plurality of second pins corresponding to the plurality of first pins respectively. One set of pins includes pins from SD3_RX0_P to SD3_RX1_N, and SD3_TX0_P to SD3_TX1_N corresponding to the pins from SD3_RX0_P to SD3_RX1_N respectively. Another set of pins includes pins from SD3_RX4_P to SD3_RX5_N, and SD3_TX4_P to SD3_TX5_N corresponding to the pins from SD3_RX4_P to SD3_RX5_N respectively.

[0012] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, both the first SerDes chip and the second SerDes chip are docked in accordance with two pairs of TX_P / M and RX_P / M.

[0013] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, the first SerDes chip and the second SerDes chip respectively include 8 data channels.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, each Modem includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card to connect to the network according to the SIM card.

[0015] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, each Modem further includes a first pin and three second pins, and both the first pin and the second pins are connected to a Fakra connector.

[0016] In the embodiments of the present application, since the in-vehicle T-BOX system may include an application processor AP and three modems Modem, and the above-mentioned AP processor and the three Modems are respectively provided with PCIe interfaces, the AP processor and each Modem can be connected through the PCIe interface. Since each Modem can access the network of one operator and can share the external mobile network into the vehicle through the connection with the AP processor, the network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle infotainment domain and the intelligent driving domain is improved. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required to be used in the embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an in-vehicle telematics box T-BOX system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 2 is a schematic hardware structure diagram of a SerDes chip provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 3 is a schematic hardware structure diagram of another SerDes chip provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of another in-vehicle telematics box T-BOX system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of the software routing of a T-BOX system provided by an embodiment of the present application. Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0023] The features and exemplary embodiments of each aspect of the present application will be described in detail below. To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer and more understandable, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain the present application, rather than to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is only intended to provide a better understanding of the present application by showing examples of the present application.

[0024] It should be noted that in this text, relational terms such as first and second are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprising", "including" or any other variant thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article or device comprising a series of elements not only includes those elements but also includes other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article or device comprising the element.

[0025] The term "and / or" in this text is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone.

[0026] The in-vehicle telematics processor (Telematics BOX, T-BOX) system is a communication system that enables a vehicle to connect to an external network. Existing in-vehicle T-BOX systems generally adopt an architecture with a single modem and an application processor (AP). Since the communication connection between the modem and the AP processor uses USB3.0, and the USB3.0 interface of the AP processor is limited, the AP processor in the prior art can only be connected to one modem. Moreover, since a modem in real life can only support single-SIM single-standby or dual-SIM single-standby, one modem can only access the network of one operator. As a result, the existing in-vehicle T-BOX system can only access one operator, leading to a relatively low network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle's infotainment domain and intelligent driving domain.

[0027] In summary, to avoid the problem of relatively low network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle's infotainment domain and intelligent driving domain in the prior art, the embodiments of the present application provide an in-vehicle T-BOX system. Since the in-vehicle T-BOX system can include an application processor AP and three modems, and PCIe interfaces are respectively provided on the above-mentioned AP processor and the three modems, the AP processor can be connected to each modem through the PCIe interface. Since each modem can access the network of one operator and can share the external mobile network into the vehicle through the connection with the AP processor, the network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle's infotainment domain and intelligent driving domain is improved.

[0028] The on-vehicle telematics box (T-BOX) system provided by the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings through specific embodiments.

[0029] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the on-vehicle T-BOX system provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0030] As Figure 1 shown, the on-vehicle T-BOX system may include an AP processor 10 and three Modems, namely Modem21, Modem22, and Modem23. PCIe interfaces are respectively provided on the AP processor 10 and Modem21, Modem22, and Modem23. Since three PCIe interfaces can be provided on the AP processor 10, the AP processor 10 is respectively connected to the three Modems, namely Modem21, Modem22, and Modem23, through the PCIe interfaces.

[0031] In some embodiments, the Modem involved above may include a fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G) Modem. Based on this, since the uplink and downlink data of the fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G) network itself have the characteristics of high bandwidth and low latency, when the Modem can include a 5G Modem, the on-vehicle T-BOX system involved above can respectively access the 5G networks of three operators through the three 5G Modems it includes, and thus can better improve the network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle infotainment domain and the intelligent driving domain.

[0032] It should also be noted that since the uplink and downlink data of the 5G network itself have the characteristics of high bandwidth and low latency. Therefore, in order to better improve the network bandwidth, the AP processor included in the on-vehicle T-BOX system provided by the embodiments of the present application is connected to the three Modems through a high-speed communication interface, namely the PCIe interface.

[0033] Based on this, it is necessary to calculate the theoretical value of the PCIe interface rate to evaluate whether the requirements of the 5G network are met when the high-speed communication interface is a PCIe interface. Specifically, according to the maximum downlink rate of 5G being 2.4 Gbps and the maximum uplink rate being 550 Mbps, the interface communication rate between the Modem and the AP processor must be at least higher than this rate to enable high-speed routing and forwarding. According to the hardware selection, the AP processor and the Modem can support up to PCIe 3.0 (8 GT / s), and in addition, the channel can support x2. Then, the maximum rate of the PCIe interface can be calculated as the PCIe gen3 x2 transmission rate of 8 GT / s x 2 = 8000 MT / s x 2 = (8000 / 130) x (128 / 8) MB / s x 2 ≈ 2 GB / s

[0034] As can be seen from the above, according to the theoretical calculation results, the PCIe communication rate is much greater than the uplink and downlink rates of the 5G network, so it can meet the maximum forwarding function of the 5G network.

[0035] In the embodiment of the present application, since the in-vehicle T-BOX system may include an application processor AP and three modems Modem, and the above-mentioned AP processor and three Modems are respectively provided with PCIe interfaces, the AP processor and each Modem can be connected through the PCIe interface. Since each Modem can access the network of an operator and can share the external mobile network into the vehicle through the connection with the AP processor, the network bandwidth provided by the external mobile network for the vehicle infotainment domain and the intelligent driving domain is improved.

[0036] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned AP processor may include a first SerDes chip and a second SerDes chip. The first SerDes chip is connected to the target Modem through the PCIe interface, and the second SerDes chip is respectively connected to the Modems other than the target Modem among the three Modems through the PCIe interface. The target Modem can be any one or two of the three Modems.

[0037] Specifically, since the AP processor can be connected to the three Modems through the PCIe interface, and the AP processor can include two SerDes chips, namely the first SerDes chip and the second SerDes chip. Based on this, the first SerDes chip can be connected to any one or two of the three Modems through the PCIe interface, and the second SerDes chip can be connected to the remaining Modems that are not connected to the AP processor among the three Modems through the PCIe interface.

[0038] In this embodiment, since the AP processor needs to be connected to three Modems, two SerDes chips can be integrated in the AP processor to ensure that the AP processor can have a high-speed communication interface with a number greater than the number of Modems, that is, a PCIe interface. Thus, based on actual needs, for example, based on the number of networks to be accessed or the number of Modems, the number of SerDes chips included in the AP processor can be reasonably set.

[0039] To describe the structure of the SerDes chip provided in the embodiments of the present application in more detail, in some embodiments, when the target Modem is any one of the three Modems, the first SerDes chip can be connected to one Modem through the PCIe interface. Correspondingly, the second SerDes chip can be connected to two Modems through the PCIe interface.

[0040] Based on this, taking the first SerDes chip as an example for illustration, the first SerDes chip can include a set of pins, and this set of pins is used to form a PCIe interface to connect to the first Modem.

[0041] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned set of pins can include a plurality of first pins and a plurality of second pins respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pins. It should be noted that the above-mentioned plurality of first pins can be the input ends of the first SerDes chip. Correspondingly, the above-mentioned plurality of second pins can be the output ends of the first SerDes chip.

[0042] In one example, it can be as Figure 2 shown that the above-mentioned plurality of first pins can include pins from SD2_RX0_P to SD2_RX1_N, that is: SD2_RX0_P, SD2_RX0_N, SD2_RX1_P, SD2_RX1_N. Correspondingly, the above-mentioned plurality of second pins include pins from SD2_TX0_P to SD2_TX1_N, that is, SD2_TX0_P, SD2_TX0_N, SD2_TX1_P, SD2_TX1_N.

[0043] In addition, continuing as Figure 2As shown, the first SerDes chip also includes pins such as SD2_RX2_P, SD2_RX2_N, SD2_RX3_P, and SD3_RX1_N that are grounded through R1, R2, R3, and R4 respectively. SD2_RX5_P, SD2_RX5_N, SD2_RX6_P, SD2_RX6_N, SD2_RX7_P, and SD2_RX7_N are grounded through R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and R10 respectively. The SD2_PLLF_REF_CLK_P pin can be connected to CLK_SD2_F_P respectively and grounded through R11. The SD2_PLLF_REF_CLK_N pin can be connected to CLK_SD2_F_N and grounded through R12. SD2_PLLS_REF_CLK_P can be connected to CLK_SD2_S_P and grounded through R13. SD2_PLLS_REF_CLK_N can be connected to CLK_SD2_S_N and grounded through R14. SD2_IMP_CLK_RX can be connected to SD_SVDD_FLT through R15. SD2_IMP_CLK_TX can be connected to SD_OVDD_FLT through R16. It should also be noted that Figure 2 The resistors R1 to R16 involved can select appropriate models and sizes based on actual situations. For example, among them, the 10 resistors R1 to R10 can select resistors with a resistance value of 10KΩ and an accuracy of 5%, and the model is 0402. The 4 resistors R11 to R14 can select resistors with a resistance value of 49.9R and an accuracy of 1%, and the model is 0402. R15 can be a resistor with a resistance value of 200R and an accuracy of 1%, and the model is 0402. R16 can be a capacitor with a capacitance of 1.5KΩ and an accuracy of 1%, and the model is 0402. The capacitors C1 to C6 can select appropriate signals and sizes based on actual situations. For example, the capacitors C1 to C6 can be selected with a size of 100nF and 16V.

[0044] In some other embodiments, when the target Modem involved above is any two of the three Modems, the first SerDes chip can be connected to two Modems through the PCIe interface. Correspondingly, the second SerDes chip can be connected to one Modem through the PCIe interface.

[0045] Based on this, taking the first SerDes chip as an example for illustration, the first SerDes chip involved above can include two groups of pins, and these two groups of pins are respectively used to form two PCIe interfaces to connect to two Modems.

[0046] In some embodiments, each group of pins in the two groups of pins involved above can include multiple first pins and multiple second pins respectively corresponding to the multiple first pins.

[0047] In one example, as Figure 3 shown, one set of pins among the two sets of pins involved above may include pins from SD3_RX0_P to SD3_RX1_N, namely SD3_RX0_P, SD3_RX0_N, SD3_RX1_P, SD3_RX1_N. And the SD3_TX0_P to SD3_TX1_N pins respectively corresponding to the SD3_RX0_P to SD3_RX1_N pins, namely SD3_TX0_P, SD3_TX0_N, SD3_TX1_P, SD3_TX1_N.

[0048] The other set of pins may include pins from SD3_RX4_P to SD3_RX5_N, namely SD3_RX4_P, SD3_RX4_N, SD3_RX5_P, SD3_RX5_N. And the SD3_TX4_P to SD3_TX5_N pins respectively corresponding to the SD3_RX4_P to SD3_RX5_N pins, namely SD3_TX4_P, SD3_TX4_N, SD3_TX5_P, SD3_TX5_N.

[0049] In addition, continuing as Figure 3 shown, the first SerDes chip further includes that pins such as SD3_RX2_P, SD3_RX2_N, SD3_RX3_P, SD3_RX1_N are respectively grounded through R17, R18, R19, and R20, SD3_RX6_P, SD3_RX6_N, SD3_RX7_P, SD3_RX7_N are respectively grounded through R21, R22, R23, and R24, SD3_PLLF_REF_CLK_P can be connected to CLK_SD3_F_P and grounded through R25, SD3_PLLF_REF_CLK_N can be connected to CLK_SD3_F_N and grounded through R26, SD3_PLLS_REF_CLK_P can be connected to CLK_SD3_S_P and grounded through R27, SD3_PLLS_REF_CLK_N can be connected to CLK_SD3_S_N and grounded through R28, SD3_IMP_CLK_P can be connected to SD3_SVDD_FLT through R29, and SD3_IMP_CLK_N can be connected to SD3_OVDD_FLT through R30. It should also be noted that Figure 3The resistors R17 to R30 involved can select resistors of appropriate models and sizes based on actual situations. For example, among them, the 10 resistors from R17 to R24 can select resistors with a resistance value of 10KΩ, a precision of 5%, and a model number of 0402. The 4 resistors from R25 to R28 can select resistors with a resistance value of 49.9R, a precision of 1%, and a model number of 0402. R29 can be a resistor with a resistance of 200R, a precision of 1%, and a model number of 0402. R30 can be a capacitor of 1.5KΩ, a precision of 1%, and a model number of 0402. The capacitors C7 to C14 can be capacitors of appropriate signals and sizes selected based on actual situations. For example, the capacitors C7 to C14 can be selected as capacitors with a size of 100nF and 16V.

[0050] It should also be noted that in the case where the second SerDes chip can be connected to a Modem, the hardware connection method of this second SerDes chip is similar to that of the first SerDes chip shown above Figure 2 In the case where the second SerDes chip can be connected to two Modems, the hardware connection method of this second SerDes chip is similar to that of the first SerDes chip shown above Figure 3 and will not be elaborated here. In addition, it should be noted that the SerDes chips involved above use dual-channel differential lines for docking, and the traces of the pins used to form the PCIe interface can be 100ohm and the length is less than 300mm, which is not specifically limited here.

[0051] Combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 , it should be noted that in some embodiments, the first SerDes chip and the second SerDes chip involved above are both docked according to two pairs of TX_P / M and RX_P / M.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first SerDes chip and the second SerDes chip involved above respectively include 8 data channels.

[0053] It should be noted that each SerDes chip can include 8 data channels, and the chip can support the x2 channel. Therefore, the hardware wiring method can be docked according to two pairs of TX_P / M and RX_P / M, and the rate of PCIe gen3 x2 can be achieved. In this way, the communication interfaces between the AP processor and the Modem both meet the bandwidth rate requirements.

[0054] In addition, to more accurately and detailedly describe the T-BOX system provided by the embodiments of the present application, in some embodiments, each of the above-mentioned Modems may include a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to connect to the network according to the SIM card.

[0055] In one example, as Figure 4 shown, the AP processor includes three PCIe interfaces. The AP processor is respectively connected to three Modems, namely Modem1, Modem2, and Modem3, through these three PCIe interfaces, and an SIM card is provided in each of the three Modems, that is, Figure 4 the eSIM in

[0056] It should be noted that the above-mentioned Modems can be used to modulate and demodulate wireless signals to connect to the base station networks of various operators. Based on this, by inserting a separate operator SIM card in each of the three Modems, it is possible to access the networks of three operators while the three Modems are working simultaneously.

[0057] Based on this, the above-mentioned AP processor can be used for routing data management and forwarding functions, so that the external mobile network can be shared inside the vehicle. And based on the connection between each Modem and the AP processor, the Modem can transmit the debugged and demodulated network data to the AP processor, so that the AP processor can process the network data subsequently.

[0058] In some embodiments, each of the above-mentioned Modems may further include a first pin and three second pins, and both the first pin and the second pins are connected to a Fakra connector.

[0059] In one example, continuing as Figure 4 shown, taking Modem1 as an example, Modem1 may include a first pin, that is, RF5G main, and three second pins, that is, RF5G aux. And both the first pin and the second pins are connected to the Fakra connector.

[0060] In addition, it should also be noted that both the above-mentioned Modem and the AP processor include an embedded Linux system, and the embedded Linux system includes a connection manager, that is, both the Modem and the AP processor include a connection manager, specifically as Figure 5As shown. The connection manager can be used to manage the Internet connection in a device running the Linux system and includes an IP routing and forwarding function. Specifically, after the PCIe interface link between the AP and the Modem is up, a PCIe network card is virtualized at the AP end. At this time, the Transmission Control Protocol and the Internet Protocol (TCP / IP) upper-layer protocols can be run on the basis of the network card driver. In this way, the TCP / IP protocol stack can be called to send and receive some status data between modules, and at the same time, the IP routing and forwarding function is also supported. After the corresponding routing and forwarding path is configured in ConnMand, the data forwarding and network sharing of the entire link from the mobile 5G network → Modem → PCIe → AP → Ethernet → in-vehicle entertainment system are realized. In addition, it should also be noted that Figure 5 is the software routing of the T-BOX system provided by the embodiment of the present application. Among them, OpenCPU is an application mode with the module as the main processor.

[0061] It should also be noted that in the exemplary embodiments mentioned in the present invention, some systems are described based on a series of steps or devices. However, the present invention is not limited to the order of the above steps. That is to say, the steps can be executed in the order mentioned in the embodiments, or different from the order in the embodiments, or several steps can be executed simultaneously.

[0062] The above is only the specific implementation manner of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, the specific working processes of the above-described systems, modules, and units can refer to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments and will not be repeated here. It should be understood that the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention can easily think of various equivalent modifications or substitutions, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted telematics processor T-BOX system, characterized in that, The system includes: an application processor AP and three modems Modem. PCIe interfaces are respectively provided on the AP processor and the three Modems, and the AP processor is connected to each Modem through the PCIe interface; The AP processor includes a first SerDes chip and a second SerDes chip. The first SerDes chip is connected to the target Modem through the PCIe interface, and the second SerDes chip is connected to the Modems other than the target Modem among the three Modems through the PCIe interface. The target Modem is any one or two Modems among the three Modems.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein The target Modem is any one Modem among the three Modems, and the first SerDes chip is connected to one Modem through the PCIe interface. The first SerDes chip includes a group of pins for forming a PCIe interface to connect to a Modem.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein The group of pins includes a plurality of first pins and a plurality of second pins respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pins. The first pins include SD2_RX0_P pin to SD2_RX1_N pin, and the plurality of second pins include SD2_TX0_P pin to SD2_TX1_N pin.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein The target Modem is any two Modems among the three Modems, and the first SerDes chip is connected to two Modems through the PCIe interface. The first SerDes chip includes two groups of pins for respectively forming two PCIe interfaces to connect to two Modems.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein Each group of the pins includes a plurality of first pins and a plurality of second pins respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pins. One group of pins includes SD3_RX0_P pin to SD3_RX1_N pin, and SD3_TX0_P pin to SD3_TX1_N pin respectively corresponding to the SD3_RX0_P pin to SD3_RX1_N pin. The other group of pins includes SD3_RX4_P pin to SD3_RX5_N pin, and SD3_TX4_P pin to SD3_TX5_N pin respectively corresponding to the SD3_RX4_P pin to SD3_RX5_N pin.

6. The system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that Both the first SerDes chip and the second SerDes chip are docked according to two pairs of TX_P / M and RX_P / M.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein The first SerDes chip and the second SerDes chip respectively include 8 data channels.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein Each Modem includes a subscriber identity module SIM card to connect to the network according to the SIM card.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein Each Modem further includes a first pin and three second pins, and both the first pin and the second pins are connected to a Fakra connector.

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