Time frequency division device and method and electronic equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a time frequency division device and method and electronic equipment. The time frequency division device comprises the following hardware modules: an application processor AP module, a protocol stack processing unit PSU module and a time latch module. The time latch module receives the pps signal from the GNSS component, sends the pps signal to the AP module, and latches first time information of receiving the pps signal; the AP module receives UTC time from the GNSS assembly, records second time information for receiving the pps signal, and performs time frequency division based on the pps signal and the UTC time to obtain a time frequency division signal; and the PSU module obtains the first time information, and sends a message to the outside based on the time frequency division signal after determining that the time frequency division signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information. According to the scheme of the embodiment, time frequency division is carried out based on a software program, subsequent service iteration updating and multiplexing are facilitated, the application range of the scheme is expanded through software and hardware decoupling, the system reliability is improved, and the cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of core networks, and particularly to a time division device, method, and electronic device. Background Art

[0002] The CV2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) function needs to support the transmission and reception of 4 types of basic messages defined by national standards. Among them, the transmission frequency of the BSM (basic safe message) message is 10HZ (hertz), that is, one packet is sent every 100 milliseconds. Currently, the timing of chips and terminals that support the CV2X function is all carried out through GNSS. Because the BSM message needs to be sent at 10HZ, the corresponding GNSS timing data also needs to be reported at 10HZ. Currently, all solutions in the industry that meet this requirement need to be equipped with high-refresh-rate GNSS chips / modules, which have the disadvantages of high hardware cost and low system reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a time division device, method, and electronic device.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a time division device, including the following hardware modules: an application processor AP module, a protocol stack processing unit PSU module, and a time latch module;

[0005] The time latch module is configured to receive a pulse per second pps signal from a global navigation satellite system GNSS component based on a software module in the time latch module, latch first time information of receiving the pps signal, and send the pps signal to the AP module;

[0006] The AP module is configured to receive a coordinated universal time UTC time from the GNSS component based on a software module in the AP module, and receive the pps signal sent by the time latch module, and record second time information of receiving the pps signal; perform time division based on the pps signal and the UTC time to obtain a time division signal; send the time division signal and the second time information to the PSU module; the time division signal is a time signal that meets a preset communication frequency;

[0007] The PSU module is configured to send the synchronization request to the time latch module after receiving the time division signal and the second time information based on the software module in the PSU module, obtain the first time information, determine whether the time division signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, and send a message externally based on the time division signal when it is determined that the time division signal is valid.

[0008] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a time division method, which may include:

[0009] The software module in the time latch module receives the pulse per second signal from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) component, latches the first time information when receiving the pps signal, and sends the pps signal to the software module in the application processor (AP) module;

[0010] The software module in the AP module receives the coordinated universal time (UTC) from the GNSS component, and receives the pps signal sent by the time latch module, records the second time information when receiving the pps signal; performs time division based on the pps signal and the UTC time to obtain a time division signal; sends the time division signal and the second time information to the software module in the protocol stack processing unit (PSU) module; the time division signal is a time signal that meets a preset communication frequency;

[0011] The software module in the PSU module sends a synchronization request to the time latch module after receiving the time division signal and the second time information, obtains the first time information, determines whether the time division signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, and sends a message externally based on the time division signal when it is determined that the time division signal is valid.

[0012] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an electronic device, including: the time division device described above.

[0013] The embodiment of the present disclosure realizes the time division of UTC time by combining hardware modules and its own software program, obtains a time signal that meets the requirements of the preset communication frequency, and the time division scheme based on the software program is convenient for subsequent service iteration, update and reuse; and the decoupling method of software and hardware enables the overall solution to work properly regardless of which GNSS chip is selected, greatly expanding the application range of the solution and improving the system reliability; in addition, a high-frequency time signal that meets the requirements of the preset communication frequency is divided from the low-frequency pps signal and UTC time obtained from the GNSS component, so that the terminal does not need to select a GNSS chip with a high refresh rate, greatly reducing the cost of the overall solution. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] In the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure:

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the auxiliary / automatic driving scenario solution provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 2 It is a first schematic structural diagram of the time division device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 3 It is a second schematic structural diagram of the time division device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the time division software component provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 5 It is a flowchart of the time division embodiment provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the time division embodiment provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 7 It is a flowchart of the time division method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 8 It is a block diagram of the electronic device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the communication perception data processing method and computer-readable storage medium provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the disclosed embodiments may be embodied in different forms and the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth below. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0025] The drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and constitute a part of the specification, and are used to explain the present disclosure together with the detailed embodiments, and do not constitute a limitation to the present disclosure. By describing the detailed embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above and other features and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0026] The present disclosure may be described with reference to the plan views and / or cross-sectional views with reference to the ideal schematic diagrams of the present disclosure. Therefore, the example illustrations may be modified according to the manufacturing technology and / or tolerances.

[0027] In the case of no conflict, the embodiments of the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0028] The terms used in the present disclosure are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items. As used in the present disclosure, the singular forms "a" and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used in the present disclosure, the terms "comprising", "made of", specify the presence of the described features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or their groups.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the present disclosure have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. It will also be understood that terms such as those defined in common dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless the present disclosure clearly defines so.

[0030] The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but includes modifications to the configurations formed based on the manufacturing process. Therefore, the regions illustrated in the drawings have schematic properties, and the shapes of the regions shown in the drawings illustrate the specific shapes of the regions of the elements, but are not intended to be restrictive.

[0031] The current transportation faces three major challenges. One is traffic safety, another is travel efficiency, and the last one is environmental pollution. Therefore, these three aspects are a great obstacle to the development of the global, especially the automotive industry.

[0032] V2X (vehicle to everything) technology is a very important breakthrough technical means to overcome the above three major challenges.

[0033] V2X is mainly divided into the following three categories: V2V (vehicle to vehicle), that is, the communication technology between vehicles; V2I (vehicle to Infrastructure), that is, the communication technology between vehicles and infrastructure; V2P (vehicle to Pedestrian), that is, the communication technology between vehicles and people.

[0034] Using CV2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) technology to build a complete vehicle-road collaborative information processing system can effectively solve the above application pain points. Whether for transportation operators or vehicle manufacturers, it can significantly improve energy efficiency, especially for the application of smart highways, autonomous driving, and assisted driving.

[0035] CV2X is a system network that enables wireless communication and information exchange between vehicles, vehicles and people, vehicles and road infrastructure, and vehicles and networks. It is an integrated network that can realize intelligent traffic management, intelligent dynamic information services and intelligent vehicle control.

[0036] CV2X has the characteristics of technology integration, information sharing, and industrial integration. CV2X organically applies a variety of advanced technologies such as positioning technology, sensor technology, communication technology, and Internet technology, and derives many value-added services from this. Among them, positioning technology is one of the key technologies of CV2X and an important guarantee for the safe passage of vehicles. In CV2X applications, different application scenarios have different requirements for positioning. For example, the positioning accuracy of the vehicle in assisted driving is required to be at the meter level, while for autonomous driving services, the positioning accuracy is required to be at the sub-meter level or even the centimeter level. Although the requirements for positioning accuracy are different, the continuity of positioning is a necessary prerequisite for the safety and reliability of the Internet of Vehicles business.

[0037] With the increasing number of intelligent connected vehicles supporting CV2X services, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) services are standard services for intelligent connected vehicles. Because the premise of CV2X function is to obtain timing through GNSS, the high-performance demand for GNSS services also follows. In the CV2X network, the continuity of positioning refers to the continuous provision of GNSS data output with a refresh rate of 10HZ or above, because the basic message type of CV2X service: BSM (basic safe message) message, adopts a strategy of sending once every 100ms (milliseconds). This sending strategy determines that the GNSS data input to the CV2X service sending module must have a refresh rate of 10HZ or above. Therefore, the mainstream car manufacturers in the industry currently require GNSS service components with a data refresh rate of more than 10HZ (Hertz).

[0038] Based on the current industry solutions that meet this requirement, all solutions need to use high refresh rate GNSS chips / modules, which have the disadvantages of high hardware cost and high system coupling. There are two typical implementation solutions:

[0039] A: CV2X chipset integrates GNSS IP core (GNSS Internet Protocol core)

[0040] Qualcomm chips belong to this solution, but the GNSS IP core still needs to provide a data refresh rate of 10HZ or above.

[0041] B: CV2X external GNSS chip or module

[0042] The Autotalk chip belongs to this solution, and the data refresh rate requirement for the GNSS chip / module is still 10HZ or above.

[0043] In the above two solutions, the processing of GNSS data refresh is all inside the GNSS chip / module / IPcore (Internet Protocol Core). The CV2X chip cannot make any changes to it and can only use it passively.

[0044] In summary, the current solution has the following problems:

[0045] 1. High hardware cost

[0046] The hardware cost of a GNSS chip that meets high refresh rates is at least double that of a chip with the same low refresh rate.

[0047] 2. High system coupling

[0048] Once a high refresh rate GNSS chip is selected, the entire product will be bound to this chip throughout its entire life cycle, resulting in strong binding and high coupling between the overall system and a single component, which is very unfavorable for the decoupling design of related components.

[0049] 3. CV2X service iteration and update are limited

[0050] CV2X services include timing, perception data sharing, OBU (On board Unit) equipment tracking, etc. These services will be continuously iterated according to different usage scenarios. If a high refresh rate GNSS chip is used, the service update will be limited by the chip and cannot be iterated in time.

[0051] Embodiments of the present disclosure achieve frequency division of UTC time through a hardware module and its own software program, obtaining a time signal that meets the preset communication frequency requirements. The frequency division scheme based on the software program facilitates subsequent service iteration, update, and reuse. Moreover, the hardware-software decoupling method enables the overall solution to work properly regardless of which GNSS chip is selected, greatly expanding the scope of use of the solution and improving system reliability. Additionally, based on the low-frequency pps (pulse per second) signal obtained from the GNSS component and the frequency division of UTC time to obtain a high-frequency time signal that meets the preset communication frequency requirements, the terminal does not need to select a GNSS chip with a high refresh rate, greatly reducing the cost of the overall solution.

[0052] The time frequency division device of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to any electronic device that requires time frequency division, such as a terminal device or a server. The terminal device may include, but is not limited to: in-vehicle devices, user equipment (UE), mobile devices, computing devices, wearable devices, etc. For example, it includes, but is not limited to, cellular phones, cordless phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, etc. The software program in the time frequency division device can be implemented by the processor calling the computer-readable program instructions stored in the memory, or can be implemented by a server.

[0053] The solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be widely applied to, but is not limited to, fields such as intelligent highways, autonomous driving, and assisted driving. A typical application scenario is Figure 1 the assisted / autonomous driving scenario shown in the figure. Among them, the V2X communication terminal and the autonomous driving control end (which may include a sensing unit, a decision-making unit, a planning unit, and a control unit. The sensing unit can be used to obtain information from devices such as radars, cameras, and lidar) can be considered as components of the OBU (On board Unit) of the solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The frequency division device of the solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be connected to the V2X communication terminal. The V2X communication terminal is responsible for providing various information of other devices (RSU (Road Side Unit), other V2X devices, the time frequency division device of the embodiments of the present disclosure, or other OBUs). The autonomous driving control end communicates with the positioning system and the V2X communication terminal, and is responsible for judging, distinguishing, analyzing, and making decisions on such data, and deciding whether to intervene in the vehicle operation according to the decision result.

[0054] The solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be introduced in detail below.

[0055] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a time frequency division device 100, as shown in Figure 2As shown in the figure, it includes the following hardware modules: an AP (application processor) module 102, a PSU (protocol stack unit) module 103, and a time latching module 104;

[0056] The time latching module 104 is configured to receive a pps signal from the GNSS component 101 based on a software module in the time latching module, latch the first time information of the received pps signal, and send the pps signal to the AP module 102. In the case of receiving a synchronization request sent by the PSU module 102, the first time information is sent to the PSU module 103;

[0057] The AP module 102 is configured to receive the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) time from the GNSS component 101 based on a software module in the AP module, and receive the pps signal (for example, it may include but is not limited to a 1pps signal, that is, a pulse signal per second, sending a pulse signal per second) sent by the time latching module 104, and record the second time information of the received pps signal; perform time division on the UTC time based on the pps signal to obtain a time division signal; send the time division signal and the second time information to the PSU module 103; the time division signal is a time signal that conforms to a preset communication frequency;

[0058] The PSU module 103 is configured to send a synchronization request to the time latching module 104 after receiving the time division signal and the second time information based on a software module in the PSU module, obtain the first time information, determine whether the time division signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, and send a message externally based on the time division signal when it is determined that the time division signal is valid.

[0059] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the preset communication frequency can be set according to requirements, so as to perform time division on the UTC time according to the preset communication frequency. For example, it may include but is not limited to a 10HZ refresh rate required for CV2X messages.

[0060] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, it includes three types of core components: an independent GNSS component (or GNSS chip component) 101, a time division hardware component (i.e., an application processor AP module 102, a protocol stack processing unit PSU module 103, and a time latching module 104), and a time division software component (running inside the time division hardware component, or the software modules inside each hardware module).

[0061] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the independent GNSS component 101, based on an external independent GNSS chip / module, is responsible for acquiring GNSS raw information and is the GNSS input part of the entire time division device 100.

[0062] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the time division hardware component is responsible for connecting two pieces of hardware information of the external GNSS: UTC time and PPS signal to the AP module 102 and the time latch module 104 of the present time division device 100. Subsequently, through the processing of the PSU module 103 and the time latch module 104, it ensures that the accuracy of the output data meets the preset standard requirements (for example, meets the CV2X standard requirements).

[0063] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the time division software component, based on the input information of the time division hardware component (such as UTC time and pps signal), combines its own software service program (which can be divided into multiple software service modules according to different services), and completely implements the time division service that meets the preset standard requirements (for example, meets the CV2X standard requirements), and is the processing part of the entire system.

[0064] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, therefore, the time division hardware component is located outside the time division device and is a physical entity unit, serving as the information input role of the overall solution. The time division software component is located inside the time division device and is a service implementation program, serving as the processing role of the overall solution. Both the time division hardware component and the time division software component can be composed of multiple modules. Through these modules, based on the cooperation of the two major components, a time division solution that meets the preset standard requirements based on the combination of software and hardware is realized.

[0065] The constituent modules and module functions of each component will be introduced in detail below.

[0066] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 2 shown, the AP module 102 and the time latch module 104 are respectively connected to the GNSS component 101 and are respectively connected to the PSU module 103. The AP module 102 and the time latch module 104 are connected to each other.

[0067] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 3 shown, the time latch module 104 may include hardware modules: the Psync (phase sync unit) module 1041 and the TPU (time processor unit) module 1042;

[0068] The Psync module 1041 is configured to receive the pps signal from the GNSS component 101 and send the pps signal to the AP module and the TPU module;

[0069] The TPU module 1042 is configured to latch the first time information of the pps signal received from the TPU module; in the case of receiving a synchronization request sent by the PSU module, the first time information is sent to the PSU module 103.

[0070] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the Psync module 1041 is respectively connected to the GNSS component 101, the AP module 102 and the TPU module, and the TPU module 1042 is further connected to the PSU module 103.

[0071] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 4 shown, the time division software component 200 may include: a second pulse processing module 201, a UTC processing module 202, a clock division module 203, a time division processing module 204 and a protocol stack module 205 (such as a V2X protocol stack module); wherein, the software module in the hardware module Psync module 1041 includes the second pulse processing module 201, and the software module in the hardware module AP module 102 includes: a UTC processing module 202, a clock division module 203 and a time division processing module 204, and the software module in the hardware module PSU module 103 includes: a protocol stack module 205.

[0072] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the external GNSS component 101 outputs an NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) message through UART or SPI, and the message contains UTC time, and the UTC time may be a time of T duration (the unit may be seconds, T is a positive number, for example, T = 1); at the same time, the GNSS component 101 outputs 1 pps pulse (the pps pulse is output once per second) through GPIO (General-Purpose Input Output Ports), that is, the pps signal.

[0073] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the Psync module 1041 is used to carry the second pulse processing module 201 and trigger the hardware components latched by the TPU module 1042. The Psync module 1041 is a pure hardware implementation module, receives the pps signal from the external GNSS component 101, on the one hand, transmits it transparently to the AP module 102, and on the other hand, sends the pps signal to the TPU module 1042 to notify the TPU module 1042 to latch the pps signal.

[0074] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second pulse processing module 201 is responsible for extracting and processing the second pulse signal sent by the GNSS component 101, that is, the pps signal, the frequency of which is 1HZ, and forwarding the pps signal to the AP module 102 (mainly sent to the clock frequency division module 203 of the AP module 102) and the TPU module 1042. The TPU module 1042 will record the count value counter1 of receiving the pps signal and the timestamp of receiving the pps signal, and save the timestamp and / or the count value counter1 as the first time information in hardware.

[0075] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the time latching module 104 receives the pps signal of the number of pulses per second from the GNSS component, including:

[0076] The time latching module 104 reads and writes the first logical channel through the first TEE interface. Based on the first logical channel, the first TEE interface reads and writes the physical interface connected to the GNSS component 101 to obtain the pps signal.

[0077] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, here the Psync module 1041 reads and writes the first logical channel through the first TEE interface; the physical interface includes but is not limited to a GPIO interface or an SPI interface.

[0078] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, in the current signal acquisition scheme, a serial port is used, such as directly reading and writing relevant instructions through a GPIO or SPI interface. However, this operation is greatly affected by various factors such as OS (operating system) scheduling, hardware interrupts, and upper-layer application failures, and cannot ensure high reliability. The solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure does not adopt the scheme of directly reading and writing the physical interface, but reads and writes the logical channel through the TEE interface, and the TEE interface then reads and writes the physical interface connected to the GNSS chip. This scheme ensures that the operation of GNSS data is carried out in an independent and closed inter-core environment, can solve the above three pain points, and significantly improve reliability. High-reliability information acquisition of the GNSS hardware is achieved by reading the serial port through the TEE.

[0079] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the TPU module 1042 is a hardware component used to carry the time frequency division signal and synchronize the time with the PSU module 103. It is a pure hardware implementation module. It receives the notification information and the pps signal from the Psync module 1041, latches the pps signal inside the TPU module 1042 to obtain the first time information of the pps signal, and once it receives the synchronization request sent by the PSU module 103, it sends the first time information of the latched pps signal to the PSU module 103.

[0080] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the AP module 102 is mainly used for time frequency division. The OS (Operating System) of the AP module 102 can be embedded linux, with powerful computing power. The AP module 102 receives UTC time from the external GNSS component 101 through the UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter) port or SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface). At the same time, it receives the pps signal forwarded by the reception time latching module 104. After internal processing in the AP module 102, the GNSS status information (for example, time frequency division information and the second time information of the pps signal) is sent to the PSU module 103 through the internal bus.

[0081] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the AP module 102 may include, but is not limited to, the following software modules: a UTC processing module 202, a clock frequency division module 203, and a time frequency division processing module 204.

[0082] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the UTC processing module 202 receives NMEA data from the external GNSS component 101, extracts the UTC time from the NMEA data, and sends the UTC time to the time frequency division processing module 204.

[0083] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the AP module 102 receives Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) from the GNSS component, including:

[0084] The AP module 102 reads and writes a second logical channel through the second TEE interface. Based on the second logical channel, the second TEE interface reads and writes the physical interface connected to the GNSS component 101 to obtain UTC time.

[0085] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, here the UTC processing module 201 reads and writes the second logical channel through the second TEE interface; the physical interface includes, but is not limited to, a GPIO interface or an SPI interface.

[0086] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, in the current signal acquisition scheme, a serial port such as a GPIO or SPI interface is used to directly read and write relevant instructions. However, this operation is greatly affected by various factors such as OS (operating system) scheduling, hardware interrupts, and upper-layer application failures, and high reliability cannot be ensured. The solution in the embodiments of the present disclosure does not adopt the scheme of directly reading and writing physical interfaces, but reads and writes logical channels through the TEE interface, and the TEE interface then reads and writes the physical interfaces connected to the GNSS chip. This solution ensures that the operation of GNSS data is performed in an independent and closed inter-core environment, can solve the above three pain points, and significantly improve reliability. High-reliability information acquisition of GNSS hardware is achieved by reading the serial port through the TEE.

[0087] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the refresh rate of the NMEA data received by the UTC processing module 202 is a low frequency (below 10HZ); the refresh rate of the pps signal sent by the Psync module 1041 is 1HZ, which is also a low frequency.

[0088] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the clock division module 203 is responsible for extracting and processing the pps signal sent by the Psync module 1041, and the frequency can be 1HZ. The pps signal sent by the Psync module 1041 will trigger a software interrupt of the AP core, and the interrupt notifies the clock division module 203 to perform software processing on the received pps signal, including but not limited to: receiving, storing, forwarding, etc. Specifically, after receiving the pps signal, the clock division module 203 will accumulate the count value counter2 of the received pps signal, latch the counter2 value into an internal register, record the timestamp of the received pps signal, save the timestamp and / or the count value counter2 as the second time information, and in the interrupt, the second pulse processing module 202 will forward the latched second time information and the received pps signal to the hardware module PSU module 103, specifically to the protocol stack module 205 in the PSU module 103, where the second time information, such as counter2(t), corresponds to the UTC time at time t.

[0089] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the clock division module 203 is also responsible for dividing the frequency of the original second pulse signal, that is, the pps signal. After the pps signal sent by the Psync module 1041 arrives at the AP module 102, the second pulse processing module 202 first performs a receive and forward operation, and after the clock division module 203 receives the pps signal sent by the second pulse processing module 202, it divides the frequency of the pps signal.

[0090] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the AP module 102 performs time division based on the pps signal and the UTC time to obtain a time division signal, including:

[0091] The clock division module 203 performs clock division based on the pps signal to obtain a clock division signal;

[0092] The time division processing module 204 performs time division on the UTC time based on the clock division signal to obtain a time division signal.

[0093] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, when the AP module 102 performs time division based on the pps signal and the UTC time, first, the clock division module 203 performs clock division on the pps signal, and then the time division processing module 204 performs time division on the UTC time based on the clock division signal.

[0094] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the clock division module 203 performs clock division based on the pps signal to obtain a clock division signal, including:

[0095] Call the real-time clock RTC built in the AP module 102, and perform division on the pps signal from low to high based on the RTC to obtain a clock division signal.

[0096] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the clock division module 203 calls the high-precision RTC (real_timeclock) built in the AP core to perform division on the pps signal from low frequency to high frequency. Here, the division is the division of clock information, not time information. For example, the original pps signal sends one pps signal per second. After division, the pps signal may be divided into 10 sub-pps signals within 1 second, that is, it is set to send 10 sub-pps signals per second, thereby increasing the pulse transmission frequency, and this pulse transmission frequency can be used as the clock frequency. The pps signal after clock division can be called the clock division signal, and the clock division signal will be sent to the time division processing module 204.

[0097] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the AP module 102 includes an AP core and a Cortex-M (single-chip microcomputer) core;

[0098] The clock division module 203 performs clock division based on the pps signal to obtain a clock division signal, and further includes:

[0099] Perform clock division operation on the pps signal based on the RTC in the RTOS (Real-time operating system) of the Cortex-M core, and transmit the clock division signal to the AP core through the hardware channel between the Cortex-M core and the AP core.

[0100] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the clock division operation performed by the AP module 102 is carried out in the RTOS of the Cortex-M core, and then the clock division signal is transmitted through the inter-core hardware channel between the AP core and the Cortex-M core. This solution can ensure that the real-time performance is within the task scheduling index range of the RTOS (20 ms). This approach solves the common problem in the industry: the software fails to access in a timely manner, resulting in a large deviation in the clock division result. Based on this timely effect, the embodiments of the present disclosure implement a high-real-time scheduling clock division mechanism in a general non-real-time OS, with the real-time performance within 1 ms.

[0101] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the time division processing module 204 is responsible for dividing the original UTC time and is the most core module in the entire software component. The time division processing module 204 receives the original UTC time from the UTC processing module 201; receives the divided clock division signal from the clock division module 203, performs time division on the UTC time based on the clock division signal to obtain a time division signal, and sends the obtained time division signal to the V2X protocol stack module 205.

[0102] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the time division processing module 204 performs time division on the UTC time based on the clock division signal to obtain a time division signal, including:

[0103] Align the UTC time with the reception time of the first pps signal, and divide the aligned UTC time by using the clock division signal to obtain a time division signal.

[0104] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, first align the UTC time with the pps initial timestamp (i.e., the reception time of the first pps signal), and then perform a division operation on the UTC time by using the divided clock signal.

[0105] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the time division processing module 204 performs time division on the UTC time based on the UTC time and the clock division signal to obtain a time division signal, further including:

[0106] In the AP core, align the UTC time with the reception time of the first pps signal, divide the aligned UTC time by using the clock division signal to obtain a time division signal, and store the time division signal in the trusted execution environment TEE area in the AP core.

[0107] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, perform the operations required for time division (e.g., clock division) based on the clock division signal in the Cortex-M core, perform time division on the UTC time based on the operation result in the AP core, and store the obtained time division signal in the TEE area in the AP core.

[0108] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, to ensure that the time division operation is not abnormally interrupted or interfered with by other software processes, the execution of the time division operation is carried out within the real-time OS core inside the AP core, ensuring the stability and reliability of the entire execution process.

[0109] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the operations involved in time division are carried out in the Cortex-M core of the AP module 102 to avoid abnormal interruption of the scheduling of the real-time OS core inside the AP core; the result of the division (i.e., the time division signal) is stored in the TEE (Trusted Execution Environment) area of the AP core to avoid the loss of the result caused by abnormal power-off, ensuring the stability and reliability of both the time division process and the result.

[0110] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, through the above solution, the pps signal is divided into a 10HZ clock division signal by the high-precision RTC built in the AP module 102. Moreover, the software inside the AP module 102 performs a division operation on the UTC time based on the clock division signal, expanding it to a UTC time with a refresh rate of 10HZ to obtain the time division signal.

[0111] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, for the first time in the industry, the division of UTC time is achieved by a combination of software and hardware.

[0112] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the PSU module 103 can be a hardware component for carrying the wireless communication protocol stack and the V2X protocol stack, and is the core component of the CV2X function. The underlying protocol stacks compliant with 3gpp (3rd Generation Partnership Project) all run here. The OS of the PSU module 103 is generally a closed RTOS. The PSU module 103 receives the divided UTC time (i.e., the time division signal) and the second time information sent by the AP module 102, and sends a synchronization request to the PSU module 103 and receives the first time information returned by the PSU module 103. The PSU module 103 will compare the first time information with the second time information, and judge whether the time division signal is valid according to the comparison result. When the time division signal is valid, it notifies the CV2X underlying protocol stack that normal communication can be carried out, and the BSM (Business Service Management) messages of CV2X can be sent externally at a transmission frequency of 10HZ.

[0113] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the protocol stack module 205 is located in the PSU module 103, and is responsible for receiving the frequency-divided UTC time (time frequency-divided signal), and ensuring the normal operation of CV2X communication when the timestamp of the pps signal is within the error range. The protocol stack module 205 is used to receive the time frequency-divided signal, the second time information, and the first time information latched by the hardware. By comparing the deviation between the frequency-divided UTC timestamp and the timestamp of the original pps signal (i.e., comparing the deviation between the first time information and the second time information), if it is within the error range, it is determined that the time frequency-divided signal is valid, and it is notified that the CV2X underlying protocol stack can communicate normally.

[0114] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the PSU module 103 determines whether the time frequency-divided signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, which may include: the protocol stack module 205 performs the following operations:

[0115] Compare the first time information with the second time information;

[0116] When the difference between the first time information and the second time information is within the preset error range, it is determined that the time frequency-divided signal is valid.

[0117] The PSU module 103 determines whether the time frequency-divided signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, and may further include:

[0118] When the difference between the first time information and the second time information is not within the preset error range, it is determined that the time frequency-divided signal is invalid.

[0119] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, within the preset error range may mean that the difference between the first time information and the second time information is less than or equal to the preset difference threshold, and not within the preset error range may mean that the difference between the first time information and the second time information is greater than the preset difference threshold. For example, if the difference between the timestamp included in the first time information and the timestamp included in the second time information is less than or equal to the preset time threshold, it indicates that the time frequency-divided signal is valid; if the difference between the timestamp included in the first time information and the timestamp included in the second time information is greater than the preset time threshold, it indicates that the time frequency-divided signal is invalid.

[0120] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the solution of the present disclosure embodiment receives the low-refresh-rate signal of the GNSS component through a hardware component with a low refresh rate (less than 10HZ), and obtains a high-refresh-rate time frequency-divided signal based on the software component built in the hardware component, and realizes a high-refresh-rate time frequency-divided system for CV2X services based on the low-refresh-rate hardware through the cooperation of software and hardware.

[0121] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as Figure 5 、 Figure 6As shown below, a detailed implementation process of an embodiment of the present disclosure is given, including steps S11 - S17:

[0122] S11. The external GNSS component 101 outputs NMEA messages (i.e., NMEA data) through UART or SPI. The NMEA messages contain UTC time, and the NMEA messages are sent to the UTC processing module 202; and a 1PPS signal is output through GPIO, and the 1PPS signal is sent to the second pulse processing module 201.

[0123] S12. After the second pulse processing module 201 receives the interruption of the 1PPS signal, it notifies the TPU module 1042 to latch the count value counter1(t) of the 1PPS signal currently counted locally (as the local latch time information, i.e., the first time information) into the internal register, and sends the 1PPS signal to the clock division module 203 of the AP module 102. After receiving the 1PPS signal, the clock division module 203 counts the count value counter2(t) of the 1PPS signal (i.e., the second time information), and latches the counter2(t) value into the internal register. At the same time, the clock division module 203 will receive an interruption. In the interruption, the software clock division module 203 will read out the latched value counter2(t). The counter2(t) corresponds to the UTC time at time t, and the read counter2(t) value will be sent to the protocol stack module 205.

[0124] S13. If the NMEA message at the current time t has not been received completely, the UTC processing module 202 needs to wait for the current message to be received completely, extract the UTC time in the NMEA message, and send the UTC time to the time division processing module 204.

[0125] S14. While the UTC processing module 202 is waiting to receive the NMEA message and extract the UTC time, the clock division module 203 performs clock division on the 1PPS signal from low frequency to high frequency, and sends the clock division signal to the time division processing module 204 through the inter - core channel.

[0126] In this step, the 1Hz clock signal of the external GNSS component 101 is divided into a frequency that conforms to CV2X message communication, generally 10HZ, that is, the clock division signal is a 10HZ clock signal.

[0127] S15. The time division processing module 204 calculates the time division signal according to the clock division signal and the UTC time.

[0128] The detailed calculation method includes: first performing pps initial timestamp alignment on the UTC time, and then performing division operation using the clock division signal and the UTC time.

[0129] S16. The time division processing module 204 sends the frequency-divided UTC time (time division signal) to the protocol stack module 205 through inter-core communication.

[0130] S17. The physical layer of the protocol stack module 205 simultaneously reads the first time information latched for the 1PPS signal through the drive of the TPU module 1042, calculates the relationship between the first time information and the second time information (the physical layer of the protocol stack module 205 will continuously track the first time information and the second time information for local timekeeping). If the error between the first time information and the second time information is within the error range specified by the standard, it is determined that the time division signal is valid, and the underlying protocol stack is notified that CV2X message communication can be performed.

[0131] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, it has at least the following advantages:

[0132] 1. The terminal does not need to select a GNSS chip with a high refresh rate, which greatly reduces the cost of the overall solution.

[0133] 2. The function is realized in a software and hardware decoupled manner, so that no matter which GNSS chip is selected, the overall solution can work properly, greatly expanding the application range of the solution.

[0134] 3. The main functions are all realized by software, which is convenient for subsequent business iteration, update and reuse.

[0135] 4. It has extremely high practical value and greatly improves the usability, stability of the product and the user experience.

[0136] The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a time division method, as Figure 7 shown, the method may include steps S21 - S23:

[0137] S21. The time latching module receives the pulse per second signal pps from the global navigation satellite system GNSS component, latches the first time information of the received pps signal, and sends the pps signal to the application processor AP module;

[0138] S22. The AP module receives the coordinated universal time UTC from the GNSS component, and receives the pps signal sent by the time latching module, and records the second time information of the received pps signal; performs time division based on the pps signal and the UTC time to obtain a time division signal; sends the time division signal and the second time information to the protocol stack processing unit PSU module; the time division signal is a time signal that meets the preset communication frequency;

[0139] S23. After receiving the time division signal and the second time information, the PSU module sends a synchronization request to the time latch module, obtains the first time information, determines whether the time division signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, and sends a message externally based on the time division signal when it is determined that the time division signal is valid.

[0140] Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide an electronic device 300, as Figure 8 shown. The electronic device 300 includes: the time division device 100 described above.

[0141] Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that all or some of the functional modules / units disclosed above can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, and their appropriate combinations.

[0142] In a hardware implementation, the division between the functional modules / units mentioned above does not necessarily correspond to the division of physical components; for example, one physical component can have multiple functions, or one function or step can be executed by several physical components in cooperation.

[0143] Some or all physical components can be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor, or a microprocessor, or implemented as hardware, or implemented as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit. Such software can be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which can include a computer storage medium (or non-transitory medium) and a communication medium (or transitory medium). As is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the term computer storage medium includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM, more specifically SDRAM, DDR, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory (FLASH), or other magnetic disk memories; compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), or other optical disc memories; magnetic cassettes, tapes, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic memories; any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and can be accessed by a computer. In addition, as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, a communication medium typically includes computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transmission mechanism, and can include any information delivery medium.

[0144] The present disclosure has disclosed exemplary embodiments, and although specific terms are employed, they are used only and should be interpreted only as general illustrative meanings and not for the purpose of limitation. In some instances, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise expressly specified, features, characteristics, and / or elements described in connection with a particular embodiment may be used alone or in combination with features, characteristics, and / or elements described in connection with other embodiments. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as set forth by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A time division frequency device, characterized in that, It includes the following hardware modules: an application processor AP module, a protocol stack processing unit PSU module, and a time latching module; The time latching module is configured to receive a Pulse-Per-Second pps signal from a Global Navigation Satellite System GNSS component based on a software module in the time latching module, latch first time information of receiving the pps signal, and send the pps signal to the AP module; The AP module is configured to receive Coordinated Universal Time UTC from the GNSS component based on a software module in the AP module, and receive the pps signal sent by the time latching module, and record second time information of receiving the pps signal; perform time frequency division based on the pps signal and the UTC time to obtain a time frequency division signal; send the time frequency division signal and the second time information to the PSU module; the time frequency division signal is a time signal that meets a preset communication frequency; The PSU module is configured to send a synchronization request to the time latching module after receiving the time frequency division signal and the second time information based on a software module in the PSU module, obtain the first time information, determine whether the time frequency division signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, and send a message externally based on the time frequency division signal when it is determined that the time frequency division signal is valid.

2. The time division frequency device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The time latching module includes the following hardware modules: a phase synchronization unit Psync module and a time processing unit TPU module; the software module in the Psync module includes a second pulse processing module; The Psync module is configured to receive the pps signal from the GNSS component based on the second pulse processing module, and send the pps signal to the AP module and the TPU module; The TPU module is configured to latch the first time information of receiving the pps signal from the TPU module; and send the first time information to the PSU module when receiving the synchronization request sent by the PSU module.

3. The time division frequency device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The software module in the AP module includes: a clock frequency division module and a time frequency division processing module; The AP module performs time frequency division based on the pps signal and the UTC time to obtain a time frequency division signal, including: The clock frequency division module performs clock frequency division based on the pps signal to obtain a clock frequency division signal; The time frequency division processing module performs time frequency division on the UTC time based on the clock frequency division signal to obtain the time frequency division signal.

4. The time division frequency device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The clock frequency division module performs clock frequency division based on the pps signal to obtain a clock frequency division signal, including: Invoking a Real-Time Clock RTC built in the AP module, and performing frequency division on the pps signal from low to high based on the RTC to obtain the clock frequency division signal.

5. The time division frequency device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The AP module includes an AP core and a Cortex-M core of a single-chip microcomputer; The clock frequency division module performs clock frequency division based on the pps signal to obtain a clock frequency division signal, and further includes: In the real-time operating system (RTOS) of the Cortex-M core, perform frequency division operation on the pps signal based on the RTC, and transmit the clock frequency division signal to the AP core through the hardware channel between the Cortex-M core and the AP core.

6. The time division frequency device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The time frequency division processing module performs time frequency division on the UTC time based on the clock frequency division signal to obtain a time frequency division signal, including: Align the UTC time with the reception time of the first pps signal, and use the clock frequency division signal to perform frequency division on the aligned UTC time to obtain the time frequency division signal.

7. The time division frequency device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The AP module includes an AP core; The time frequency division processing module performs time frequency division based on the UTC time and the clock frequency division signal to obtain a time frequency division signal, and further includes: In the AP core, align the UTC time with the reception time of the first pps signal, use the clock frequency division signal to perform frequency division on the aligned UTC time to obtain the time frequency division signal, and store the time frequency division signal in the trusted execution environment (TEE) area in the AP core.

8. The time division frequency device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The software module in the PSU module includes: a protocol stack module; the PSU module determines whether the time frequency division signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, including: the protocol stack module performs the following operations: Compare the first time information and the second time information; When the difference between the first time information and the second time information is within a preset error range, determine that the time frequency division signal is valid.

9. The time division frequency device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The time latch module receives the pulse per second (pps) signal from the GNSS component, including: The time latch module reads and writes the first logical channel through the first TEE interface. Based on the first logical channel, the first TEE interface reads and writes the physical interface connected to the GNSS component to obtain the pps signal.

10. The time division frequency device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The AP module receives the coordinated universal time (UTC) from the GNSS component, including: The AP module reads and writes the second logical channel through the second TEE interface. Based on the second logical channel, the second TEE interface reads and writes the physical interface connected to the GNSS component to obtain the UTC time.

11. A time division frequency method, characterized in that,The method includes: The software module in the time latch module receives the pulse per second (pps) signal from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) component, latches the first time information when receiving the pps signal, and sends the pps signal to the software module in the application processor (AP) module; The software module in the AP module receives the coordinated universal time (UTC) from the GNSS component, and receives the pps signal sent by the time latch module, records the second time information when receiving the pps signal; performs time frequency division based on the pps signal and the UTC time to obtain a time frequency division signal; sends the time frequency division signal and the second time information to the software module in the protocol stack processing unit (PSU) module; the time frequency division signal is a time signal that meets the preset communication frequency. After receiving the time division signal and the second time information, the software module in the PSU module sends a synchronization request to the time latch module, obtains the first time information, determines whether the time division signal is valid based on the first time information and the second time information, and sends a message externally based on the time division signal when it is determined that the time division signal is valid.

12. An electronic device, comprising: The time division device according to any one of claims 1-11.

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