Vehicle controller, vehicle-mounted communication system and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a vehicle controller, a vehicle-mounted communication system and a vehicle, relates to the technical field of vehicles, and aims to solve the problem that the real-time performance of data transmission in vehicle communication is reduced. The vehicle controller communicates with vehicle-mounted equipment through an optical fiber network, the vehicle controller comprises a first chip and a second chip, the first chip is used for realizing a first function, and the second chip is used for realizing a second function; and the first chip and the second chip are in communication connection with an optical fiber network of the vehicle through the first photoelectric conversion module.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vehicles, in particular to a vehicle controller, a vehicle-mounted communication system and a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of electric vehicles and intelligent vehicles, the number of sensors and actuators inside the vehicle is gradually increasing. Correspondingly, the amount of data that the vehicle communication network needs to process increases dramatically, which puts higher requirements on the bandwidth and transmission speed of the communication network.

[0003] In related technologies, when the vehicle communication network transmits data, the vehicle-mounted Ethernet + CAN is usually used, that is, the data between the domain controllers of the vehicle needs to be transmitted through an Ethernet link. However, this way of transmitting data through an Ethernet network will cause the problem of time delay of the Ethernet link, and the increase of the time delay will cause the problem of reduced real-time performance of data transmission. SUMMARY

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to provide a vehicle controller, a vehicle-mounted communication system and a vehicle.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] The present application provides a vehicle controller, which communicates with a vehicle-mounted device through a fiber-optic network. The vehicle controller comprises a first chip and a second chip, the first chip is used to realize a first function, and the second chip is used to realize a second function; and a first optoelectronic conversion module, the first chip and the second chip are connected with the fiber-optic network of the vehicle in communication through the first optoelectronic conversion module.

[0007] The vehicle controller provided by the present application replaces the vehicle-mounted Ethernet with a fiber-optic network. The chips in the vehicle controller and the first optoelectronic conversion module can transmit data with the vehicle-mounted device through the fiber-optic network, avoiding the time delay of the Ethernet link. Moreover, the chips with different functions are integrated in one controller, and the intra-core communication between different chips can significantly improve the real-time performance of data transmission. In addition, the fiber-optic network also has the advantages of strong anti-interference ability and small signal attenuation.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first function includes at least one of a control function for a vehicle control domain, a control function for a cockpit domain, and a control function for an intelligent driving domain; and / or the second function includes at least one of a control function for a vehicle control domain, a control function for a cockpit domain, and a control function for an intelligent driving domain.

[0009] Based on this, the vehicle controller provided in this application embodiment, through chips with different functions, ensures that the space requirements of multiple domain controllers on the overall vehicle layout can be significantly optimized through integrated and modular chip design, thereby achieving the characteristics of lightweight design.

[0010] In addition, this design greatly reduces system complexity and improves the integration of the vehicle's electronic systems.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first chip has control functions for the vehicle control domain; the second chip has control functions for the cockpit domain and the intelligent driving domain.

[0012] The first chip and the second chip can both be system-on-chip (SOC) chips. The first chip can be either the cockpit-driver integrated module or the vehicle control module, and the second chip can be either the cockpit-driver integrated module or the vehicle control module.

[0013] Based on this, the vehicle controller provided in this application integrates a multi-domain controller into a first chip with vehicle control functions and a second chip with vehicle cockpit domain and intelligent driving domain control functions, thereby enabling centralized processing of GPU computing power and AI computing power.

[0014] Furthermore, in traditional vehicle electronic architectures, data transmission between the intelligent driving domain controller and the cockpit domain controller requires a high-speed SerDes (serializer / deserializer) interface. The second chip provided in this application embodiment, however, enables efficient data transmission between the intelligent driving domain and the cockpit domain via an internal high-speed bus or dedicated interface, eliminating the need for an external SerDes deserializer chip, thereby reducing system cost and improving reliability. Moreover, the second chip employs a highly integrated design, implementing cockpit and intelligent driving domain functions through multi-core heterogeneous integration, ensuring a balanced CPU workload.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first chip is coupled to the first photoelectric conversion module via an SPI interface.

[0016] Based on this, the vehicle controller provided in this application optimizes the chip interface of the first chip by removing a large number of GPIO interfaces, LIN interfaces, and CAN / CANFD interfaces, and retaining a small number of SPI interfaces to communicate with the first optoelectronic conversion module, thereby achieving cost optimization.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second chip is coupled to the first photoelectric conversion module via a PCIe interface.

[0018] Based on this, the vehicle controller provided in this application optimizes the chip interface of the second chip by removing a large number of MIPI-CSI interfaces, MIPI-DSI interfaces, and CAN / CANFD interfaces, while retaining a small number of PCIe interfaces to communicate with the first optoelectronic conversion module, thereby achieving cost optimization.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first chip is coupled to the second chip via an Ethernet interface and / or an SPI interface.

[0020] Among them, the Ethernet interface can be a media-independent interface (MII).

[0021] Therefore, in traditional Ethernet communication, the PHY chip is responsible for converting data from the MAC layer into signals at the physical layer, and vice versa. Since both chips are SOC chips, which have integrated the necessary MAC and PHY layer functions, the first and second chips can be configured via an Ethernet interface and / or an SPI interface, thus eliminating the need for an Ethernet PHY chip.

[0022] In some embodiments, the in-vehicle device includes at least a display and a camera; the first chip is used to receive a first electrical signal carrying image information sent by the camera through a first photoelectric conversion module, and to send a second electrical signal carrying image information to the display through the first photoelectric conversion module.

[0023] The shooting device can be a camera, and the display can be the driver's PAD.

[0024] In some embodiments, the vehicle-mounted device includes at least a sensor and an actuator. The second chip is used to receive a third electrical signal carrying measurement data sent by the sensor through a first photoelectric conversion module, and to send a fourth electrical signal carrying control commands to the actuator through the first photoelectric conversion module.

[0025] The sensor can be a radar.

[0026] Based on this, the display, shooting device, sensor and actuator in the embodiments of this application can be connected to the fiber optic network according to different areas of the vehicle. By increasing the transmission throughput, reducing the use of wiring harnesses and facilitating the addition and reduction of configurations, the flexibility and reliability of the vehicle network system are effectively improved, meeting the optional installation needs of the vehicle aftermarket.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first photoelectric conversion module includes an optical line terminal (OLT).

[0028] This application provides an embodiment of an in-vehicle communication system, comprising: an optical fiber network, an in-vehicle device, and a vehicle controller as described in the first aspect and any embodiment of the first aspect, wherein the vehicle controller is coupled to the in-vehicle device via the optical fiber network.

[0029] In some embodiments, the vehicle communication system further includes: a second photoelectric conversion module, which is connected between the vehicle device and the fiber optic network, for converting optical signals from the fiber optic network into electrical signals and outputting them to the vehicle device, and converting electrical signals from the vehicle device into optical signals and outputting them to the fiber optic network.

[0030] In some embodiments, the second photoelectric conversion module is integrated into the vehicle-mounted equipment.

[0031] In some embodiments, the second photoelectric conversion module includes an optical network unit (ONU).

[0032] This application provides a vehicle including an in-vehicle communication system as described in the second aspect and any embodiment of the second aspect.

[0033] This application provides a vehicle control method, which includes: acquiring a first optical signal carrying perception data of the vehicle's surroundings; converting the first optical signal into an electrical signal carrying the perception data; determining a target optical signal carrying image data and control commands based on the electrical signal carrying the perception data, and outputting the target optical signal.

[0034] Among them, the perception data includes image information and measurement data of the vehicle's surroundings.

[0035] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a terminal, cause the terminal to perform the vehicle control method described above.

[0036] This application provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the vehicle control method described above.

[0037] This application provides a chip including a processor and a communication interface, the communication interface and the processor being coupled together, the processor being used to run computer programs or instructions to implement the vehicle control method described above.

[0038] Specifically, the chip provided in this application embodiment also includes a memory for storing computer programs or instructions. Attached Figure Description

[0039] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0040] Figure 1 An architecture diagram of a vehicle multi-domain controller provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 2 An architectural diagram of a vehicle provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 3 An architecture diagram of an in-vehicle communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 4 A structural diagram of a vehicle controller provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 5 A flowchart of a vehicle control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 6 A flowchart of yet another vehicle control method provided in this application embodiment.

[0046] Reference numerals: 200 for vehicle, 210 for chassis, 220 for body, 230 for wheel, 240 for vehicle communication system; 310 for fiber optic network, 320 for vehicle equipment, 330 for vehicle controller, 340 for second photoelectric conversion module; 410 for first photoelectric conversion module, 420 for first chip, 430 for second chip, 440 for display, 450 for imaging device, 460 for sensor, and 470 for actuator. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or relative positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and for simplification, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Unless otherwise specified, the above-mentioned orientational descriptions can be flexibly set in practical applications, provided that the relative positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings are satisfied.

[0049] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0050] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "communication" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. They can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0051] In embodiments of this application, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0052] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0053] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0054] With the development of vehicle electrification and intelligence, the demand for software-defined intelligent vehicles is leading to a gradual increase in the variety and number of sensors and actuators inside vehicles. Currently, in addition to traditional sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, pressure sensors) and actuators (e.g., instrument panels), vehicles are also equipped with visual perception-related cameras, magnetic sensors, light sensors, millimeter-wave radar, lidar, wireless Bluetooth, mobile hotspot Wi-Fi, wireless strobe lights, and large-size displays. Correspondingly, the increased variety and number of sensors and actuators will place greater demands on the data throughput of the vehicle's communication network, thus posing a greater challenge to the bandwidth and transmission speed of the vehicle's communication network.

[0055] In related technologies, the vast majority of vehicles are in the stage of domain-centralized or cross-domain integrated electronic and electrical architecture. Some manufacturers have already integrated the body electronics domain, powertrain domain, and chassis domain into the vehicle control domain, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the central gateway is coupled to the vehicle's multi-domain controller via an in-vehicle Ethernet network. The multi-domain controller can be an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), or simply a "domain ECU".

[0056] The vehicle's multi-domain controllers include the intelligent driving domain controller, body electronics domain controller, chassis domain controller, powertrain domain controller, and cockpit domain controller. Data between the various domain controllers is transmitted via in-vehicle Ethernet, CAN bus / CAN with flexible data rate (CANFD) bus, and local interconnect network (LIN).

[0057] Combination Figure 1 As shown, the domain ECU of the intelligent driving domain controller can be coupled to multiple cameras (CAM) and multiple radars (RADAR) via in-vehicle Ethernet; the domain ECU of the body electronics domain controller can be coupled to multiple ECUs via in-vehicle Ethernet; the domain ECU of the chassis domain controller can be coupled to multiple ECUs via in-vehicle Ethernet; the powertrain domain controller can be coupled to multiple ECUs via in-vehicle Ethernet; and the cockpit domain controller can be coupled to multiple cameras (CAM), displays, and multiple ECUs via in-vehicle Ethernet.

[0058] The architecture diagram of the multi-domain controller mentioned above has the following problems:

[0059] 1. The central gateway uses automotive Ethernet. Each domain controller needs to be configured with a separate Ethernet switch or a SOC chip / microcontroller unit (MCU) with an Ethernet interface. The circuit design requires an Ethernet port physical layer chip (PHY) to implement the Ethernet physical layer link between controllers. Data transmission via Ethernet introduces latency issues, which in turn reduces the real-time performance of data transmission.

[0060] 2. Domain controllers are typically installed and configured independently based on the vehicle's functional divisions. These domain controllers manage different vehicle functions and exchange data through specific communication protocols (such as CAN / LIN). However, this independent installation and configuration approach can indeed bring some problems, especially in the pursuit of vehicle-wide miniaturization and high integration. The aforementioned independently installed domain controllers may occupy a significant amount of space within the vehicle. Each domain controller requires a certain amount of physical space for installation, and its heat dissipation, electromagnetic shielding, and other requirements must also be considered, which may increase the complexity of vehicle design.

[0061] Secondly, data exchange between domain controllers requires complex communication lines. These lines not only increase the vehicle's weight and cost but may also affect the vehicle's electromagnetic compatibility.

[0062] 3. There is a problem of multiplexing large-bandwidth data transmission between the intelligent driving domain controller and the cockpit domain controller. That is, multiple data streams are transmitted simultaneously on the same transmission medium using specific technologies and protocols to achieve efficient data utilization and full bandwidth utilization. For example, data from the panoramic camera needs to be used for both cockpit domain splicing display and intelligent driving parking perception processing. This typically requires the use of gigabit multimedia serial links (GMSL) or flat panel display link (FPD-LINK) deserialization chips to achieve image and video data transmission.

[0063] 4. Intelligent driving domain controllers and cockpit domain controllers generally use SOC-level chips. When using SOC-level chips, there is a possibility that the computing power of the central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), and artificial intelligence (AI) may be idle. Furthermore, it is usually difficult for intelligent driving domain controllers and cockpit domain controllers to achieve unified utilization of SOC chips.

[0064] 5. Data transmission between the intelligent driving domain controller and the vehicle camera requires a deserialization chip link. The more cameras are configured, the more deserialization chips are needed for pairing, which increases the number of connectors and the layout space of the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the intelligent driving domain controller.

[0065] 6. Data transmission between the cockpit domain controller and the vehicle's cameras and displays requires a deserialization chip link. The more vehicle cameras and displays there are, the more deserialization chips are needed for pairing them, increasing the number of connectors and PCBA layout space required for the cockpit domain controller.

[0066] Against this backdrop, in order to address the problem of reduced real-time data transmission in related technologies, this application provides a vehicle controller, an in-vehicle communication system, and a vehicle. The implementation methods of the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0067] like Figure 2 The diagram shown is an architectural representation of a vehicle according to an embodiment of this application. The vehicle 200 may include a chassis 210, a body 220, and wheels 230. It is understood that the vehicle 200 may be a gasoline-powered vehicle, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a natural gas vehicle, a methanol vehicle, a solar-powered vehicle, etc.

[0068] For example, vehicle 200 can be a passenger car such as a sedan, sport utility vehicle (SUV), or multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), or a bus, truck, or semi-trailer. This application does not impose specific limitations in this regard.

[0069] It is understood that the above-mentioned components are only examples of some components of vehicle 200, and are not a limitation on the specific structure of vehicle 200.

[0070] Optionally, to provide imaging capabilities for the vehicle, the vehicle 200 may also include an in-vehicle communication system 240. This in-vehicle communication system 240 enables data transmission within the vehicle 200.

[0071] like Figure 3 The diagram shown is an architecture diagram of an in-vehicle communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. The in-vehicle communication system 240 may include: an optical fiber network 310, an in-vehicle device 320, a vehicle controller 330, and a second photoelectric conversion module 340.

[0072] The vehicle-mounted device 320 is coupled to the fiber optic network 310, and the second photoelectric conversion module 340 is connected between the vehicle-mounted device 320 and the fiber optic network 310. It is used to convert the optical signal from the fiber optic network 310 into an electrical signal and output it to the vehicle-mounted device 320, and to convert the electrical signal from the vehicle-mounted device 320 into an optical signal and output it to the fiber optic network 310.

[0073] In some embodiments, the second photoelectric conversion module 340 is integrated into the vehicle-mounted device 320.

[0074] In some other embodiments, the second photoelectric conversion module 340 includes an optical network unit (ONU).

[0075] like Figure 4 The diagram shown is a structural diagram of a vehicle controller 330 provided in an embodiment of this application. This vehicle controller 330 can serve as the computing power center and policy control center of the entire vehicle, and communicates with onboard equipment via an optical fiber network 310 to realize functions such as intelligent driving, smart cockpit, and intelligent vehicle control.

[0076] The vehicle controller 330 may include a first photoelectric conversion module 410, a first chip 420, and a second chip 430. The first chip 420 is used to implement a first function, and the second chip 430 is used to implement a second function. The first chip 420 and the second chip 430 are communicatively connected to the vehicle's fiber optic network 310 through the first photoelectric conversion module 410.

[0077] In the embodiments of this application, the first function includes at least one of the control functions of the vehicle control domain, the control functions of the cockpit domain, and the control functions of the intelligent driving domain; and / or, the second function includes at least one of the control functions of the vehicle control domain, the control functions of the cockpit domain, and the control functions of the intelligent driving domain.

[0078] Thus, the chip in this embodiment serves as the vehicle's sole computing control center, significantly optimizing the space requirements of multiple domain controllers on the overall vehicle layout and achieving lightweight design. Furthermore, it integrates chips with different functions into a single controller, enabling intra-core communication between different chips.

[0079] It should be understood that the embodiment of this application replaces the vehicle-mounted Ethernet with the fiber optic network 310, which can avoid the time-consuming delay of the Ethernet link and significantly improve the real-time performance of data transmission.

[0080] In one possible implementation, the first chip 420 can be coupled to the first optoelectronic conversion module 410 via an SPI interface, and the second chip 430 can be coupled to the first optoelectronic conversion module 410 via a PCIe interface. Furthermore, the first chip 420 and the second chip 430 can communicate with each other via an Ethernet interface and / or an SPI interface.

[0081] It should be understood that the PCIe interface is a high-speed serial point-to-point dual-channel high-bandwidth transmission interface used to connect expansion cards and computer motherboards for data transmission. The PCIe interface includes various specifications, such as x1, x4, x8, and x16, with different specifications representing different numbers of data channels within the interface.

[0082] It's worth noting that with each iteration of the PCIe version, its bandwidth throughput has essentially doubled. Different PCIe versions have corresponding chip products to meet the technical specifications and performance requirements of the PCIe interface. For example, the third generation of PCIe interface technology (PCI Express Generation 3, PCIe Gen3) has a total bandwidth of approximately 31.5 Gbit / s for one PCIe 3.0 x4 port; the fourth generation (PCI express Generation 4, PCIe Gen4) can achieve a total bandwidth of up to 63 Gbit / s for one PCIe 4.0 x4 port; and the fifth generation (PCI express Generation 5, PCIe Gen5) can reach a total bandwidth of up to 126 Gbit / s for one PCIe 5.0 x4 port.

[0083] Furthermore, the communication rate of the automotive Gigabit Ethernet 1000BASE-T1 is 1000 Mbit / s, or 1 Gbps, which is much lower than the bandwidth of the PCIe interface. Therefore, the high-speed, high-bandwidth PCIe data throughput can meet the data transmission requirements between SOC chips.

[0084] Optionally, the first chip 420 and the second chip 430 can also transmit data with the first photoelectric conversion module 410 through transparent transmission technology.

[0085] In some embodiments, the first chip 420 and the second chip 430 can employ highly integrated core boards, and the base board can be reused by defining standardized pin interfaces. That is, different core boards can be connected to the same base board, significantly reducing development costs, shortening the development cycle, and improving system reliability.

[0086] Furthermore, due to the standardized core board definition, core boards from different SOC chip manufacturers maintain consistency in interfaces and functions. This makes it easier to switch between different SOC chips to adapt to different application scenarios and performance requirements, further increasing the flexibility of the vehicle controller 330 design.

[0087] In some embodiments, the first chip 420 has a control function for the vehicle control domain. For example, it receives perception data of the vehicle's surroundings collected by the in-vehicle device, performs vehicle perception fusion, determines the vehicle's control command, and sends the control command to the in-vehicle device to complete the control of the vehicle.

[0088] In some embodiments, the second chip 430 has control functions for the cockpit domain and the intelligent driving domain. For example, it can be used for advanced intelligent driving solutions such as L2+ parking integration, high-speed navigation on autopilot (NOA), and urban NOA, enabling voice control systems, human-machine interface (HMI) interaction, panoramic 3D transparent chassis, driver monitoring system (DMS), and occupancy monitoring system (OMS) in the cockpit.

[0089] In this application, the L2+ driving and parking integration mentioned in the embodiments refers to the technology of integrating driving and parking functions in L2-level (including L2, L2.5 and L2.9) intelligent driving into a single SoC to achieve seamless connection between high-speed driving assistance and low-speed parking assistance.

[0090] In this embodiment, one end of the first photoelectric conversion module 410 is coupled to the optical fiber network 310, and the other end of the first photoelectric conversion module 410 is coupled to the chip.

[0091] The first photoelectric conversion module 410 can be used to convert optical signals from the optical fiber network 310 into electrical signals and output them to the chip, and to convert electrical signals from the chip into optical signals and output them to the optical fiber network 310.

[0092] For example, the first photoelectric conversion module 410 may include an optical line terminal (OLT).

[0093] In addition, the optical line terminal (OLT) has a built-in laser transceiver, which serves as a data output / input channel between the vehicle controller 330 and the on-board equipment. This OLT can achieve high-speed bidirectional conversion between optical and electrical signals.

[0094] In some embodiments, the vehicle-mounted device includes at least a display 440 and a shooting device 450; the first chip 420 is used to receive a first electrical signal carrying image information sent by the shooting device 450 through the first photoelectric conversion module 410, and to send a second electrical signal carrying image information to the display 440 through the first photoelectric conversion module 410.

[0095] In one scenario, the imaging device 450 can collect image information about the surroundings of a vehicle and output a first optical signal carrying the image information to a first photoelectric conversion module 410 via an optical fiber network 310; the first photoelectric conversion module 410 converts the first optical signal into a first electrical signal carrying the image information and outputs the first electrical signal to a first chip 420; the first chip 420 can determine the target object in the image information based on the first electrical signal carrying the image information and output a second electrical signal carrying the target object to the first photoelectric conversion module 410.

[0096] Furthermore, the first photoelectric conversion module 410 can convert the second electrical signal into a second optical signal carrying the target object, and output the second optical signal to the display 440 through the optical fiber network 310. It can be understood that since the display 440 integrates the second photoelectric conversion module, the display 440 can convert the second optical signal into a second electrical signal carrying the target object and display the target object.

[0097] Similarly, since the imaging device 450 integrates a second photoelectric conversion module, it can convert the electrical signal of the image information around the vehicle into a first light signal carrying the image information.

[0098] For example, the camera device 450 may include a surround-view camera and an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) camera; the display 440 may be a portable Android device (PAD) for the driver.

[0099] It should be noted that the screen of display 440 can display the type, location, and distance of the target object from the vehicle.

[0100] In some other embodiments, the vehicle-mounted device includes at least a sensor 460 and an actuator 470. The second chip 430 is used to receive a third electrical signal carrying measurement data sent by the sensor 460 through the first photoelectric conversion module 410, and to send a fourth electrical signal carrying control commands to the actuator 470 through the first photoelectric conversion module 410.

[0101] In another scenario, sensor 460 can collect measurement data around the vehicle and output a third optical signal carrying the measurement data to the first photoelectric conversion module 410 via fiber optic network 310; the first photoelectric conversion module 410 converts the third optical signal into a third electrical signal carrying the measurement data and outputs the third electrical signal to the second chip 430; the second chip 430 can determine the vehicle control command based on the third electrical signal carrying the measurement data and output a fourth electrical signal carrying the control command to the first photoelectric conversion module 410.

[0102] Furthermore, the first photoelectric conversion module 410 can convert the fourth electrical signal into a fourth optical signal carrying the target object, and output the fourth optical signal to the actuator 470 through the optical fiber network 310. It can be understood that since the actuator 470 integrates the second photoelectric conversion module, the actuator 470 can convert the fourth optical signal into a fourth electrical signal carrying control commands, and execute the control commands on the vehicle.

[0103] Similarly, since the sensor 460 integrates a second photoelectric conversion module, the sensor 460 can convert the electrical signal of the collected measurement data around the vehicle into a third optical signal carrying the measurement data.

[0104] For example, sensor 460 may include millimeter-wave radar and ultrasonic radar.

[0105] Based on the above technical solution, the vehicle controller provided in this application replaces the vehicle Ethernet with a fiber optic network. The chip and the first photoelectric conversion module in the vehicle controller can transmit data with the vehicle equipment through the fiber optic network, avoiding the time-consuming delay of the Ethernet link and significantly improving the real-time performance of data transmission. In addition, the fiber optic network also has advantages such as strong anti-interference capability and low signal attenuation.

[0106] The following is combined with Figures 2 to 4 Please refer to the following Figure 5 The vehicle control method provided in the embodiments of this application is described.

[0107] It is understood that in the embodiments of this application, the various devices / modules in the vehicle controller can perform some or all of the steps in the embodiments of this application. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of this application can also perform other operations or variations of various operations. Furthermore, the various steps can be performed in different orders as presented in the embodiments of this application, and it is not necessarily necessary to perform all the operations in the embodiments of this application.

[0108] Figure 5 The flowchart of the vehicle control method provided in the embodiments of this application is shown. The subject executing the method can be a vehicle controller or various devices / modules in the vehicle controller, such as integrated circuits or chips. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0109] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, taking the transmission of data from an on-board device to a vehicle controller as an example, the vehicle control method provided in this application embodiment may include the following steps 501 to 503:

[0110] Step 501: Obtain the first optical signal.

[0111] In some embodiments, the first optical signal is an optical signal carrying sensing data of the vehicle's surroundings.

[0112] In some embodiments, the vehicle controller may acquire a first optical signal from an on-board device. The on-board device includes a camera, a sensor, a display, and an actuator.

[0113] In some embodiments, the sensing data may include image information of the vehicle's surroundings captured by the imaging device, and measurement data of the vehicle's surroundings detected by the sensors.

[0114] Among them, the area around the vehicle can be the surrounding area.

[0115] In some embodiments, image information can be understood as image and video data of the vehicle panorama, i.e., the raw image data of the shooting device. The image information can be in YUV, RGB, or RAW format. Measurement data can include millimeter-wave radar signals, ultrasonic radar signals, and inertial measurement unit (IMU) signals, as well as vehicle status information.

[0116] For example, an onboard camera can capture images of the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle to obtain image information. The image information is then converted into an optical signal by a second photoelectric conversion module integrated into the camera. The camera can then output the optical signal carrying the image information to the vehicle controller via a fiber optic network. The vehicle controller then receives the optical signal carrying the image information.

[0117] It is understood that, in this embodiment of the application, sensors can also detect the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle to obtain measurement data, and a second photoelectric conversion module integrated into the sensor can be used to obtain an optical signal carrying the measurement data. Furthermore, the sensor can output the optical signal carrying the measurement data to the vehicle controller via an optical fiber network. Correspondingly, the vehicle controller interfaces with the optical signal carrying the measurement data.

[0118] Step 502: Convert the first optical signal into an electrical signal carrying the sensing data.

[0119] In some embodiments, the first photoelectric conversion module in the vehicle controller can realize bidirectional conversion of photoelectric signals.

[0120] In some embodiments, since the perceived data includes image information and measurement data, a first photoelectric conversion module in the vehicle controller can convert an optical signal carrying the measurement data into an electrical signal carrying the measurement data, and output the electrical signal carrying the measurement data to a first chip in the vehicle controller. Furthermore, the first photoelectric conversion module can also convert an optical signal carrying image information into an electrical signal carrying the image information, and output the electrical signal carrying the image information to a second chip in the vehicle controller.

[0121] For example, the first photoelectric conversion module in the vehicle controller can send an electrical signal carrying measurement data to the first chip via the SPI interface, and send an electrical signal carrying image information to the second chip via the PCIe interface. This achieves high-speed data transmission.

[0122] Step 503: Based on the electrical signal carrying the sensing data, determine the target light signal carrying the image data and control commands, and output the target light signal.

[0123] In some embodiments, the target optical signal includes an electrical signal carrying image data and an electrical signal carrying control commands.

[0124] Among them, image data can be data about the target object in the image information, such as the type and location of the target object, and the distance between the target object and the vehicle.

[0125] In some embodiments, the second chip of the vehicle controller determines the electrical signal carrying image data based on the electrical signal carrying image information, and outputs the electrical signal carrying image data to the first photoelectric conversion module.

[0126] In some other embodiments, the second chip of the vehicle controller may also output an electrical signal carrying image data to the first photoelectric conversion module.

[0127] For example, the second chip can process image information through its internal visual perception system to achieve road segmentation and target detection and recognition functions, thereby identifying target objects in the image information. Furthermore, the classification module in the second chip can call the corresponding dedicated perception algorithm model to accurately classify the target objects in the image information. Finally, the tracking module in the second chip can continuously track the target objects, obtain their motion trajectory and status information, thereby determining the electrical signal carrying the image data and sending the electrical signal carrying the image data to the first photoelectric conversion module through the PCIe interface.

[0128] In addition, the second chip can also send electrical signals carrying image data to the first chip via an Ethernet interface and / or an SPI interface.

[0129] It should be noted that the road cutting function provided in this application embodiment refers to the technology of using image processing algorithms to identify road areas in an image and distinguish the road from the surrounding environment; the target detection and recognition function refers to the ability of the second chip to identify targets such as vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic signs in an image and classify and locate them by applying advanced technologies such as deep learning.

[0130] In some embodiments, the first chip of the vehicle controller can determine the electrical signal carrying the control command based on the electrical signal carrying the measurement data and the electrical signal carrying the image data, and output the electrical signal carrying the control command to the first photoelectric conversion module.

[0131] For example, the first chip can employ a visual radar fusion algorithm to fuse image data and measurement data (e.g., radar detection results, vehicle acceleration and angular velocity) to obtain perception results. Furthermore, the first chip can employ a planning and control algorithm to plan and calculate the vehicle's path by combining the vehicle's motion state, target information, and the fused perception results. Simultaneously, based on the path planning, the first chip can also formulate corresponding control commands according to the vehicle's real-time state, environmental information, and path planning results, and output an electrical signal carrying the control command to the first photoelectric conversion module.

[0132] The perception results may include the target position, target velocity, and collision time.

[0133] It should be understood that the first photoelectric conversion module of the vehicle controller can achieve bidirectional photoelectric conversion. That is to say, when the first photoelectric conversion module receives an electrical signal carrying image data and an electrical signal carrying the control command, it can convert the two electrical signals into their respective corresponding optical signals.

[0134] Optionally, the electrical signal carrying image data also carries identification information of the image data; the electrical signal carrying control commands also carries identification information of the control commands.

[0135] The identification information can be the identity document (ID) of the corresponding data.

[0136] For example, the first photoelectric conversion module can send an optical signal carrying the image data to the corresponding display according to the ID carried by the image data, and send an optical signal carrying the control command to the corresponding actuator according to the ID carried by the control command, thereby realizing the control of the entire vehicle and ensuring the stability and safety of vehicle driving.

[0137] The following is combined with Figure 6 This application describes yet another vehicle control method provided in its embodiments.

[0138] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a vehicle control method provided in an embodiment of this application. Of course, the entity performing the actions in this method can also be a vehicle controller; this embodiment does not specifically limit this. It should be noted that the steps in this embodiment are logical relationships and do not imply a strict sequential order.

[0139] For example, such asFigure 6 As shown, the vehicle control method provided in this application includes:

[0140] Step 601: The on-board device sends a first optical signal to the vehicle controller. Correspondingly, the vehicle controller receives the first optical signal from the on-board device.

[0141] The first optical signal is an optical signal carrying sensing data of the vehicle's surroundings.

[0142] It should be understood that the on-board equipment can send the first optical signal to the vehicle controller through the fiber optic network. Upon receiving the first optical signal from the on-board equipment, the fiber optic network can output the first optical signal to the vehicle controller in a timely and orderly manner through the distribution mechanism defined by the networking scheme.

[0143] For details, please refer to step 501 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0144] Step 602: The vehicle controller converts the first optical signal into an electrical signal carrying the sensing data.

[0145] For details, please refer to step 502 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0146] Step 603: The vehicle controller determines the target light signal carrying image data and control commands based on the electrical signal carrying the sensing data.

[0147] For details, please refer to step 503 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0148] Step 604: The vehicle controller outputs a target optical signal to the on-board equipment. Correspondingly, the on-board equipment receives the target optical signal from the vehicle controller.

[0149] It should be understood that the vehicle controller can send target optical signals to the on-board equipment via a fiber optic network.

[0150] For details, please refer to step 503 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0151] Step 605: The vehicle-mounted equipment displays image data based on the target light signal.

[0152] In some embodiments, when the in-vehicle device is a display, the second photoelectric conversion module integrated in the display can convert the received target light signal into an electrical signal, thereby analyzing the panoramic image video of the vehicle and displaying it on the screen of the display.

[0153] Step 606: The vehicle-mounted equipment executes control commands based on the target optical signal.

[0154] In some embodiments, when the on-board device is an actuator, the second photoelectric conversion module integrated in the actuator can convert the received target light signal into an electrical signal, and then perform corresponding operations on the vehicle according to the control command.

[0155] This application provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to execute the vehicle control method described in the above method embodiments.

[0156] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the vehicle control method in the method flow shown in the above method embodiments.

[0157] The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: electrical connections having one or more wires; portable computer disks; hard disks; random access memory (RAM); read-only memory (ROM); erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM); registers; hard disks; optical fibers; compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM); optical storage devices; magnetic storage devices; or any suitable combination thereof; or any other form of computer-readable storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium may also be a component of the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In some embodiments, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that contains or stores a program that may be used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0158] Embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product containing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform actions such as... Figure 5 and Figure 6 Vehicle control methods in [the context of the text].

[0159] Since the computer-readable storage medium and computer program product in the embodiments of the present invention can be applied to the above methods, the technical effects obtained can also be referred to the above method embodiments, and the embodiments of the present invention will not be repeated here.

[0160] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0161] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0162] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0163] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle controller, characterized in that, The vehicle controller communicates with the on-board equipment via a fiber optic network. The vehicle controller includes: A first chip and a second chip, wherein the first chip is used to implement a first function and the second chip is used to implement a second function; The first photoelectric conversion module, the first chip and the second chip are connected to the vehicle's optical fiber network through the first photoelectric conversion module.

2. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first function includes at least one of the control functions of the vehicle control domain, the control functions of the cockpit domain, and the control functions of the intelligent driving domain; and / or, the second function includes at least one of the control functions of the vehicle control domain, the control functions of the cockpit domain, and the control functions of the intelligent driving domain.

3. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first chip has control functions for the vehicle control domain; the second chip has control functions for the cockpit domain and the intelligent driving domain.

4. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first chip is coupled to the first photoelectric conversion module via an SPI interface.

5. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second chip is coupled to the first photoelectric conversion module via a PCIe interface.

6. The vehicle controller according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The first chip and the second chip communicate with each other via an Ethernet interface and / or an SPI interface.

7. The vehicle controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted device includes at least a camera; the first chip is used to receive a first electrical signal carrying image information sent by the camera through the first photoelectric conversion module.

8. The vehicle controller according to claim 7, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted device includes at least a display; the first chip is also used to send a second electrical signal carrying the image information to the display through the first photoelectric conversion module.

9. The vehicle controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted device includes at least a sensor; the second chip is used to receive a third electrical signal carrying measurement data sent by the sensor through the first photoelectric conversion module.

10. The vehicle controller according to claim 9, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted device includes at least an actuator, and the second chip is also used to send a fourth electrical signal carrying control commands to the actuator through the first photoelectric conversion module.

11. The vehicle controller according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The first photoelectric conversion module includes an optical line terminal (OLT).

12. A vehicle-mounted communication system, characterized in that, include: Fiber optic networks; Vehicle-mounted equipment; The vehicle controller as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the vehicle controller is communicatively connected to the on-board equipment via the fiber optic network.

13. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 12, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted communication system also includes: The second photoelectric conversion module is connected between the vehicle-mounted device and the optical fiber network. It is used to convert optical signals from the optical fiber network into electrical signals and output them to the vehicle-mounted device, and to convert electrical signals from the vehicle-mounted device into optical signals and output them to the optical fiber network.

14. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 13, characterized in that, The second photoelectric conversion module is integrated into the vehicle-mounted device.

15. The vehicle-mounted communication system according to claim 13, characterized in that, The second photoelectric conversion module includes an optical network unit (ONU).

16. A vehicle, characterized in that, Including the vehicle communication system as described in any one of claims 12 to 15.

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