Millimeter wave radar rapid replacement method based on hot plug mode

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for quickly replacing a millimeter wave radar based on a hot plug mode, and the method employs an automatic program unloading unit, a radar connection validity automatic judgment unit, a radar drive automatic matching unit, and a drive program automatic installation unit. According to the invention, safe and rapid replacement of the millimeter wave radar in the hot plug mode can be effectively realized, data loss and damage are avoided, continuity and integrity of the data are guaranteed, and reliability and safety of the system are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of intelligent equipment sensing technology and equipment maintenance, specifically to a method for fault repair and rapid replacement of millimeter-wave radar based on hot-swappable mode. Background Technology

[0002] As a core sensing component of intelligent equipment such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Industrial AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), and Intelligent Inspection Robots, the stability of millimeter-wave radar directly affects the environmental detection accuracy, target tracking reliability, and path planning rationality of the equipment. When millimeter-wave radar operates continuously for extended periods in complex environments with strong electromagnetic interference, high vibration and shock frequencies, and wide temperature and humidity fluctuations, its hardware failure probability is significantly higher than in conventional scenarios.

[0003] Currently, millimeter-wave radar replacement operations typically require shutting down the entire system's power supply. However, this replacement method has significant limitations and cannot meet the demands of intelligent systems for rapid repair and continuous operation. Specific problems are as follows: (1) High risk of system function interruption: When the millimeter-wave radar malfunctions and needs to be replaced, the main power supply of the system must be turned off before the operation. This will force other electronic modules (such as navigation units, control centers, communication modules, etc.) to stop working. This operation is not only cumbersome and prolongs the replacement cycle, but may also directly interrupt the tasks being performed by the system, interfering with the overall system operation process.

[0004] (2) Data integrity cannot be guaranteed: During power outages or physical disassembly of millimeter-wave radar, if the system is in the transmission or storage stage of millimeter-wave radar target information (such as target distance, speed, and angle), problems such as data truncation, verification failure, or damage to the storage medium are very likely to occur, resulting in the loss of key detection data and ultimately affecting the accuracy of subsequent system decisions.

[0005] (3) Different models of millimeter-wave radar differ in hardware interface definitions, data communication protocols, and driver versions. During replacement, if the spare millimeter-wave radar is different from the damaged one, maintenance personnel need to confirm the radar model and manually load the compatible driver. This is not only inefficient but also prone to causing the radar to fail to connect to the system and function properly due to model misjudgment or driver version mismatch.

[0006] (4) Limited adaptability to different scenarios: Existing power-off replacement methods can only be implemented when the system is stationary, which cannot meet the needs of dynamic scenarios. If a power-off replacement is forcibly performed in dynamic scenarios such as equipment movement or maneuvering, the equipment will lose its core perception capabilities, which may lead to safety risks or accidents such as collisions or target loss; on the other hand, if the replacement is carried out after the system comes to a standstill, it will cause delays in the execution of system tasks, further expanding the scope of the failure's impact on system operations.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a rapid replacement method for millimeter-wave radar that can effectively avoid the above problems and ensure the continuity of system mission execution. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies in handling complex scenarios by providing a method for rapid replacement of millimeter-wave radar based on hot-swappable mode. This method utilizes an automatic program unloading unit, an automatic radar connection validity determination unit, an automatic radar driver matching unit, and an automatic driver installation unit to effectively achieve safe and rapid replacement of millimeter-wave radar in hot-swappable mode while avoiding data loss or damage, ensuring data continuity and integrity, and thus improving the reliability and security of the system.

[0009] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following approach: A method for rapid replacement of millimeter-wave radar based on hot-swap mode includes the following steps: 1) In a system equipped with millimeter-wave radar, set up an automatic driver uninstallation unit, an automatic radar connection validity determination unit, an automatic radar driver matching unit, and an automatic driver installation unit. 2) When a malfunction is detected in the radar, the radar is disassembled without shutting down the equipment power. At the same time, the system's automatic driver uninstallation unit triggers the driver uninstallation program to uninstall the radar's driver. 3) Insert the new millimeter-wave radar into the radar interface, and use the radar connection validity determination unit to determine the validity of the connection between the radar and the radar interface; 4) The system acquires the CAN message sent by the new millimeter-wave radar through the CAN communication bus, and uses the radar drive automatic matching unit to analyze the frame ID and specific data bits to extract radar category feature values ​​in order to match the basic information of the radar. 5) Based on the basic information of the new millimeter-wave radar, the system automatically retrieves and loads the driver matching the radar through the driver automatic installation unit, and completes the logical association configuration between the radar and the driver.

[0010] Preferably, after the driver is loaded, the equipment system acquires new millimeter-wave radar target information in real time, and monitors and manages the driver in real time to ensure the stable operation of the equipment.

[0011] Preferably, in step 3), the automatic radar connection validity determination unit uses physical connection parameters to determine the connection validity between the millimeter-wave radar and the radar interface. These physical connection parameters include pin contact integrity and circuit continuity, specifically including: 3-1) If the radar connection validity determination unit detects that the interface pins are completely connected without any loose connections and the circuit continuity is normal, then the millimeter-wave radar is determined to be connected to the interface. 3-2) If the radar connection validity determination unit detects that there is a problem such as poor pin contact, circuit break or short circuit in the radar interface, the current radar connection is determined to be invalid.

[0012] Preferably, in step 4), the basic information of the radar includes the product model and specifications, the frame ID range of the radar message, and the message data structure.

[0013] Preferably, the target information of the new millimeter-wave radar includes the distance between the target and the millimeter-wave radar, the target's moving speed, and the target's angle relative to the millimeter-wave radar.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: (1) This invention, by constructing a hot-swappable core mechanism for device connection judgment and intelligent management, can effectively enable the plugging and replacement of millimeter-wave radar without interrupting system power. On the one hand, it eliminates the cumbersome process of system power-off and restart in the traditional replacement process, simplifying the replacement operation from multi-step power-off maintenance to direct plug-and-play adaptation, significantly reducing operational complexity. On the other hand, it can effectively avoid the interruption of operation of other related electronic modules or devices during power-off, ensuring the continuity of system operation. It is especially suitable for the high efficiency requirements of system maintenance in complex environments and can quickly respond to the fault handling needs of millimeter-wave radar.

[0015] (2) The method described in this invention can automatically uninstall the corresponding driver to release resources when a faulty millimeter-wave radar is removed, through a real-time driver management mechanism, thus avoiding data link conflicts caused by driver remnants or resource occupation. When a new millimeter-wave radar is inserted, the data link is connected through CAN message frame parsing, model identification, and rapid driver loading, ensuring that the radar can immediately transmit target information to the system after startup. In other words, the method of this invention can effectively ensure the continuity and integrity of data, effectively avoiding the problems of data loss, damage, or link interruption caused by the lack of effective control over the data link in traditional replacement modes, and reducing the degree of data security risk.

[0016] (3) This invention analyzes the CAN message frames sent by the millimeter-wave radar, extracts radar category feature values, and obtains core information such as the product model specifications, frame ID range, and message data structure of the millimeter-wave radar. It automatically calls the matching driver to complete the loading without manual intervention and debugging, breaking the dependence of traditional devices on specific radar models, realizing compatibility with different models of millimeter-wave radar, and improving the flexibility of the device.

[0017] (4) By judging the connection validity between the millimeter-wave radar and the radar interface, this invention can effectively ensure the physical connection stability during millimeter-wave radar insertion and avoid circuit failures caused by poor contact. Simultaneously, real-time monitoring and management of the driver program can effectively ensure the normal operation of the equipment's core functions during insertion and removal, ensuring that the system can still complete the replacement of the millimeter-wave radar while executing tasks, effectively reducing safety hazards caused by equipment failure. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, a method for rapid replacement of millimeter-wave radar based on hot-swap mode includes the following steps: 1) In a system equipped with millimeter-wave radar, an automatic driver uninstallation unit, an automatic radar connection validity determination unit, an automatic radar driver matching unit, and an automatic driver installation unit are configured. Specifically, the automatic driver uninstallation unit uninstalls the corresponding driver for the removed radar during the removal process; the automatic radar connection validity determination unit determines the validity of a radar connection inserted without power interruption; the automatic radar driver matching unit extracts and matches the information of a new radar after its insertion, querying for the corresponding driver; and the automatic driver installation unit automatically retrieves and loads the driver that matches the radar.

[0020] 2) During system operation, the system monitors the millimeter-wave radar's operating parameters (such as signal strength, data frame transmission frequency, bit error rate, etc.) in real time. Once a fault signal is detected, the system will alert the operator that the radar is faulty and needs to be replaced. Upon seeing the fault message, the operator can remove the radar without turning off the equipment's power. Simultaneously, once the system detects that the radar has been removed, the automatic driver uninstallation unit will trigger the automatic uninstallation program to completely remove the millimeter-wave radar driver from the system. A prompt will then appear, instructing the operator to insert a brand-new millimeter-wave radar (i.e., a tested and confirmed fault-free millimeter-wave radar) into the radar interface. The automatic uninstallation procedure for the millimeter-wave radar driver includes: 2-1) Release the memory and hardware port resources occupied by the faulty millimeter-wave radar; 2-2) Terminate the data transmission link related to the faulty radar to avoid interference with the data links of other sensing modules; 2-3) Generate unload logs and store them in the equipment's local database for easy troubleshooting later.

[0021] 3) When the operator inserts a brand-new millimeter-wave radar (i.e., a millimeter-wave radar that has been tested and confirmed to be fault-free) into the radar interface, once the system detects that the millimeter-wave radar has been inserted into the system's radar interface, it will prompt the radar connection validity automatic determination unit to read the physical connection parameters of the radar interface (such as pin contact integrity, circuit continuity, etc.). The radar connection validity automatic determination unit uses the physical connection parameters to determine the connection validity between the millimeter-wave radar and the radar interface, specifically including: 3-1) If the radar connection validity determination unit detects that the interface pins are completely connected without any loose connections and the circuit continuity is normal, then the millimeter-wave radar is determined to be connected to the interface. 3-2) If the radar connection validity automatic determination unit detects that there is poor pin contact, circuit break or short circuit in the radar interface, it determines that the current radar connection is invalid and the staff needs to be prompted to replug and adjust the interface.

[0022] It is important to note that when the system prompts the staff to reconnect and adjust the interface, the staff must reconnect and reconnect the millimeter-wave radar until the system determines that the millimeter-wave radar is effectively connected to the interface and that the replaced millimeter-wave radar is correctly recognized by the system. Only then will the system proceed to the next step. If the system cannot correctly recognize the millimeter-wave radar, repeat step 2).

[0023] 4) After confirming a valid connection between the millimeter-wave radar and the interface, the system acquires CAN messages sent by the new millimeter-wave radar via the CAN communication bus. The system then uses the radar driver automatic matching unit to analyze the frame ID and specific data bits, extracting radar category feature values ​​to match the radar's basic information (e.g., product model specifications, frame ID range of the radar message, and message data structure). Once the radar driver automatic matching unit obtains the radar's basic information, it automatically searches for the corresponding driver in the system's existing radar driver library and sends the driver's version number and other specific information to the driver automatic installation unit for correct installation of the subsequent radar driver.

[0024] 5) The driver auto-installation unit automatically retrieves and loads the driver matching the radar from the driver library, and automatically completes the logical association configuration between the new millimeter-wave radar and the driver, specifically including: 5-1) Bind the driver to the hardware port of the new radar; 5-2) Set an appropriate data transmission baud rate; 5-3) Synchronously update the parameter configuration of the device sensing system, etc.

[0025] After the driver is loaded, the system resumes real-time acquisition of target information from the millimeter-wave radar, including the distance between the target and the radar, the target's moving speed, and the target's angle relative to the radar. This data is transmitted in real-time to the equipment control center to facilitate subsequent system decisions and mission execution. Simultaneously, the driver is monitored and managed in real-time to ensure the stable operation of the entire system.

[0026] In summary, the present invention, through the above-described method, can effectively ensure that the core functions of the system are not interrupted and data is not lost during the replacement of millimeter-wave radar, fully meeting the requirements of missions in complex scenarios for system reliability and real-time performance.

[0027] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications made to the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for rapid replacement of millimeter-wave radar based on hot-swappable mode, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: 1) In a system equipped with millimeter-wave radar, set up an automatic driver uninstallation unit, an automatic radar connection validity determination unit, an automatic radar driver matching unit, and an automatic driver installation unit. 2) When a malfunction is detected in the radar, the radar is disassembled without shutting down the equipment power. At the same time, the system's automatic driver uninstallation unit triggers the driver uninstallation program to uninstall the radar's driver. 3) Insert the new millimeter-wave radar into the radar interface, and use the radar connection validity determination unit to determine the validity of the connection between the radar and the radar interface; 4) The system acquires the CAN message sent by the new millimeter-wave radar through the CAN communication bus, and uses the radar drive automatic matching unit to analyze the frame ID and specific data bits to extract radar category feature values ​​in order to match the basic information of the radar. 5) Based on the basic information of the new millimeter-wave radar, the system automatically retrieves and loads the driver matching the radar through the driver automatic installation unit, and completes the logical association configuration between the radar and the driver.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the driver is loaded, the equipment system acquires new millimeter-wave radar target information in real time, and monitors and manages the driver in real time to ensure the stable operation of the equipment.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 3), the automatic radar connection validity determination unit uses physical connection parameters to determine the connection validity between the millimeter-wave radar and the radar interface. These physical connection parameters include pin contact integrity and circuit continuity, specifically including: 3-1) If the radar connection validity determination unit detects that the interface pins are completely connected without any loose connections and the circuit continuity is normal, then the millimeter-wave radar is determined to be connected to the interface. 3-2) If the radar connection validity determination unit detects that there is a problem such as poor pin contact, circuit break or short circuit in the radar interface, the current radar connection is determined to be invalid.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 4), the basic information of the radar includes the product model and specifications, the frame ID range of the radar message, and the message data structure.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The target information of the new millimeter-wave radar includes the distance between the target and the millimeter-wave radar, the target's moving speed, and the target's angle relative to the millimeter-wave radar.

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