Parameter-configurable video stream AVTP packet generation device, control method and vehicle-mounted test system

Abstract

The invention provides a parameter-configurable video stream AVTP packet generation device, a control method and a vehicle-mounted test system, and belongs to the technical field of vehicle-mounted network test. The device adopts an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) chip integrated with an ARM (Advanced RISC Machines) processor and programmable logic to construct a soft- Wherein the ARM processor runs a Linux system and provides a human-computer interaction interface to receive parameter configuration; and the programmable logic part of the FPGA is used for realizing a plurality of hardware modules such as parameter management, legend generation, video processing, AVTP packaging and Ethernet transmission. Through configuration, a legend, a resolution ratio, a frame rate, a network address, a Stream ID and a timestamp mode of a video stream can be dynamically set, and various vehicle-mounted physical interface outputs are supported. The method can efficiently simulate the real vehicle-mounted multimedia stream, and is widely applied to the development, debugging and aging test of the domain controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle network communication technology, specifically to a parameter-configurable video stream AVTP packet generation device, control method, and vehicle testing system. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of automotive intelligence and connectivity technologies, automotive Ethernet has become a core network technology for high-speed data communication in next-generation vehicle architectures, playing a crucial role, especially in multimedia data transmission between domain controllers in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and smart cockpits. The Audio and Video Transmission Protocol (AVTP, based on the IEEE 1722 standard) is a protocol specification dedicated to the synchronous transmission of audio and video streams over automotive Ethernet. The accuracy of its data packet generation, encapsulation, and transmission directly affects the performance test results of the domain controller.

[0003] Currently, in the development and testing phase of vehicle domain controllers, there is a lack of dedicated and configurable AVTP video stream generation equipment. Existing technologies mainly rely on the following two types of solutions:

[0004] General-purpose network traffic generators: These devices (such as commercial tools from Ixia or Spirent) can generate raw network packets, but they typically do not support specific fields of the AVTP protocol stack (such as Stream ID, high-precision timestamps) and cannot simulate real video stream content (such as configurable legends, video effects). Testers need to manually write scripts or rely on third-party software integration, which is cumbersome and makes it difficult to guarantee protocol compatibility.

[0005] A simple video player combined with software encapsulation: The video signal is output through a regular video player, and then AVTP encapsulation is implemented through software. While this method can generate a video stream, it has significant drawbacks:

[0006] Insufficient flexibility: The video source attributes (such as resolution, frame rate, and pixel format) are fixed and cannot be dynamically adjusted to adapt to different test scenarios (such as the display requirements of different car models).

[0007] Low precision: Software-implemented timestamps are typically in the millisecond range, which cannot meet the requirements of vehicular networks for nanosecond-level synchronization precision (such as the IEEE 802.1AS Time-Sensitive Networking Standard).

[0008] Poor reliability: The software processing is susceptible to operating system scheduling, resulting in unstable data packet transmission and an inability to simulate jitter and latency in a real vehicle environment.

[0009] The aforementioned existing technologies result in incomplete test scenario coverage, low efficiency, and an inability to effectively verify the reliability of domain controllers in complex vehicular network environments (such as multi-node, high-load, and temperature-varying conditions). Therefore, there is an urgent need in the field for a highly integrated, configurable dedicated AVTP packet generator to address the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an apparatus and control method for flexibly and accurately generating configurable AVTP video stream data packets conforming to the IEEE 1722 standard, as well as an on-board testing system including the apparatus.

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows:

[0012] A parameter-configurable AVTP packet generation device for video streams, characterized in that the device...

[0013] include:

[0014] An FPGA chip, which has an ARM processor, is used to set configuration parameters and perform human-computer interaction functions;

[0015] The parameter management module is located at the programmable logic (PL) terminal of the FPGA chip and is used to receive parameter configuration information.

[0016] The legend generation module is connected to the parameter management module and is used to generate configurable legends based on the configuration information.

[0017] A video generation module, connected to the legend generation module, is used to apply video effects to the generated legend and set the frame rate;

[0018] The AVTP packaging module, connected to the video generation module, is used to package the processed video stream and fill in configurable field information.

[0019] An Ethernet transmitting module, connected to the AVTP packetizing module, is used to send the packetized AVTP data packets out through a specified physical interface.

[0020] Furthermore, the device also includes at least one physical layer chip, the physical layer chip supporting one or more of the following interface types: 100Base-T1, 1000Base-T1, 10GBase-T1, 1G fiber optic interface, and 10G fiber optic interface; the Ethernet transmitting module is connected to the physical layer chip via an RGMII, SGMII, or USXGMII interface.

[0021] Furthermore, the ARM processor on the FPGA chip is equipped with a Linux operating system, which provides a web server function. Users can access a web interface with a specified IP address through a host computer browser to input and submit the parameter configuration information.

[0022] Furthermore, the parameter management module receives parameter configuration information from the processor system PS via the AXI4 bus.

[0023] Furthermore, the legend generation module supports generating at least one legend among colored bars, squares, and white noise; the video generation module supports applying video effects including at least one of horizontal translation, vertical translation, and adding moving blocks.

[0024] Furthermore, it also includes a video stream compression module, connected between the video generation module and the AVTP packaging module, for compressing the video stream, and supports compression formats including JPEG, M-JPEG, H.264 or uncompressed RAW image data.

[0025] Furthermore, the configurable field information includes the destination MAC address, source MAC address, Stream ID, and a hardware timestamp from the timer module.

[0026] Furthermore, the timer module has a time precision of nanoseconds, and its time information can be configured by the parameter management module to be dynamically updated or a fixed value.

[0027] Accordingly, the present invention also provides a control method for a parameter-configurable video stream AVTP packet generation device, comprising the following steps:

[0028] The processor system receives the parameter configuration information submitted by the user through the PS terminal;

[0029] The parameter configuration information is transmitted to the parameter management module at the programmable logic PL end via the AXI4 bus;

[0030] The legend generation module generates corresponding legend data based on the configuration information.

[0031] The video generation module processes the legend data and sets the output frame rate.

[0032] The processed video stream is packaged according to the IEEE 1722 protocol using the AVTP packetization module, and the configured network parameters and timer timestamps are filled in.

[0033] The AVTP data packets are sent to the vehicle network via the selected physical interface through the Ethernet transmission module.

[0034] Furthermore, it also includes the following steps:

[0035] Choose whether to enable the video stream compression module to compress the video stream based on the configuration, and select the corresponding compression format.

[0036] Accordingly, the present invention also provides an on-board testing system, the system comprising:

[0037] The above-mentioned parameters allow for the configuration of AVTP packet generators for use as test signal sources.

[0038] The vehicle domain controller to be tested is connected to the AVTP packet generator via a network;

[0039] The AVTP packet generator is used to send configurable AVTP video streams to the vehicle domain controller to test the performance and reliability of the domain controller in receiving, processing and forwarding multimedia data.

[0040] Compared with existing technologies, the configurable video stream AVTP packet generation device, control method, and vehicle-mounted testing system described in this invention have the following advantages:

[0041] High flexibility: The video source attributes and network packet parameters can be dynamically configured through the software interface, which can simulate a variety of test scenarios and improve the coverage and efficiency of vehicle domain controller testing.

[0042] High precision: Integrated nanosecond-level hardware timer provides accurate AVTP timestamps, meeting the high time synchronization requirements of in-vehicle networks.

[0043] High compatibility: Supports a variety of automotive Ethernet physical interfaces (such as 100 / 1000 / 10G Base-T1 and optical ports), which can adapt to the interface requirements of different vehicle models and domain controllers.

[0044] High integration: It adopts FPGA hardware and software co-design to highly integrate video generation, protocol processing and network transmission into a single device, with a compact structure and stable performance. Attached Figure Description

[0045] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0046] Figure 1 This is an overall system architecture diagram of the parameter-configurable video stream AVTP packet generation device in the embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing the connection relationship between the various functional modules inside the FPGA in the embodiments of this application;

[0048] Figure 3 This is a timing diagram of the AVTP packaging module processing in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the AVTP data packet format generated in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0050] 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.

[0051] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0052] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0053] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.

[0054] In the description of this application, it should be understood that 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 indicated technical features. 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, "multiple" means two or more.

[0055] Before providing a detailed description of the solution in this application, the terms used in this application are explained as follows:

[0056] FPGA: FPGA is an abbreviation for Field-Programmable Gate Array, a high-performance, reconfigurable semiconductor integrated circuit chip. Unlike application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) with fixed functions, the core advantage of FPGAs lies in the fact that their hardware logic can be programmed and configured by the user in the field to achieve specific digital circuit functions.

[0057] AVTP: AVTP is an abbreviation for Audio Video Transport Protocol. It is a protocol based on the IEEE 1722 standard for Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). It is designed to achieve high-precision synchronization and low-latency transmission of audio and video stream data on networks such as automotive Ethernet, ensuring audio-visual synchronization and deterministic latency.

[0058] PS: PS is an abbreviation for Processing System. In chips that integrate ARM processors and FPGAs, it specifically refers to the hard-core processor part, which is responsible for running the operating system (such as Linux) and handling non-real-time tasks (such as system control and parameter configuration), and works in conjunction with programmable logic (PL).

[0059] PL: PL is an abbreviation for Programmable Logic. In chips that integrate processors and FPGAs, it specifically refers to the array of logic units that can be programmed and configured by the user. It is used to implement customized hardware acceleration circuits, responsible for handling high-speed, real-time tasks (such as video stream generation and protocol packetization), and works in conjunction with the PS (Power Switch).

[0060] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0061] The purpose of this invention is to provide an AI-automated testing system and method for automotive hybrid gateways to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It deeply integrates artificial intelligence technology with domain knowledge graphs to build an intelligent testing system that can understand requirements, autonomously generate test cases, automatically execute tests, and continuously learn and optimize, thereby systematically solving the problems of protocol coverage, testing efficiency, and test coverage.

[0062] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution:

[0063] As attached Figure 1As shown, the hardware architecture of the parameter-configurable video stream AVTP packet generator provided by this invention is based on an FPGA chip integrating an ARM processor and programmable logic (PL). The ARM processor (i.e., the processor system, PS) runs the Linux operating system, which provides a human-machine interface (such as a web configuration page) and system management functions. The programmable logic (PL) part of the FPGA implements all the high-speed, real-time video stream generation, protocol encapsulation, and network transmission logic.

[0064] The device connects to a host computer (such as a PC) via an RJ45 Ethernet interface to receive parameter configuration commands from the user. The FPGA's PL (Physical Layer) interface connects to multiple physical layer (PHY) chips through various standard interfaces to support a rich set of automotive network interfaces. Specifically:

[0065] It connects to a 1000M electrical port physical layer chip through an RGMII interface to achieve gigabit communication with the host computer and to receive configuration commands.

[0066] It connects to a 100M electrical port physical layer chip through an RMII interface, ultimately providing a 100BASE-T1 output interface that conforms to automotive standards.

[0067] It connects to a second 1000M electrical port physical layer chip via another RGMII interface, providing a 1000BASE-T1 output interface.

[0068] It connects to a 1G optical physical layer chip via the SGMII interface, providing a 1G fiber optic interface.

[0069] The USXGMII interface connects to a 10G electrical physical layer chip and a 10G optical physical layer chip, respectively, providing a 10GBASE-T1 electrical interface and a 10G fiber optic interface.

[0070] This modular interface design allows the device to flexibly adapt to different vehicle network testing environments, and users can select to activate any output interface through software configuration.

[0071] As attached Figure 2 As shown, the logic function modules and data flows of the PL terminal inside the FPGA are described below:

[0072] Parameter Management Module: This module serves as the central control hub on the PL side. It receives all parameter configuration information from the "Configuration Management" module on the PS side via the AXI4 bus. These parameters include, but are not limited to: image parameters (type, resolution, frame rate), video effect parameters, compression parameters, network parameters (destination / source MAC address, Stream ID), and timestamp working mode. The parameter management module parses these configurations and distributes them to downstream functional modules.

[0073] Legend generation module: This module generates raw video frame data locally based on image parameters issued by the parameter management module. Supported legends include standard color bars, checkerboard patterns, all-white / all-black images, and solid color images with configurable colors. The generated image resolution and pixel format (such as YUV422, RGB888) can be dynamically adjusted according to configuration.

[0074] Video Generation Module: This module receives the raw video data stream from the legend generation module and applies dynamic effects to it. For example, a block moving at a specified speed and direction can be overlaid on a static legend to simulate dynamic video content. Simultaneously, this module strictly controls the frame rate of the system output to ensure that the temporal characteristics of the video stream meet the configuration requirements.

[0075] Video Stream Compression Module: This module is optional. When parameter configuration requires video stream compression, the output of the video generation module will enter this module. This module supports JPEG intra-frame compression, M-JPEG sequence compression, or H.264 video encoding. Compression algorithm, bitrate, image quality, and other parameters are all configurable. If configured as "No Compression" (RAW), the video stream will bypass this module and be sent directly to the next stage.

[0076] AVTP Packetization Module: This is the core module for protocol encapsulation. It receives video stream data from upstream (video generation module or video stream compression module) and encapsulates it according to the IEEE 1722 (AVTP) protocol specification. During encapsulation, network parameters (such as MAC address and Stream ID) are obtained from the parameter management module, and a high-precision hardware timestamp is obtained from an internal timer, which are then used to fill the AVTP protocol header. The encapsulated data packet is a complete Ethernet frame.

[0077] Ethernet Transmitting Module: This device contains multiple parallel Ethernet transmitting modules, each corresponding to a physical output interface (e.g., Figure 1(As shown). Ethernet frames generated by the AVTP packetization module are routed to designated sending modules according to the configuration. Each sending module is responsible for performing Ethernet MAC layer functions, such as adding preambles and start-of-frame delimiters, and sending data to the corresponding physical layer chip through the corresponding interface (RMII / RGMII / SGMII / USXGMII), which finally converts the data into line signals for transmission.

[0078] As attached Figure 3 As shown, the timestamp generation mechanism in this invention is as follows:

[0079] The device incorporates a dedicated internal timer at the PL pin of the FPGA. This timer, driven by a highly stable crystal clock, generates hardware timestamps with nanosecond-level precision. This timer works in conjunction with the parameter management module and the AVTP packaging module.

[0080] The parameter management module sends control commands to the internal timer based on user configuration, allowing it to be set to one of two operating modes:

[0081] Dynamic mode: The timer starts from zero or a set initial value and increments freely with the system clock. In this mode, the AVTP packet module reads the current count value from the timer in real time as the timestamp of the data packet, simulating the actual passage of time.

[0082] Static mode: The parameter management module writes a fixed time value to a timer and holds it. In this mode, all AVTP packets will carry this same fixed timestamp. This mode is mainly used for system time synchronization benchmarking or fault reproduction.

[0083] When the AVTP packetization module encapsulates the AVTP header for each video frame, it reads the current hardware timestamp from the internal timer module and fills it into the fields specified by the protocol, thereby ensuring that each data packet carries accurate time information.

[0084] As attached Figure 4 As shown, the final AVTP data packet generated by this device follows the standard protocol format and includes, from bottom to top:

[0085] Ethernet Header: Contains the destination MAC address and source MAC address configured by the parameter management module, as well as an Ethernet type field indicating that the upper-layer protocol is AVTP.

[0086] AVTP Header: This is the core of the protocol, and its fields are populated by the parameter management module and internal timers. Key fields include:

[0087] Stream ID: Identifies a unique data stream and is configured by the parameter management module.

[0088] Timestamp: Precise time information provided by an internal timer.

[0089] Information such as media type, subtype, and data length is automatically generated based on the video format and compression status.

[0090] Payload: This refers to the processed (possibly compressed) image data itself from the upstream module.

[0091] Optional FEC field: To enhance transmission reliability, forward error correction codes can be added to the end of the data packet. When FEC is enabled, the transmitting module calculates and appends FEC data based on the payload, which the receiving end can use to correct bit errors during transmission.

[0092] It should be noted that the sequence numbers of the embodiments in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0093] The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to such process, method, product, or apparatus. The terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used to distinguish different objects, etc., and do not indicate a sequence, nor do they limit "first," "second," and "third" to different types.

[0094] In the description of the embodiments of this application, terms such as "exemplary," "for example," or "for instance" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary," "for example," or "for instance" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary," "for example," or "for instance" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0095] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or". For example, A / B can mean A or B. The "and / or" in the text is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, in the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more.

[0096] In some processes described in the embodiments of this application, multiple operations or steps are included in a specific order. However, it should be understood that these operations or steps may not be executed in the order they appear in the embodiments of this application, or they may be executed in parallel. The sequence number of the operation is only used to distinguish different operations, and the sequence number itself does not represent any execution order. In addition, these processes may include more or fewer operations, and these operations or steps may be executed sequentially or in parallel, and these operations or steps may be combined.

[0097] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) as described above, and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0098] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A parameter-configurable AVTP packet generation device for video streams, characterized in that, The device include: An FPGA chip, which has an ARM processor, is used to set configuration parameters and perform human-computer interaction functions; The parameter management module is located at the programmable logic (PL) terminal of the FPGA chip and is used to receive parameter configuration information. The legend generation module is connected to the parameter management module and is used to generate configurable legends based on the configuration information. A video generation module, connected to the legend generation module, is used to apply video effects to the generated legend and set the frame rate; The AVTP packaging module, connected to the video generation module, is used to package the processed video stream and fill in configurable field information. An Ethernet transmitting module, connected to the AVTP packetizing module, is used to send the packetized AVTP data packets out through a specified physical interface.

2. The configurable video stream AVTP packet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes at least one physical layer chip, the physical layer chip supporting one or more of the following interface types: 100Base-T1, 1000Base-T1, 10GBase-T1, 1G fiber optic interface, and 10G fiber optic interface; the Ethernet transmission module is connected to the physical layer chip through an RGMII, SGMII, or USXGMII interface.

3. The configurable video stream AVTP packet generator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ARM processor on the FPGA chip is equipped with a Linux operating system. The Linux operating system on the ARM processor provides web server functionality. Users can access a web interface with a specified IP address through a host computer browser to input and submit the parameter configuration information.

4. The configurable video stream AVTP packet generator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The parameter management module receives parameter configuration information from the processor system PS via the AXI4 bus.

5. The configurable video stream AVTP packet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The legend generation module supports generating at least one legend among colored bars, squares, and white noise; the video generation module supports applying video effects including at least one of horizontal translation, vertical translation, and adding moving blocks.

6. The configurable video stream AVTP packet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a video stream compression module, connected between the video generation module and the AVTP packaging module, for compressing the video stream. Supported compression formats include JPEG, M-JPEG, H.264 or uncompressed RAW image data.

7. The configurable video stream AVTP packet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The configurable fields include the destination MAC address, source MAC address, Stream ID, and a hardware timestamp from the timer module.

8. The configurable video stream AVTP packet generator according to claim 7, characterized in that, The timer module has a time precision of nanoseconds, and its time information can be configured by the parameter management module to be dynamically updated or fixed.

9. A control method for a video stream AVTP packet generation device with configurable parameters according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The method includes: The processor system receives the parameter configuration information submitted by the user through the PS terminal; The parameter configuration information is transmitted to the parameter management module at the programmable logic PL end via the AXI4 bus; The legend generation module generates corresponding legend data based on the configuration information. The video generation module processes the legend data and sets the output frame rate. The processed video stream is packaged according to the IEEE 1722 protocol using the AVTP packetization module, and the configured network parameters and timer timestamps are filled in. The AVTP data packets are sent to the vehicle network via the selected physical interface through the Ethernet transmission module.

10. The control method for a parameter-configurable video stream AVTP packet generation device according to claim 9 further includes the following steps: Choose whether to enable the video stream compression module to compress the video stream based on the configuration, and select the corresponding compression format.

11. A vehicle-mounted testing system, characterized in that, The system includes: The parameter-configurable video stream AVTP packet generator as described in any one of claims 1-8 is used as a test signal source; The vehicle domain controller to be tested is connected to the AVTP packet generator via a network; The AVTP packet generator is used to send configurable AVTP video streams to the vehicle domain controller to test the performance and reliability of the domain controller in receiving, processing and forwarding multimedia data.

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