Ethernet communication method, electronic device, system, and vehicle

Abstract

The application provides an Ethernet communication method, an electronic device, a system and a vehicle, which are applied to a domain controller. The method comprises the following steps: generating a target Ethernet frame based on a target identifier; and sending the target Ethernet frame to a signal branching unit, so that the signal branching unit sends the target Ethernet frame to a plurality of terminal devices. Any terminal device compares whether the target identifier is consistent with a pre-stored identifier of the terminal device, and submits the target Ethernet frame to an upper application module if the target identifier is consistent with the pre-stored identifier, otherwise, discards the target Ethernet frame. Through the terminal device filtering the data frame based on the target identifier, the plurality of terminal devices can independently and without interference receive respective data in the case of sharing the same physical link, so that an independent communication channel is constructed, and the cost and reliability problems caused by configuring a plurality of wire harnesses or integrating a switching chip in the terminal are avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, specifically to an Ethernet communication method, electronic device, system, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of smart cars and IoT technology, domain controllers need to communicate with multiple terminal devices (such as in-vehicle displays).

[0003] Currently, in related technologies, the common solution for communication between domain controllers and terminal devices is point-to-point independent wiring harness connection, that is, the domain controller sets up an Ethernet port and independent cable for each terminal device.

[0004] However, point-to-point solutions require laying separate Ethernet harnesses for each terminal device, resulting in a large number of harnesses, high costs, and complex wiring. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method that can enable the domain controller to communicate independently with multiple terminal devices without significantly increasing the complexity and cost of the screen. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, this application aims to provide an Ethernet communication method, electronic device, system, and vehicle to solve the problem of how to achieve independent and reliable communication between a domain controller and multiple terminal devices without increasing the complexity of the terminal screen using a single Ethernet physical link.

[0006] The first aspect of this application provides an Ethernet communication method applied to a domain controller, the method comprising: Generate the target Ethernet frame based on the target identifier; The target Ethernet frame is sent to the signal splitting unit, so that the signal splitting unit sends the target Ethernet frame to multiple terminal devices, so that any terminal device can determine whether the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier. If the target identifier is consistent with the pre-stored identifier, the terminal device submits the target Ethernet frame to the upper layer application module, and if the target identifier is inconsistent with the pre-stored identifier, the target Ethernet frame is discarded.

[0007] In one possible implementation of this application, before sending the target Ethernet frame to the signal splitting unit, the method further includes: Divide each terminal device into multiple downlink time slots; Sending the target Ethernet frame to the signal splitter unit includes: Within the downlink time slot corresponding to the target terminal device, the target Ethernet frame is sent to the signal splitting unit; the target terminal device is a terminal device whose pre-stored identifier is consistent with the target identifier.

[0008] In one possible implementation of this application, the method further includes: Generate a token frame based on the target identifier; After the downlink time slot ends, an uplink time slot is created, and a token frame is sent to the signal splitting unit so that the signal splitting unit can send the token frame to multiple terminal devices so that any terminal device can determine whether the target identifier in the token frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier. Within the uplink slot, uplink data sent by the target terminal device is received through the signal splitting unit; the uplink data is sent by the target terminal device after determining that the target identifier matches the pre-stored identifier.

[0009] In one possible implementation of this application, after receiving uplink data sent by the target terminal device through the signal splitting unit, the method further includes: The uplink data is parsed, and the operating status of the target terminal device is determined based on the parsed uplink data. The status information of the target terminal device is then updated. The uplink data includes at least one of heartbeat frames, status frames, or acknowledgment frames.

[0010] In one possible implementation of this application, the target identifier is a media access control address or a virtual LAN label.

[0011] A second aspect of this application provides an Ethernet communication method applicable to any terminal device, the method comprising: Receive the target Ethernet frame sent by the signal splitting unit, wherein the target Ethernet frame is generated by the domain controller based on the target identifier and sent to the signal splitting unit; Determine whether the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame matches the pre-stored identifier; If the target identifier matches the pre-stored identifier, the target Ethernet is submitted to the upper-layer application module; If the target identifier does not match the pre-stored identifier, the target Ethernet frame will be discarded.

[0012] In one possible implementation of this application, after receiving the target Ethernet frame sent by the signal splitting unit, the method further includes: Receive the token frame sent by the signal splitter unit; the token frame is generated and sent by the domain controller based on the target identifier; Determine whether the target identifier in the token frame matches the pre-stored identifier; If the target identifier in the token frame matches the pre-stored identifier, then uplink data is sent to the domain controller through the signal splitting unit within the uplink time slot; the uplink time slot is created by the domain controller after the downlink time slot ends.

[0013] In one possible implementation of this application, the uplink data includes at least one of a heartbeat frame, a status frame, or an acknowledgment frame, and the domain controller is also used to update the status information of the terminal device based on the uplink data.

[0014] In one possible implementation of this application, the target identifier is a media access control address or a virtual LAN label.

[0015] A third aspect of this application provides an electronic device, comprising: a processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the processor; wherein the memory stores a computer program executable by the processor, the computer program being executed by the processor to cause the processor to perform the Ethernet communication method of the first aspect and possible implementations thereof, or the Ethernet communication method of the second aspect and possible implementations thereof.

[0016] The fourth aspect of this application provides an Ethernet communication system, including: a domain controller, a signal splitting unit, and multiple terminal devices; one end of the signal splitting unit is connected to the domain controller, and the other end of the signal splitting unit is connected to the multiple terminal devices respectively; the domain controller is used to execute the Ethernet communication method as described in the first aspect and possible implementations thereof; the terminal devices are used to execute the Ethernet communication method as described in the second aspect and possible implementations thereof.

[0017] The fifth aspect of this application provides a vehicle including an Ethernet communication system as described in the fourth aspect.

[0018] The Ethernet communication method, electronic device, system, and vehicle provided in this application involve a domain controller generating and sending a target Ethernet frame based on a target identifier. Terminal devices compare the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame with their own pre-stored identifier. Only when the identifiers match is the frame submitted to the upper-layer application module for processing; otherwise, it is discarded. This allows multiple terminal devices sharing the same physical link to process only their own data frames. Logically, this constructs mutually isolated independent communication channels, eliminating the need for separate point-to-point wiring harnesses for each terminal device and the integration of switching chips on the terminal device side. This effectively reduces system cost and hardware complexity while improving the determinism and reliability of communication. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments or related technologies of this application, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or related technologies 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.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an Ethernet communication system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the Ethernet communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 .

[0022] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the Ethernet communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 .

[0023] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the Ethernet communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 .

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0025] 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.

[0026] In the field of vehicle electronic and electrical architecture, to achieve Ethernet communication between a domain controller and multiple intelligent interactive displays, two common solutions are point-to-point independent wiring harness connections or daisy-chain cascading connections. The point-to-point solution configures each display with an independent Ethernet physical port and dedicated cable, ensuring that each display has a communication channel that does not interfere with others. The daisy-chain solution utilizes the switching chip integrated within the display to forward data cascadingly to subsequent devices via a single cable.

[0027] However, point-to-point solutions require domain controllers to provide more Ethernet ports, increasing the number, weight, and cost of wiring harnesses and occupying more in-vehicle wiring space. Daisy-chain solutions rely on switching chips to forward data frames to maintain logical isolation under the shared link, but the switching chips themselves become a reliability bottleneck and a source of cost. For example, in a scenario where there is an interactive screen on each side of the front of the vehicle, the point-to-point solution requires two Ethernet cables and two physical layer interfaces of the domain controller, occupying more wiring channels. In contrast, the daisy-chain solution may cause a complete interruption of communication between the second screen due to a faulty switching circuit of the first screen, and each screen must bear the material cost and power consumption brought by the switching chip.

[0028] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes a different technical approach. The core inventive concept of this application lies in: a domain controller generating and sending a target Ethernet frame based on a target identifier; and a terminal device comparing the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame with its own pre-stored identifier. Only when the identifiers match is the frame submitted to the upper-layer application module for processing; otherwise, it is discarded. This allows multiple terminal devices sharing the same physical link to each process only their own data frames. Consequently, logically isolated independent communication channels are constructed, eliminating the need for separate point-to-point wiring harnesses for each terminal device and the integration of switching chips on the terminal device side. This effectively reduces system cost and hardware complexity while improving the determinism and reliability of communication.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an Ethernet communication system according to an embodiment of this application. The Ethernet communication system includes a domain controller 101, a signal splitting unit 102, and multiple terminal devices 103.

[0030] Among them, the domain controller 101, as the master control node of the entire system, is responsible for generating and scheduling data frames sent to each terminal device 103, and receiving uplink data from the terminal device 103.

[0031] Domain Controller 101 integrates an Ethernet Media Access Controller and a Physical Layer Transceiver to handle protocol processing at the data link layer and physical layer. The Media Access Controller is responsible for constructing Ethernet frames according to the requirements of upper-layer applications, while the Physical Layer Transceiver converts parallel digital signals into differential analog signals suitable for transmission over cables.

[0032] The domain controller can also integrate a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) scheduling module, which is used to divide the communication time into fixed time slots and allocate dedicated downlink time slots to terminal devices 103.

[0033] One end of the signal splitting unit 102 is connected to the physical layer transceiver of the domain controller via a single physical link. This single physical link can be an unshielded twisted pair cable used to carry differential signals conforming to a specific automotive Ethernet standard.

[0034] The other end of the signal splitting unit 102 is connected to multiple terminal devices 103 via multiple branch physical links. At the physical layer, the signal splitting unit 102 copies or fans out a single signal from the domain controller 101 into multiple signals, ensuring they simultaneously reach all connected branch links. This can be implemented using a passive resistor matching network or an active signal fan-out buffer; this embodiment does not specifically limit the implementation.

[0035] Each terminal device 103 is connected to a branch port of the signal splitting unit 102 via its own independent physical link. The terminal device 103 also integrates a physical layer transceiver and a media access control controller (MAC) to receive and parse signals from the physical link and send uplink data to the domain controller 101. Each terminal device 103 is pre-assigned a unique identifier during power-on initialization or factory configuration. This identifier is stored in the terminal device's non-volatile memory and used by the MAC for frame filtering. This identifier can be a media access control address or a virtual LAN tag. Each terminal device 103 may also include an identifier filtering module for frame filtering.

[0036] During system operation, the signal generated by the domain controller 101 is transmitted to the signal splitting unit 102 via a single physical link, and then distributed by the signal splitting unit 102 to all terminal devices 103. Each terminal device 103's physical layer transceiver receives this signal from the link. When uplink data needs to be sent, the terminal device 103 sends the signal through its physical layer transceiver, which is then aggregated via branch physical links and the signal splitting unit 102 before being transmitted back to the domain controller 101 along the single physical link.

[0037] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the Ethernet communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 The execution entity in this embodiment can be... Figure 1 The domain controller in the Ethernet communication system shown in the embodiment can also be any other form of electronic device, and this application does not impose any limitations on it. Figure 2 As shown, the method includes: S201. Generate a target Ethernet frame based on the target identifier.

[0038] For example, the domain controller, as the master node of the entire Ethernet communication system, is responsible for sending data to multiple terminal devices in the system according to the needs of upper-layer applications. When sending data to a specific terminal device, the domain controller first determines the target identifier corresponding to the terminal device and constructs a standard Ethernet frame based on this target identifier.

[0039] In this embodiment, the target identifier refers to any indicator capable of distinguishing different terminal devices or different logical channels on a shared physical transmission medium. Specifically, this target identifier can refer to a globally unique Media Access Control (MAC) address, which is burned into each terminal device at the factory. Taking interactive screens as an example, the first interactive screen is configured with MAC address MAC_A, and the second interactive screen is configured with MAC address MAC_B. This target identifier can also be a broadcast MAC address, used to simultaneously send data frames to all connected terminal devices. Furthermore, this target identifier can also include a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag, i.e., a VLAN ID. For example, a domain controller can tag data frames sent to the first interactive screen with VID 100 and data frames sent to the second interactive screen with VID 200.

[0040] In one feasible implementation, the media access controller within the domain controller fills the aforementioned MAC address, broadcast address, or VLAN tag into the corresponding fields of the frame header when constructing Ethernet frames. For example, if MAC address addressing is used, the physical address of the target terminal device is filled into the target MAC address field of the Ethernet frame header; if broadcast address addressing is used, the broadcast MAC address is filled in. If VLAN tag addressing is used, a tag carrying a specific VID is inserted into the frame header.

[0041] It should be noted that both MAC addresses (including broadcast addresses) and VLAN tags are markers attached to data frames at the data link layer, but their filtering mechanisms are fundamentally different: MAC address filtering is automatically completed by the Ethernet controller's hardware, while VLAN tag filtering usually requires the upper-layer protocol stack or processor to implement it through software.

[0042] S202. Send the target Ethernet frame to the signal splitting unit so that the signal splitting unit sends the target Ethernet frame to multiple terminal devices so that any terminal device can determine whether the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier. If the target identifier is consistent with the pre-stored identifier, the terminal device submits the target Ethernet frame to the upper-layer application module. If the target identifier is inconsistent with the pre-stored identifier, the target Ethernet frame is discarded.

[0043] For example, after the domain controller completes the construction of the target Ethernet frame, its internal physical layer transceiver converts the frame into a differential analog signal conforming to a specific transmission standard. This differential signal is then transmitted to a signal splitting unit via a single physical link. This single physical link can be an unshielded twisted pair cable used to carry, for example, automotive Ethernet signals conforming to the 100BASE-T1 standard.

[0044] The signal splitting unit replicates or fans out a single signal received from the domain controller into multiple signals at the physical layer, enabling them to reach multiple terminal devices connected to its various branch ports almost simultaneously.

[0045] The signal splitter unit can be a passive device composed of a resistor matching network, such as a star connection structure consisting of three resistors with specific resistance values, the cost of which is almost the same as the wiring harness itself. Alternatively, the signal splitter unit can be an active signal fan-out buffer, such as a chip based on the 1:2 clock buffer principle, used to provide better signal driving capability and integrity. Regardless of the physical implementation used, in this embodiment, the signal splitter unit itself does not parse any protocol; it only performs the distribution of physical layer signals.

[0046] Each terminal device is connected to the signal splitter unit via an independent branch physical link. Due to the broadcast nature of the signal splitter unit, the physical layer transceiver of each terminal device receives the target Ethernet frame sent by the domain controller. Upon receiving the data frame, the media access controller inside the terminal device initiates an address filtering process. Specifically, the media access controller extracts the target identifier field from the header of the received target Ethernet frame and compares this field with a pre-stored identifier in the terminal device's non-volatile memory. This pre-stored identifier is the terminal device's unique identifier, such as its MAC address or the VLAN ID it is allowed to receive. It is important to note that when the target identifier is a MAC address, this filtering mechanism simultaneously determines whether the target MAC address is equal to the terminal device's own MAC address or equal to the broadcast MAC address. If the target MAC address is a broadcast address, it is considered a match, and the frame is received; if the target MAC address is only its own unique address, it is only received if they are equal.

[0047] When the comparison result shows that the target identifier matches the pre-stored identifier (including the case where the target identifier is a broadcast address), it indicates that the data frame was sent to this device. At this time, the terminal device's hardware filter will receive the target Ethernet frame completely and store it in the receive buffer. Subsequently, it will trigger an interrupt or submit the frame to the upper-layer application module for parsing and processing via direct memory access, such as controlling the interactive screen to display specific patterns or text.

[0048] When the comparison result shows that the target identifier does not match the pre-stored identifier, it indicates that the target of the data frame is not this device. At this time, the hardware filter will immediately discard the target Ethernet frame. The entire discarding process is completed directly by the hardware, without consuming processor computing resources or memory bandwidth, and without interfering with upper-layer applications.

[0049] In this embodiment, through the above process, although multiple terminal devices physically share the same physical link and the same signal splitter unit, each device only receives and processes data frames with its own identifier. This enables the logical construction of an independent communication channel for each device, achieving sharing at the physical layer and logical isolation at the data link layer. This solves the cost and reliability problems associated with point-to-point solutions requiring multiple wiring harnesses or daisy-chain solutions requiring the integration of switching chips at the terminal device end in related technologies.

[0050] In one feasible implementation, before step S202, the method further includes: dividing each terminal device into multiple downlink time slots; correspondingly, step S202 may include the following steps: Within the downlink time slot corresponding to the target terminal device, the target Ethernet frame is sent to the signal splitting unit; the target terminal device is a terminal device whose pre-stored identifier is consistent with the target identifier.

[0051] In one feasible implementation, a TDMA scheduling module can be integrated or configured within the domain controller. This TDMA scheduling module maintains a scheduling table that divides a complete communication cycle into multiple fixed-length time periods, each time period being referred to as a downlink time slot.

[0052] The TDMA scheduling module allocates a dedicated downlink time slot to each terminal device in the system. For example, assuming multiple terminal devices in the system are multiple interactive screens: the TDMA scheduling module can divide a communication cycle into downlink time slot T_A and downlink time slot T_B. Downlink time slot T_A is assigned to the first interactive screen, i.e., screen A; downlink time slot T_B is assigned to the second interactive screen, i.e., screen B.

[0053] For example, the domain controller only initiates the transmission process for the target Ethernet frame when the downlink time slot allocated to a particular end device arrives. When the domain controller needs to send data to screen A, the TDMA scheduling module waits for the start of downlink time slot T_A. Once downlink time slot T_A is entered, the domain controller sends the data frame with the MAC address or VLAN tag of screen A as the target through the physical layer transceiver. The domain controller will only send the data frame with the target of screen B within downlink time slot T_B.

[0054] By allocating a dedicated downlink time slot for each terminal device for communication, this embodiment of the application strictly separates the communication process of the shared physical medium in the time dimension. This design makes the downlink data transmission of the domain controller completely predictable and deterministic, fundamentally eliminating any conflicts that may be caused by the randomness of data transmission. Even if there are complex echo reflections or signal superpositions after the physical layer signal is distributed by the demultiplexing unit, the TDMA scheduling mechanism can ensure that at any given time, the bus mainly transmits data frames destined for a single, specific target. Although this frame is physically received by all devices, its target is unique. This further strengthens the independence of the logical channel and greatly improves the stability and reliability of communication.

[0055] Building upon the aforementioned deterministic downlink communication scheme based on downlink time slots, to further clarify which terminal device sends data to the domain controller in the uplink direction and at what time, thereby achieving orderly management of bidirectional communication, the method further includes the following steps after step 202: Generate a token frame based on the target identifier.

[0056] After the downlink time slot ends, an uplink time slot is created, and a token frame is sent to the signal splitting unit so that the signal splitting unit can send the token frame to multiple terminal devices so that any terminal device can determine whether the target identifier in the token frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier.

[0057] Within the uplink slot, uplink data sent by the target terminal device is received through the signal splitting unit; the uplink data is sent by the target terminal device after determining that the target identifier matches the pre-stored identifier.

[0058] For example, the domain controller generates a token frame based on the target identifier. This token frame is a special control frame that serves as an authorization credential and contains a target identifier field that indicates the target terminal device that is permitted to perform uplink data transmission.

[0059] Immediately after the downlink time slot ends, the domain controller creates an uplink time slot. This uplink time slot is a dedicated period for receiving uplink data from a specific terminal device. The domain controller then sends the generated token frame to the signaling splitter unit. The token frame is broadcast through the signaling splitter unit to all connected terminal devices. This process is similar to sending a regular data frame.

[0060] Each terminal device that receives a token frame will also have its Media Access Control (MAC) perform hardware-level address filtering. It will determine if the target identifier in the token frame matches its own pre-stored identifier. If they match, it indicates that the terminal device has obtained authorization from the domain controller. For example, after the downlink time slot T_A ends, the domain controller creates an uplink time slot T_A_UP and sends a token frame with a target identifier pointing to screen A. After receiving the token frame and confirming that the target identifier matches its own pre-stored identifier, screen A obtains transmission permission in the uplink time slot T_A_UP. Within this time slot, screen A will send the prepared uplink data back to the domain controller via its physical layer transceiver through the signal splitter unit. Meanwhile, other terminal devices, such as screen B, will remain silent in this time slot because their pre-stored identifier does not match the target identifier in the token frame, and will not send any data.

[0061] On the domain controller side, within that uplink time slot, it maintains a receiving state and receives uplink data sent by the authorized target terminal device through the signal splitting unit. The content of this uplink data can be diverse, such as at least one of heartbeat frames, status frames, or acknowledgment frames.

[0062] In this embodiment, the domain controller actively initiates a token frame carrying a specific target identifier after the downlink time slot ends, and creates a corresponding uplink time slot. This embodiment explicitly defines the initiation timing and authorized object of uplink communication. This process enables multiple terminal devices to time-division multiplex the uplink within a controlled and orderly time window. It avoids disorderly competition and signal conflicts caused by multiple terminal devices simultaneously sending uplink data to the domain controller, effectively ensuring the reliability and determinism of bidirectional communication, and is particularly suitable for vehicle real-time control systems that require periodic feedback of heartbeats or status information.

[0063] To fully utilize the uplink data reported by the terminal devices and achieve precise monitoring and management of each terminal device, this embodiment may further include the following after receiving the uplink data sent by the target terminal device: The uplink data is parsed, and the operating status of the target terminal device is determined based on the parsed uplink data. The status information of the target terminal device is then updated. The uplink data includes at least one of heartbeat frames, status frames, or acknowledgment frames.

[0064] For example, after successfully receiving an uplink data frame from the target terminal device, the domain controller parses the uplink data. The processor inside the domain controller disassembles and analyzes the payload of the uplink data frame according to a preset protocol. This uplink data includes, but is not limited to, heartbeat frames, status frames, or acknowledgment frames.

[0065] Among them, the heartbeat frame can indicate that the terminal device is still online and working normally; the status frame can carry information such as the current operating parameters, fault codes or sensor readings of the terminal device; and the acknowledgment frame is a response to the received downlink command.

[0066] The domain controller determines the operating status of the target terminal device based on the parsed uplink data. For example, if a heartbeat frame from a terminal device is not received for an extended period, the domain controller can determine that the device has experienced a communication failure or is offline. If a status frame carrying a specific fault code is received, the domain controller can determine that the terminal device's current operating mode is abnormal.

[0067] Based on the determination of the operating status, the domain controller can also update the status information corresponding to the target terminal device that it maintains internally. This status information can be read by higher-level applications on the domain controller to drive alarm indicator lights on the dashboard, display warning information on the central information display screen, or report it to the cloud server for diagnosis and maintenance via the remote communication module.

[0068] In this embodiment, by parsing uplink data and updating the status information of the corresponding terminal devices, the domain controller, acting as the master control node, can monitor the online status and health status of each terminal device in the system in real time and accurately. This provides a solid data foundation for fault diagnosis, predictive maintenance, and long-term reliable operation of the entire system.

[0069] It is worth mentioning that the above target identifier is a Media Access Control Address or Virtual LAN label.

[0070] In one feasible implementation, the target identifier in the various embodiments of this application can be a MAC address. Since most Ethernet controllers' media access control layers have hardware support for exact match filtering based on the target physical address (including broadcast addresses), this method requires no additional cost and has a fast response time. When the target MAC is a broadcast address, the hardware filter will treat it as a match, thereby enabling the domain controller to send data frames to all devices simultaneously.

[0071] In another feasible implementation, the target identifier can also be a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag. It's important to note that VLAN tag filtering typically needs to be performed in software by the terminal device's processor or upper-layer protocol stack. This is because the media access control layer hardware of ordinary Ethernet controllers does not directly provide VLAN ID-based filtering functionality (unless dedicated VLAN-aware hardware is used). Therefore, in the VLAN tag approach, the terminal device's processor needs to parse the received VLAN ID tag and compare the extracted VLAN ID with pre-stored VLAN IDs in software to determine whether to accept the frame. This approach offers greater flexibility in software configuration, allowing terminal devices to be dynamically divided into different logical groups through software definition, without relying on unique physical addresses in the hardware, making it suitable for scenarios where network structures need to be flexibly changed.

[0072] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the Ethernet communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 The execution entity in this embodiment can be... Figure 1 The terminal device in the Ethernet communication system shown in the embodiments can also be any other form of electronic device, and this application does not impose any restrictions on it. Figure 3 As shown, the method includes: S301, Receive the target Ethernet frame sent by the signal splitting unit, wherein the target Ethernet frame is generated by the domain controller based on the target identifier and sent to the signal splitting unit.

[0073] For example, as in the foregoing embodiments, the domain controller generates a target Ethernet frame based on the target identifier and sends it to a signal splitting unit. This signal splitting unit physically copies this signal and simultaneously sends it to all terminal devices on its connected branch links. Therefore, the physical layer transceiver of each terminal device in the system receives the target Ethernet frame from the branch physical link connected to it.

[0074] S302. Determine whether the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier.

[0075] For example, after the terminal device receives a signal at the physical layer, its Media Access Controller (MAC) immediately intervenes in this determination step. The device reads a pre-configured pre-stored identifier from its own non-volatile memory, which is used to uniquely identify the device in the communication network. Next, the MAC extracts the target identifier field from a specific offset position of the received frame. Subsequently, the address filtering logic circuit in the MAC compares these two values. It should be noted that when the target identifier is a MAC address, it also checks whether the target MAC is equal to its own MAC or equal to the broadcast MAC address (all Fs). If it is a broadcast address, it is considered to be consistent.

[0076] S303. If the target identifier matches the pre-stored identifier, then submit the target Ethernet to the upper-layer application module.

[0077] For example, when the comparison result is consistent, the Media Access Controller (MAC) determines that the frame is intended for this device. The address filter allows the frame to pass and stores its data completely in the on-chip receive-first-out (IF) buffer. Subsequently, the MAC submits the data in the buffer to the upper-layer application module running on the processor via interrupts, direct memory access, or other means. The upper-layer application module then parses the commands or data in the frame payload and performs corresponding operations, such as driving the display driver unit to update the display content.

[0078] S304. If the target identifier does not match the pre-stored identifier, the target Ethernet frame will be discarded.

[0079] When the comparison result is inconsistent, the address filter determines that the frame is irrelevant to this device. At this point, the media access controller immediately stops processing the frame and discards it directly without any buffering or notification to upper-layer applications. This process is completed automatically by hardware, is efficient and does not consume processor time, ensuring that this device only responds to information addressed to itself, while remaining silent about information sent to other devices.

[0080] In this embodiment, multiple terminal devices connected to the same physical link can accurately filter out the data sent to them from the shared bus signal based on a unique identifier, achieving independent reception without interference. This solves the technical problem of how terminal devices can distinguish the ownership of data frames when sharing a physical link, thereby achieving the beneficial effects of reducing wiring harness costs and equipment complexity while ensuring high reliability.

[0081] To coordinate with the domain controller's time-division multiple access scheduling mechanism and ensure orderly uplink data transmission, in one feasible implementation, this embodiment, after step S301, may further include the following steps: Receive the token frame sent by the signal splitter unit; the token frame is generated and sent by the domain controller based on the target identifier.

[0082] Determine whether the target identifier in the token frame matches the pre-stored identifier.

[0083] If the target identifier in the token frame matches the pre-stored identifier, then uplink data is sent to the domain controller through the signal splitting unit within the uplink time slot; the uplink time slot is created by the domain controller after the downlink time slot ends.

[0084] For example, the process of sending and receiving the token frame can refer to the process of sending and receiving Ethernet frames in the foregoing embodiments.

[0085] First, the terminal device receives a token frame forwarded by the signal splitter unit. This token frame is generated and sent by the domain controller based on a target identifier after a downlink time slot has ended. Upon receiving the token frame, the terminal device performs a filtering process similar to that used for data frames. Specifically, the terminal device's media access controller extracts the target identifier field from the token frame header and compares it with a pre-stored identifier.

[0086] If the target identifier in the token frame matches the device's own pre-stored identifier, the terminal device knows that the domain controller has allocated the currently created uplink time slot to itself. This uplink time slot is a dedicated time window created by the domain controller before or simultaneously with sending the token frame. Therefore, after determining that it is an authorized object, the terminal device will immediately send its uplink data to the domain controller via the physical layer transceiver and signal splitter within the effective time window of the uplink time slot. This uplink data may include at least one of heartbeat frames, status frames, or acknowledgment frames. After receiving this uplink data, the domain controller can update the terminal device's status information based on this data to achieve real-time monitoring of the device.

[0087] If the target identifier in the token frame does not match the pre-stored identifier, the terminal device will discard the token frame and keep its physical layer transceiver in a silent state during the current uplink time slot, without sending any data, thus avoiding interference with the communication of other authorized devices. These measures ensure that the uplink behavior of the terminal device is completely controlled by the time-division scheduling of the domain controller, guaranteeing the orderliness and stability of the entire communication system.

[0088] In one example, the target identifier mentioned above is a Media Access Control Address or a Virtual LAN label.

[0089] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the Ethernet communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 .

[0090] S401, the domain controller generates a target Ethernet frame based on the target identifier.

[0091] S402, The domain controller sends the target Ethernet frame to the signal splitter unit.

[0092] In one feasible implementation, the domain controller can pre-allocate multiple downlink time slots for each terminal device; correspondingly, S402 may include: sending a target Ethernet frame to the signal splitting unit in the downlink time slot corresponding to the target terminal device; the target terminal device is a terminal device whose pre-stored identifier is consistent with the target identifier.

[0093] S403, the signal splitting unit sends the target Ethernet frame to multiple terminal devices.

[0094] S404. The terminal device determines whether the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier. If the target identifier is consistent with the pre-stored identifier, the target Ethernet frame is submitted to the upper-layer application module.

[0095] In one feasible implementation, if the target identifier does not match the pre-stored identifier, the terminal device will discard the target Ethernet frame.

[0096] S405, the domain controller generates a token frame based on the target identifier and creates an uplink time slot.

[0097] The uplink slot is created after the downlink slot ends.

[0098] S406. Send a token frame to the signal splitter unit.

[0099] S407, the signal splitting unit sends the token frame to multiple terminal devices.

[0100] S408. The terminal device determines whether the target identifier in the token frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier.

[0101] S409. If the target identifier in the token frame matches the pre-stored identifier, the terminal device sends uplink data to the signal splitting unit through the signal splitting unit within the uplink time slot.

[0102] S410, the signal splitting unit sends uplink data to the domain controller.

[0103] S411. The domain controller parses the uplink data, determines the operating status of the target terminal device based on the parsed uplink data, and updates the status information of the target terminal device.

[0104] It is worth mentioning that the execution order of S404 and S405 is not restricted. Figure 4 This is just an example.

[0105] The Ethernet communication method provided in this application embodiment has a similar implementation principle and technical effect to the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be described again here.

[0106] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. This electronic device can be configured as a domain controller or a terminal device as described in any of the foregoing embodiments. Figure 5 As shown, the electronic device in this embodiment may specifically include: a processor 501 and a memory 502.

[0107] The memory 502 is used to store computer execution instructions; the processor 501 is used to execute the computer execution instructions stored in the memory to implement the various steps performed in the above embodiments. For details, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0108] Alternatively, the memory 502 can be either standalone or integrated with the processor 501.

[0109] When the memory 502 is set up independently, the electronic device also includes a bus 503 for connecting the memory 502 and the processor 501.

[0110] This application also provides a computer storage medium storing computer execution instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the aforementioned Ethernet communication method.

[0111] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described Ethernet communication method.

[0112] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules 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 indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices, or modules, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0113] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules 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 modules can be selected to implement the solution of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0114] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one unit. The unit composed of the above modules can be implemented in hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0115] The integrated modules described above, implemented as software functional modules, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. These software functional modules, stored in a storage medium, include several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute some steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this application.

[0116] It should be understood that the aforementioned processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in this invention can be directly manifested as execution by a hardware processor, or execution by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0117] The memory may include high-speed RAM, and may also include non-volatile storage (NVM), such as at least one disk storage device, and may also be a USB flash drive, external hard drive, read-only memory, disk or optical disc, etc.

[0118] The bus can be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, the buses shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to a single bus or a single type of bus.

[0119] The aforementioned storage medium can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk. The storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0120] An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be an integral part of the processor. Both the processor and the storage medium can reside in an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Alternatively, the processor and storage medium can exist as discrete components in an electronic device or host device.

[0121] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the above-described method embodiments can be implemented by hardware related to program instructions. The aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the program performs the steps of the above-described method embodiments; and the aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0122] This application also provides a vehicle that includes the aforementioned Ethernet communication system. The vehicle can, for example, connect to and control multiple intelligent interactive displays located at the front of the vehicle body through this system to display information such as vehicle status, charging progress, and pedestrian crossing intentions. This reduces vehicle wiring complexity and hardware costs while ensuring high reliability and real-time performance of the display system.

[0123] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An Ethernet communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a domain controller, and the method includes: Generate the target Ethernet frame based on the target identifier; The target Ethernet frame is sent to the signal splitting unit, so that the signal splitting unit sends the target Ethernet frame to multiple terminal devices, so that any of the terminal devices can determine whether the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier, so that any of the terminal devices submits the target Ethernet frame to the upper layer application module when the target identifier is consistent with the pre-stored identifier, and discards the target Ethernet frame when the target identifier is inconsistent with the pre-stored identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before sending the target Ethernet frame to the signal splitter unit, the method further includes: Each terminal device is divided into multiple downlink time slots; Sending the target Ethernet frame to the signal splitter unit includes: Within the downlink time slot corresponding to the target terminal device, the target Ethernet frame is sent to the signal splitting unit; the target terminal device is a terminal device whose pre-stored identifier is consistent with the target identifier.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: Generate a token frame based on the target identifier; After the downlink time slot ends, an uplink time slot is created, and a token frame is sent to the signal splitting unit, so that the signal splitting unit sends the token frame to multiple terminal devices, so that any terminal device can determine whether the target identifier in the token frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier; Within the uplink time slot, the uplink data sent by the target terminal device is received through the signal splitting unit; the uplink data is sent by the target terminal device after determining that the target identifier matches the pre-stored identifier.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, After receiving the uplink data sent by the target terminal device through the signal splitting unit, the method further includes: The uplink data is parsed, the operating status of the target terminal device is determined based on the parsed uplink data, and the status information of the target terminal device is updated; the uplink data includes at least one of heartbeat frames, status frames, or acknowledgment frames.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The target identifier is a media access control address or a virtual LAN label.

6. An Ethernet communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to any terminal device, and the method includes: The target Ethernet frame is received by the signal splitting unit, wherein the target Ethernet frame is generated by the domain controller based on the target identifier and sent to the signal splitting unit. Determine whether the target identifier in the target Ethernet frame matches the pre-stored identifier; If the target identifier matches the pre-stored identifier, then the target Ethernet is submitted to the upper-layer application module; If the target identifier does not match the pre-stored identifier, the target Ethernet frame will be discarded.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, After the target Ethernet frame is sent by the received signal splitting unit, the method further includes: Receives a token frame sent by the signal splitting unit; the token frame is generated and sent by the domain controller based on the target identifier; Determine whether the target identifier in the token frame is consistent with the pre-stored identifier; If the target identifier in the token frame matches the pre-stored identifier, then uplink data is sent to the domain controller through the signal splitting unit within the uplink time slot; the uplink time slot is created by the domain controller after the downlink time slot ends.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The uplink data includes at least one of heartbeat frames, status frames, or acknowledgment frames, and the domain controller is also used to update the status information of the terminal device based on the uplink data.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6-8, characterized in that, The target identifier is a media access control address or a virtual LAN label.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: processor; And a memory communicatively connected to the processor; wherein the memory stores a computer program executable by the processor, the computer program being executed by the processor to cause the processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, or to cause the processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 6 to 9.

11. An Ethernet communication system, characterized in that, include: The system comprises a domain controller, a signal splitting unit, and multiple terminal devices; one end of the signal splitting unit is connected to the domain controller, and the other end of the signal splitting unit is connected to the multiple terminal devices respectively; the domain controller is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-5; and the terminal devices are configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 6-9.

12. A vehicle comprising the Ethernet communication system as claimed in claim 11.

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