Test equipment for vehicle-mounted Ethernet

Abstract

The utility model provides a test device for a vehicle-mounted Ethernet, which comprises an interface board and a main board, and the interface board and the main board are plugged through a board-to-board connector. The interface board comprises a plurality of vehicle-mounted Ethernet connectors which are connected to the vehicle-mounted Ethernet of a plurality of devices to be tested. The mainboard comprises a microcontroller, an Ethernet switch, a plurality of vehicle-mounted Ethernet PHYs (Physical Layers), an industrial Ethernet PHY and an Ethernet interface. The microcontroller is used for configuring the Ethernet switch, the vehicle-mounted Ethernet PHY and the industrial Ethernet PHY. And the Ethernet switch realizes the conversion from the vehicle-mounted Ethernet to the industrial Ethernet of the equipment to be tested. And the industrial Ethernet PHY is connected with the upper computer through an Ethernet interface, so that the upper computer can monitor and test the vehicle-mounted Ethernet, and data communication between the equipment to be tested and the upper computer is realized based on the Ethernet switch. The interface board is connected to the vehicle-mounted Ethernet of the to-be-tested equipment, so that the vehicle-mounted Ethernet adapter is convenient to adapt to various vehicle-mounted Ethernet connectors, and the cost is lower compared with the replacement of switching equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and specifically to a test device for in-vehicle Ethernet. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of intelligent and connected vehicles, intelligent driving, intelligent cockpits, and vehicle networking have become important components of modern automobiles, providing users with a more convenient and comfortable driving experience. Automotive Ethernet, with its high bandwidth, low latency, high reliability, and low power consumption, has become the preferred network technology for internal communication in intelligent connected vehicles. Currently, automotive intelligent driving controllers, in-vehicle systems, gateways, and other in-vehicle devices mainly use 100BASE-T1 (100 Mbps) and 1000BASE-T1 (Gigabit speed) automotive Ethernet based on the IEEE 802.3bw and IEEE 802.3bp standards.

[0003] Before vehicle-mounted equipment goes into production, its onboard Ethernet function needs to be tested to confirm its normal communication status. During testing, the onboard Ethernet function of multiple vehicle-mounted devices typically needs to be tested. For the vehicle-mounted device under test, its onboard Ethernet needs to be connected to an adapter, which converts the onboard Ethernet to industrial Ethernet. This industrial Ethernet is then connected to a host computer, which monitors the Ethernet packet transmission and reception to confirm the normal operation of the controller under test's Ethernet function.

[0004] Multiple in-vehicle devices may have different in-vehicle Ethernet interfaces. This necessitates the use of various adapters to adapt to these interfaces, or custom-made adapter harnesses to connect the in-vehicle Ethernet interfaces and the adapters, increasing costs. Furthermore, the large number of devices makes wiring harness connections prone to errors, leading to time-consuming and labor-intensive troubleshooting and reduced testing efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, this application aims to provide a test device for automotive Ethernet in order to reduce the cost of testing automotive Ethernet and improve testing efficiency.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a test device for automotive Ethernet, the test device comprising: an interface board and a motherboard, the interface board and the motherboard being plugged into each other via a board-to-board connector;

[0007] The interface board includes multiple vehicle Ethernet connectors for connecting to the vehicle Ethernet of multiple devices under test;

[0008] The motherboard includes a microcontroller, an Ethernet switch, multiple automotive Ethernet PHYs, industrial Ethernet PHYs, and Ethernet interfaces. The microcontroller is used to configure the Ethernet switch, the automotive Ethernet PHY, and the industrial Ethernet PHY.

[0009] The Ethernet switch connects the vehicle Ethernet PHY and the industrial Ethernet PHY, enabling the conversion of the vehicle Ethernet to industrial Ethernet of the device under test.

[0010] The industrial Ethernet PHY is connected to the host computer through the Ethernet interface, so that the host computer can monitor and test the vehicle Ethernet of the device under test.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the motherboard further includes a master-slave button, which is used to determine whether the vehicle Ethernet PHY is a master device or a slave device.

[0012] The microcontroller configures the vehicle Ethernet PHY as a master or slave device by detecting the status of the master / slave buttons.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the motherboard further includes a rate button, which is used to determine whether the transmission rate of the vehicle Ethernet PHY is 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps.

[0014] The microcontroller configures the transmission rate of the vehicle Ethernet PHY by detecting the state of the rate button.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the motherboard further includes an indicator light, which indicates whether the vehicle Ethernet PHY is a master or slave device, or indicates whether the transmission rate of the vehicle Ethernet PHY is 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the motherboard further includes a power module for supplying power to the test equipment.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the power module includes a first power supply module for supplying power to the industrial Ethernet PHY;

[0018] The microcontroller is connected to the first power supply module and detects whether the voltage supplied by the first power supply module to the industrial Ethernet PHY is correct.

[0019] When the voltage supplied by the first power supply module to the industrial Ethernet PHY is incorrect, the microcontroller controls the first power supply module to shut down.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the interface board includes four automotive Ethernet connectors, and the motherboard includes four automotive Ethernet PHYs, with each of the four automotive Ethernet connectors corresponding to one of the four automotive Ethernet PHYs.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the microcontroller configures the automotive Ethernet PHY and the industrial Ethernet PHY via a Management Data Input / Output (MDIO) interface.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the microcontroller detects the state of the master / slave buttons via a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) interface.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the side panel of the interface board is used to connect the device under test;

[0024] The side panel of the motherboard is used to connect to the host computer.

[0025] In the above implementation of this application, a test device for automotive Ethernet is provided. This test device includes an interface board and a motherboard, wherein the interface board and the motherboard are connected via board-to-board connectors. The interface board includes multiple automotive Ethernet connectors, which can connect to the automotive Ethernet of multiple devices under test (DUTs). The motherboard includes a microcontroller, an Ethernet switch, multiple automotive Ethernet PHYs, industrial Ethernet PHYs, and an Ethernet interface. The microcontroller is used to configure the Ethernet switch, the automotive Ethernet PHYs, and the industrial Ethernet PHYs. The Ethernet switch connects the automotive Ethernet PHYs and the industrial Ethernet PHYs, realizing the conversion of the DUT's automotive Ethernet to industrial Ethernet. The industrial Ethernet PHY can be connected to a host computer via an Ethernet interface, allowing the host computer to monitor and test the DUT's automotive Ethernet through the Ethernet interface, and enabling data communication between the DUT and the host computer based on the Ethernet switch. Using the test device provided in this application, the interface board including multiple automotive Ethernet connectors can be used to access the DUT's automotive Ethernet. To adapt to the automotive Ethernet of various DUTs, the interface board can be replaced with one including different automotive Ethernet connectors, resulting in lower costs compared to replacing adapters. By integrating the Ethernet switch into the motherboard, the conversion between automotive Ethernet and industrial Ethernet is realized, reducing the number of devices, reducing the number of wiring harness issues that need to be checked, and improving testing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments provided in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a test vehicle Ethernet.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a test vehicle Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a test device for in-vehicle Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another test device for automotive Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a side view of a test device for in-vehicle Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a side view of another test device for automotive Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are merely exemplary implementations of this application and not all implementation methods. Those skilled in the art can obtain other embodiments in conjunction with the embodiments of this application without creative effort, and these embodiments are also within the protection scope of this application.

[0034] Automotive Ethernet, with its high bandwidth, low latency, high reliability, and low power consumption, has become the preferred network technology for internal communication in intelligent connected vehicles. Currently, automotive intelligent driving microcontrollers, in-vehicle systems, gateways, and other in-vehicle devices mainly use 100BASE-T1 (100 Mbps) or 1000BASE-T1 (1 Gbps) automotive Ethernet based on the IEEE 802.3bw and IEEE 802.3bp standards.

[0035] Before being put into production, the vehicle-mounted equipment needs to have its onboard Ethernet function tested to confirm its normal communication status. During testing, the onboard Ethernet functions of multiple vehicle-mounted devices typically need to be tested. For the vehicle-mounted device under test, its onboard Ethernet needs to be connected to an adapter, which converts the onboard Ethernet to industrial Ethernet. This industrial Ethernet is then connected to a host computer, which monitors the Ethernet packet transmission and reception to confirm the normal operation of the onboard device's Ethernet function.

[0036] For details, please refer to Figure 1The diagram shown is a schematic of a test vehicle Ethernet in the prior art.

[0037] In this application scenario, the vehicle's in-vehicle Ethernet functionality needs to be tested for three devices under test (DUTs): DUT1, DUT2, and DUT3. During testing, DUT1, DUT2, and DUT3 can be placed in a test chamber, which can be connected to other devices via wiring harnesses. In-vehicle Ethernet is an Ethernet standard specifically designed for automotive environments, while industrial Ethernet (such as 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T) is a widely used Ethernet standard in industrial automation. During testing, the host computer (such as an industrial control computer) used for monitoring is a device suitable for industrial Ethernet; therefore, the in-vehicle Ethernet of the DUTs needs to be converted to industrial Ethernet before monitoring and testing. In other words, a converter is needed to convert the in-vehicle Ethernet to industrial Ethernet. Figure 1 The adapter 1, adapter 2 and adapter 3 are shown.

[0038] Because the number of network ports on the host computer may be insufficient, an Ethernet switch needs to be added to meet the requirement of simultaneous data access from multiple network cables. Specifically, three adapter devices are connected to the Ethernet switch via RJ45 cables. The Ethernet switch then transmits data output from the three adapter devices to the host computer, or transmits data sent by the host computer to the three adapter devices separately. RJ45 is one of the commonly used physical connectors in computer networks, used to connect Ethernet devices. An Ethernet switch is a switch that transmits data over Ethernet and can connect multiple devices simultaneously, enabling communication between devices by exchanging data packets. The host computer can test the functionality of the in-vehicle Ethernet system by monitoring the status of the device under test (DUT) in receiving or sending in-vehicle Ethernet packets.

[0039] Based on existing technology, when testing the automotive Ethernet of multiple devices under test (DUTs) simultaneously, multiple adapters are required, increasing costs. Furthermore, the large number of adapters and Ethernet switches needed during testing makes wiring connections prone to errors, leading to time-consuming and labor-intensive troubleshooting and reduced testing efficiency. In addition, since the automotive Ethernet interfaces of DUTs are usually manufactured by manufacturers specified by the vehicle manufacturer, different DUTs may have different interfaces. The interfaces of adapters for converting automotive Ethernet to industrial Ethernet are also typically fixed. When the DUT's automotive Ethernet interface is incompatible with the adapter's interface, custom-made adapter harnesses are required to connect the DUT's automotive Ethernet interface and the adapter, further increasing costs.

[0040] Based on this, this application provides a test device for automotive Ethernet to reduce the cost of testing automotive Ethernet and improve testing efficiency. The test device includes an interface board and a motherboard, which are connected via board-to-board connectors. The interface board includes multiple automotive Ethernet connectors, allowing access to the automotive Ethernet of multiple devices under test (DUTs). The motherboard includes a microcontroller, an Ethernet switch, multiple automotive Ethernet PHYs, industrial Ethernet PHYs, and Ethernet interfaces. The microcontroller configures the Ethernet switches, automotive Ethernet PHYs, and industrial Ethernet PHYs. The Ethernet switches connect the automotive Ethernet PHYs and industrial Ethernet PHYs, enabling the conversion of the DUT's automotive Ethernet to industrial Ethernet. The industrial Ethernet PHYs can connect to a host computer via Ethernet interfaces, allowing the host computer to monitor and test the DUT's automotive Ethernet through the Ethernet interface. Using the test device provided in this application, the interface board with multiple automotive Ethernet connectors can be used to access the DUT's automotive Ethernet. To adapt to the automotive Ethernet of various DUTs, interface boards with different automotive Ethernet connectors can be replaced, resulting in lower costs compared to replacing adapters. By integrating the Ethernet switch into the motherboard, the conversion between automotive Ethernet and industrial Ethernet is realized, reducing the number of devices, reducing the number of wiring harness issues that need to be checked, and improving testing efficiency.

[0041] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application, a detailed description will be given below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0042] See Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of a test vehicle Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0043] The device under test (DUT) is connected to the test equipment 100 via an in-vehicle Ethernet harness. The test equipment can convert between the DUT's in-vehicle Ethernet and industrial Ethernet. The test equipment is connected to a host computer via an RJ45 network cable, allowing the host computer to monitor and test the DUT's in-vehicle Ethernet.

[0044] Optionally, during testing, the device under test can be placed in a test chamber to simulate the temperature environment in which the device under test is located. The test chamber can be connected to other devices via wiring harnesses.

[0045] See Figure 3 The diagram shown is a schematic of a test device for in-vehicle Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0046] The test equipment 100 includes an interface board 101 and a main board 102, which are connected via board-to-board connectors. The interface board 101 includes multiple automotive Ethernet connectors for connecting to the automotive Ethernet networks of multiple devices under test (DUTs). In other words, the automotive Ethernet interface and connector of the DUT can be connected using an automotive Ethernet harness, thereby enabling access to the DUT's automotive Ethernet network.

[0047] When testing the vehicle Ethernet of other devices under test, if the vehicle Ethernet connector of the current interface board 101 is not compatible with the vehicle Ethernet interface of other devices under test, the current interface board 101 can be removed from the board-to-board connector and replaced with another interface board so that the vehicle Ethernet connector of the other interface board is compatible with the vehicle Ethernet interface of other devices under test.

[0048] Since the cost of manufacturing an interface board including an automotive Ethernet connector is much lower than that of an adapter or a custom adapter harness, and replacing the interface board is more convenient than customizing the adapter harness, the test equipment provided in this application can reduce costs and improve test efficiency.

[0049] Optionally, the motherboard 102 includes a microcontroller 1021, an Ethernet switch 1022, an industrial Ethernet PHY 1023, an Ethernet interface 1024, and multiple automotive Ethernet PHYs. The multiple automotive Ethernet PHYs can be represented by automotive Ethernet PHY*n, where automotive Ethernet PHY*n represents n automotive Ethernet PHYs, and n is an integer greater than or equal to 2. Automotive Ethernet PHY*n can be represented as the first automotive Ethernet PHY, the second automotive Ethernet PHY, ..., the nth automotive Ethernet PHY.

[0050] The microcontroller 1021 connects to Ethernet switches, automotive Ethernet PHYs*n, and industrial Ethernet PHYs, and can configure the operating modes of these devices. For example, the microcontroller 1021 can be a microcontroller unit (MCU).

[0051] A vehicle-mounted Ethernet PHY (Physical) can be understood as a PHY chip responsible for data transmission and reception at the physical layer (PHY). The vehicle-mounted Ethernet PHY can convert digital signals from the Media Access Control (MAC) layer into analog signals suitable for transmission over the vehicle's Ethernet harness, and can also convert analog signals received from the vehicle's Ethernet harness into digital signals for transmission to the MAC layer. Since the Ethernet switch 1022 operates at the MAC layer, the vehicle-mounted Ethernet PHY enables communication between the device under test (DUT) and the Ethernet switch 1022 via the vehicle's Ethernet network.

[0052] Based on this, since the motherboard 102 includes n automotive Ethernet PHYs, the interface board can simultaneously connect to the automotive Ethernet of up to n devices under test.

[0053] Similarly, the Industrial Ethernet PHY1023 can convert digital signals from the MAC layer into analog signals suitable for transmission over industrial Ethernet harnesses (such as RJ45 cables), and can also convert analog signals received from industrial Ethernet harnesses into digital signals and transmit them to the MAC layer, enabling communication between the host computer and the Ethernet switch 1022 based on industrial Ethernet.

[0054] Meanwhile, Ethernet switch 1022 connects the automotive Ethernet PHY*n and industrial Ethernet PHY1023, enabling the conversion from automotive Ethernet to industrial Ethernet. Industrial Ethernet PHY1023 connects to a host computer via Ethernet interface 1024, allowing the host computer to monitor and test the automotive Ethernet of the device under test (DUT). The host computer can test the DUT's automotive Ethernet by sending or receiving messages from the DUT.

[0055] Optionally, the Ethernet interface 1024 can be an RJ45 interface. RJ45 is one of the commonly used physical connectors in computer networks and can be used to connect industrial Ethernet devices (host computers).

[0056] In practical implementation, when the interface board 101 has two automotive Ethernet connectors connected to the automotive Ethernet networks of two devices under test (DUTs), namely the first DUT and the second DUT, the first automotive Ethernet PHY can be configured to transmit the automotive Ethernet messages of the first DUT, and the second automotive Ethernet PHY can be configured to transmit the automotive Ethernet messages of the second DUT. The microcontroller 1021 can configure the first and second network ports of the Ethernet switch 1022 to correspond to the first and second automotive Ethernet PHYs, respectively.

[0057] After receiving the vehicle Ethernet packet from the first device under test (DUT) transmitted by the first vehicle Ethernet PHY at the first network port, the Ethernet switch 1022 can convert the vehicle Ethernet packet into a first industrial Ethernet packet and send it to the industrial Ethernet PHY 1023. The industrial Ethernet PHY 1023 then sends the first industrial Ethernet packet to the host computer via Ethernet interface 1024. The host computer uses the received first industrial Ethernet packet to determine whether the vehicle Ethernet of the first DUT is functioning correctly.

[0058] Similarly, after receiving the vehicle Ethernet packets from the second device under test (DUT) transmitted by the second vehicle Ethernet PHY at the second network port, the Ethernet switch 1022 can convert the vehicle Ethernet packets of the second DUT into second industrial Ethernet packets and send them to the industrial Ethernet PHY 1023. The industrial Ethernet PHY 1023 then sends the second industrial Ethernet packets to the host computer via Ethernet interface 1024. The host computer uses the received second industrial Ethernet packets to determine whether the vehicle Ethernet of the second DUT is functioning correctly.

[0059] The testing equipment provided in this application embodiment allows access to the vehicle Ethernet of the device under test (DUT) using an interface board that includes multiple vehicle Ethernet connectors. To accommodate various DUTs' vehicle Ethernet connections, the interface board can be replaced with one containing different vehicle Ethernet connectors. Compared to replacing adapters, the interface board is less expensive. Integrating the Ethernet switch into the motherboard enables conversion between vehicle Ethernet and industrial Ethernet, reducing the number of individual devices, minimizing wiring harness issues, and improving testing efficiency.

[0060] In one possible implementation, the motherboard may further include a master / slave button. This button is used to determine whether the automotive Ethernet PHY is a master or slave device. Specifically, the master / slave button can be preset to two states: one state indicating that the automotive Ethernet PHY is set as a master device, and the other state indicating that the automotive Ethernet PHY is set as a slave device. In other words, each automotive Ethernet PHY corresponds to one master / slave button.

[0061] The microcontroller can configure the automotive Ethernet PHY as a master or slave device by detecting the status of the master / slave buttons. When the automotive Ethernet PHY is configured as the master device, the industrial Ethernet PHY is the slave device; when the automotive Ethernet PHY is configured as the slave device, the industrial Ethernet PHY is the master device.

[0062] In one possible implementation, the microcontroller detects the status of the master and slave buttons via a General Purpose Input / Output (GPIO) interface. The GPIO interface signals have only two states: high and low, corresponding to the two states of the master and slave buttons.

[0063] In one possible implementation, the microcontroller can communicate with the automotive Ethernet PHY and industrial Ethernet PHY via the Management Data Input Output (MDIO) interface to complete the configuration. The MDIO interface is typically used for management data exchange between the Ethernet physical layer device PHY and the microcontroller, facilitating the microcontroller's configuration and monitoring of the Ethernet physical layer device PHY's status and performance.

[0064] In one possible implementation, the motherboard may further include a speed button, which is used to determine whether the transmission rate of the automotive Ethernet PHY is 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps. Automotive Ethernet typically uses two standards: 100BASE-T1 and 1000BASE-T1. 100BASE-T1 automotive Ethernet supports a transmission speed of 100 Mbps, while 1000BASE-T1 automotive Ethernet supports a transmission speed of 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps). Therefore, two states of the speed button can be preset: one state indicating that the transmission rate of the automotive Ethernet PHY is configured to be 100 Mbps, and the other state indicating that the transmission rate of the automotive Ethernet PHY is configured to be 1 Gbps. The microcontroller can configure the transmission rate of the automotive Ethernet PHY by detecting the state of the speed button. That is, each automotive Ethernet PHY corresponds to one speed button.

[0065] In one possible implementation, the motherboard also includes an indicator light for indicating whether the vehicle Ethernet PHY is a master or slave device, or for indicating whether the transmission rate of the vehicle Ethernet PHY is 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps.

[0066] Specifically, each master / slave button can correspond to two indicator lights, which represent the two states of the master / slave button: either the vehicle Ethernet PHY is designated as a master device or a slave device. For example, each master / slave button corresponds to a first indicator light and a second indicator light. When the master / slave button is designated as the master device, the first indicator light is active (e.g., the first indicator light is on and the second indicator light is off), indicating that the vehicle Ethernet PHY is the master device. When the master / slave button is designated as the slave device, the second indicator light is active (e.g., the second indicator light is on and the first indicator light is off), indicating that the vehicle Ethernet PHY is the slave device.

[0067] Optionally, each rate button can be configured to correspond to two indicator lights, each representing one of the two states of the rate button, indicating whether the transmission rate of the vehicle Ethernet PHY is set to 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps. For example, each rate button can correspond to a third and a fourth indicator light. When the rate button is set to a 100 Mbps transmission rate, the third indicator light is active (e.g., the third indicator light is on while the fourth indicator light is off), indicating that the vehicle Ethernet PHY transmission rate is 100 Mbps. When the rate button is set to a 1 Gbps transmission rate, the fourth indicator light is active (e.g., the fourth indicator light is on while the third indicator light is off), indicating that the vehicle Ethernet PHY transmission rate is 1 Gbps.

[0068] In one possible implementation, the motherboard also includes a power supply module for powering the entire test equipment. Different devices within the test equipment may operate at different voltages; therefore, the power supply module can be divided into multiple power supply modules to provide normal operating voltages to different devices. A microcontroller connected to the power supply module can detect whether the voltage supplied to the devices by the power supply modules is normal. If it is abnormal, the microcontroller can disconnect the power supply module from the device to prevent damage.

[0069] For example, the power supply module may include a first power supply module for supplying power to the industrial Ethernet PHY. A microcontroller is connected to the first power supply module and detects whether the voltage supplied by the first power supply module to the industrial Ethernet PHY is correct. When the voltage supplied by the first power supply module to the industrial Ethernet PHY is incorrect, the microcontroller can control the first power supply module to shut down, preventing damage to the industrial Ethernet PHY.

[0070] It should be noted that the first power supply module provided in this application embodiment is an industrial Ethernet PHY power supply, which is only an exemplary illustration and does not constitute any limitation on the power supply module.

[0071] In one possible implementation, the microcontroller can send control signals to the power supply module in the power module via a GPIO interface to control the power supply module's connection or shutdown. For example, a high-level signal on the GPIO interface controls the power supply module's connection, and a low-level signal on the GPIO interface controls the power supply module's shutdown.

[0072] Optionally, the power module can send a voltage signal to the microcontroller via an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), thereby converting the analog voltage signal of the power module into a digital voltage signal. The microcontroller then detects whether the digital voltage signal is the normal operating voltage of the device.

[0073] Based on this, embodiments of this application also provide a testing device for automotive Ethernet. See also Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic of another test device for in-vehicle Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0074] The test equipment 200 includes an interface board 201 and a main board 202, which are connected via board-to-board connectors. The interface board 201 includes four automotive Ethernet connectors, allowing up to four devices under test (DUTs) to connect to its automotive Ethernet network. Optionally, DUTs can be connected to the side panel of the interface board 201, and then connected to the DUT's automotive Ethernet interface and connector via an automotive Ethernet harness, thereby enabling access to the DUT's automotive Ethernet network.

[0075] The motherboard 202 includes a microcontroller, an Ethernet switch, an industrial Ethernet PHY, four automotive Ethernet PHYs, an RJ45 interface, a power module, four master / slave buttons, four speed buttons, and two indicator lights for each master / slave button and each speed button. The four master / slave buttons and four speed buttons correspond one-to-one with the four automotive Ethernet PHYs. Optionally, a host computer can be connected via the side panel of the motherboard 202. Figure 4 The image shown is a top view of the testing equipment. Figure 4 As you can see, the interface board 201 has four vehicle Ethernet connectors, a power interface for connecting to the power supply, an RJ45 interface for connecting to the host computer, buttons, and indicator lights.

[0076] See Figure 5 The image shown is a side view of a test device for in-vehicle Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0077] Figure 5 The image shows a left view of the test equipment. A schematic diagram of the automotive Ethernet connectors on the interface board can be observed from the left side of the test equipment. The interface board includes four automotive Ethernet connectors, which can be represented as P1 automotive Ethernet connector, P2 automotive Ethernet connector, P3 automotive Ethernet connector, and P4 automotive Ethernet connector.

[0078] See Figure 6 The image shown is a side view of another test device for in-vehicle Ethernet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0079] Figure 6The image shows a right view of the test equipment. From the right side, you can observe four rate buttons, four master / slave buttons, four sets of indicator lights corresponding to the master / slave buttons (two lights per set), four sets of indicator lights corresponding to the four rate buttons, an RJ45 interface, and a power interface. These indicator lights allow users to easily and intuitively determine the different operating modes of the vehicle Ethernet, including master / slave device and transmission rate.

[0080] It should be noted that the various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. The embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units or modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units or modules may or may not be physical modules; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units or modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without creative effort.

[0081] The flowcharts or block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functions, and operations that may be implemented by apparatus or devices according to various embodiments of this application. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, or they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified functions or operations, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0082] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0083] It should also be noted that, in this application, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0084] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A testing device for automotive Ethernet, characterized in that, The testing equipment includes an interface board and a motherboard, which are connected to each other via a board-to-board connector. The interface board includes multiple vehicle Ethernet connectors for connecting to the vehicle Ethernet of multiple devices under test; The motherboard includes a microcontroller, an Ethernet switch, multiple automotive Ethernet PHYs, industrial Ethernet PHYs, and Ethernet interfaces. The microcontroller is used to configure the Ethernet switch, the automotive Ethernet PHY, and the industrial Ethernet PHY. The Ethernet switch connects the vehicle Ethernet PHY and the industrial Ethernet PHY, enabling the conversion of the vehicle Ethernet to industrial Ethernet of the device under test. The industrial Ethernet PHY is connected to the host computer through the Ethernet interface, so that the host computer can monitor and test the vehicle Ethernet of the device under test.

2. The testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motherboard also includes a master-slave button, which is used to determine whether the vehicle Ethernet PHY is a master device or a slave device. The microcontroller configures the vehicle Ethernet PHY as a master or slave device by detecting the status of the master / slave buttons.

3. The testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motherboard also includes a rate button, which is used to determine whether the transmission rate of the vehicle Ethernet PHY is 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps. The microcontroller configures the transmission rate of the vehicle Ethernet PHY by detecting the state of the rate button.

4. The testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motherboard also includes an indicator light, which is used to indicate whether the vehicle Ethernet PHY is a master device or a slave device, or to indicate whether the transmission rate of the vehicle Ethernet PHY is 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps.

5. The testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motherboard also includes a power module for supplying power to the test equipment.

6. The testing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The power module includes a first power supply module, which is used to supply power to the industrial Ethernet PHY. The microcontroller is connected to the first power supply module and detects whether the voltage supplied by the first power supply module to the industrial Ethernet PHY is correct. When the voltage supplied by the first power supply module to the industrial Ethernet PHY is incorrect, the microcontroller controls the first power supply module to shut down.

7. The testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interface board includes four automotive Ethernet connectors, and the motherboard includes four automotive Ethernet PHYs. The four automotive Ethernet connectors correspond one-to-one with the four automotive Ethernet PHYs.

8. The testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microcontroller configures the automotive Ethernet PHY and the industrial Ethernet PHY through the Management Data Input / Output (MDIO) interface.

9. The testing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The microcontroller detects the status of the master and slave buttons through a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) interface.

10. The testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The side panel of the interface board is used to connect the device under test; The side panel of the motherboard is used to connect to the host computer.

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