Method for processing vehicle-to-X messages, control device and storage medium

Abstract

A method for processing vehicle-to-X messages, comprising the following steps: - Receiving vehicle-to-X messages, - Storing the vehicle-to-X messages in at least one database (20, 21, 22, 23), and - Assigning the vehicle-to-X messages to a number of applications (51, 52, 53).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for processing vehicle-to-X messages as well as a control device and a storage medium for carrying out this method.

[0002] Vehicle-to-X communication, also known as Car2X communication or C2X communication for short, based on IEEE 802.11p, ITS-G5, or IEEE 1609, is state-of-the-art and fully standardized. Its functionality has already been proven in field tests. Functions of vehicle-to-X communication include, for example, warning of an emergency vehicle or the end of a traffic jam. CAM (Cooperative Awareness Messages) and DENM (Decentralized Environment Notification Messages) messages are typically used for this purpose.

[0003] For example, DE 10 2010 002 092 A1 concerns data processing of vehicle-to-X messages. Data preprocessing takes place before the preprocessed data is transferred to the corresponding applications in the vehicle. Data reduction can be performed during preprocessing. It is also possible to perform a plausibility check and, if necessary, correction of the data before it is passed on, for example, to a security application. In particular, the received data can be divided into different data classes, which are treated differently.

[0004] CURRY, Edward, "Message-Oriented Middleware," in MAHMOUD, Qusay H. (ed.) Middleware for Communications, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chapter 1, pp. 1-28, 2004, describes two different approaches to communication between electronic components. One describes the Remote Procedure Call (RPC), the other describes Message-Oriented Middleware (MOM).

[0005] It is an object of the invention to provide a suitable implementation of a Local Dynamic Map (LDM), which is understood to mean the implementation of databases containing information from received vehicle-to-X messages. It should be noted that the term "map" does not, in particular, refer to a topographical digital map.

[0006] This is achieved according to the invention by a method according to claim 1, a control device according to claim 9, and a storage medium according to claim 10. Advantageous embodiments can be found, for example, in the respective subclaims. The content of the claims is incorporated into the content of the description by express reference.

[0007] The invention relates to a method for processing vehicle-to-X messages. The method comprises the following steps: - Receiving vehicle-to-X messages, - storing the vehicle-to-X messages in at least one database, and - Assign the vehicle-to-X messages to a number of applications.

[0008] The method according to the invention provides an interface for cross-functional services such as CAM or DENM to the applications. The applications can also be referred to as functions or applications. The applications can be implemented, for example, as separate software blocks, as programs contained in partitions, or as hard-wired functions.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the storing step is performed before the assigning step. Thus, the vehicle-to-X messages are first stored in a database before being assigned to the respective applications.

[0010] The database can be implemented in a typical and / or well-known manner, for example as an SQL database.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the vehicle-to-X messages are stored in the same database. This database thus provides a complete picture of the communication. This is especially true if all received vehicle-to-X messages are stored in the database.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the method further comprises the following step before the step of storing: - Checking the vehicle-to-X messages to see if they are relevant for at least one application, - whereby a respective irrelevant vehicle-to-X message is not saved.

[0013] This ensures that only those messages are stored in the database that are actually relevant to at least one application used in the vehicle. This allows for a reduction in storage requirements and database complexity. Such a reduction can be particularly useful in terms of lowering the costs of the necessary hardware, which promotes the rapid introduction and market penetration of vehicle-to-X communication, even in low-cost vehicles.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the mapping step is performed before the storing step. The vehicle-to-X messages can be stored in a plurality of databases, each of which is associated with at least one application. This represents a particularly flexible model, with each database being adaptable to application-specific requirements. This allows for speed and / or storage advantages to be realized.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the method further comprises the following step after the step of receiving and before the steps of storing and assigning: - Decoding the vehicle-to-X messages.

[0016] This allows access to messages that have been encoded for transmission using an encoding algorithm, for example using the ASN.1 algorithm.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the method further comprises the following step after the step of receiving and before the steps of storing and assigning: - Coarse filtering of vehicle-to-X messages, in particular by a plausibility check and / or a security check.

[0018] This allows potential errors in messages to be detected and incorrectly received or sent messages to be excluded from further processing, for example, from storage in a database. Other verification mechanisms can also be implemented, for example, to reduce the required computing power.

[0019] The invention further relates to an electronic control device, in particular a vehicle-to-X communication module, which is designed to carry out a method according to the invention. The electronic control device can, in particular, comprise memory means and processor means, wherein program code is stored in the memory means, the execution of which by the processor means executes a corresponding method. With regard to the method, all described embodiments and variants can be used.

[0020] The invention further relates to a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium containing program code, the execution of which executes a method according to the invention. With regard to the method, all described embodiments and variants can be used.

[0021] Further features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the exemplary embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1: a processing of vehicle-to-X messages according to a first embodiment, Fig. 2: a processing of vehicle-to-X messages according to a second embodiment, Fig. 3: processing of vehicle-to-X messages according to a third embodiment.

[0022] Fig. 1 shows the processing of vehicle-to-X messages according to a first exemplary embodiment. As in the other figures, the essential processing steps are represented in the form of circles. First, the messages are decoded and roughly filtered in an input block 10. Plausibility and security checks are carried out in the process. Next, the messages are stored in a common database 20. A message filter 30 accesses this database 20 and checks which of the messages stored in the database 20 are relevant for an application. A first application 51, a second application 52, and a third application 53 are shown schematically here as examples of applications. If a message stored in the database 20 is relevant for one of the applications 51, 52, 53, the message filter 30 forwards this message to the corresponding application 51, 52, 53.In this embodiment, the database 20 provides a complete image of the received vehicle-to-X messages.

[0023] Fig. 2 shows the processing of vehicle-to-X messages according to a second exemplary embodiment. In this case, the received messages are also first decoded and coarsely filtered in an input block 10. They are then directly fed to a message filter 30, which in this exemplary embodiment has the task of filtering out messages that are not relevant to any of the applications 51, 52, 53 in use. Only those data that, according to the decision of the message filter 30, are relevant to at least one of the applications 51, 52, 53 are stored in a database 20. This allows the required storage space of the database 20 and its complexity to be reduced. A data provider 40 accesses the database 20 and, similar to the message filter 30 according to the first exemplary embodiment, searches for relevant data for one of the three applications 51, 52, 53 and forwards it accordingly to the respective application 51, 52, 53.

[0024] Fig. 3 shows the processing of vehicle-to-X messages according to a third exemplary embodiment. Here, decoding and coarse filtering are also initially performed in an input block 10. The messages are then divided by a message filter 30 into a first database 21, a second database 22, or a third database 23. The first database 21 is assigned to a first application 51. The second database 22 is assigned to a second application 52. The third database 23 is assigned to a third application 53. In each of the databases 21, 22, 23, the messages for each of the applications 51, 52, 53 are stored separately. This makes it possible to adapt each database 21, 22, 23 to the application-specific requirements. This allows for particular speed and storage advantages to be realized. The third exemplary embodiment thus represents a particularly flexible model.

[0025] In general, it should be noted that vehicle-to-X communication is understood to mean, in particular, direct communication between vehicles and / or between vehicles and infrastructure facilities. For example, it can therefore be vehicle-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. If reference is made in this application to communication between vehicles, this can generally take place, for example, within the framework of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, which typically takes place without mediation by a mobile network or a similar external infrastructure and which must therefore be distinguished from other solutions that are based on a mobile network, for example. For example, vehicle-to-X communication can take place using the IEEE 802.11p or IEEE 1609.4 standards. Vehicle-to-X communication can also be referred to as C2X communication.The sub-areas can be referred to as C2C (car-to-car) or C2I (car-to-infrastructure). However, the invention does not explicitly exclude vehicle-to-X communication mediated, for example, via a mobile network.

[0026] The steps mentioned in the method according to the invention can be carried out in the specified order. However, they can also be carried out in a different order. The method according to the invention can be carried out in one of its embodiments, for example, with a specific combination of steps, in such a way that no further steps are carried out. However, in principle, further steps can also be carried out, even those not mentioned.

[0027] The claims included in the application do not constitute a waiver of the right to obtain further protection.

[0028] If it becomes apparent during the proceedings that a feature or group of features is no longer absolutely necessary, the applicant will now endeavor to formulate at least one independent claim that no longer includes the feature or group of features. This may, for example, be a subcombination of a claim existing on the filing date or a subcombination of a claim existing on the filing date that is limited by additional features. Such newly formulated claims or combinations of features are to be understood as being covered by the disclosure of this application.

[0029] It should also be noted that configurations, features, and variants of the invention described in the various embodiments and / or shown in the figures can be combined with one another as desired. Individual or multiple features are interchangeable. Resulting feature combinations are to be understood as being covered by the disclosure of this application.

[0030] References in dependent claims are not to be understood as a waiver of independent, objective protection for the features of the referenced subclaims. These features can also be combined with other features as desired.

[0031] Features that are disclosed only in the description, or features that are disclosed in the description or in a claim only in conjunction with other features, can, in principle, be of independent, essential significance to the invention. They can therefore also be included individually in claims to distinguish them from the prior art.

Claims

[1] A method for processing vehicle-to-X messages, comprising the following steps: - Receiving vehicle-to-X messages, - storing the vehicle-to-X messages in at least one database (20, 21, 22, 23), and - Assigning the vehicle-to-X messages to a number of applications (51, 52, 53). [2] Method according to claim 1, - where the saving step is performed before the assigning step. [3] Method according to claim 2, - wherein the vehicle-to-X messages are stored in the same database (20). [4] A method according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising the step of, before the step of storing: - checking the vehicle-to-X messages whether they are relevant for at least one application (51, 52, 53), - whereby a respective irrelevant vehicle-to-X message is not saved. [5] Method according to claim 1, - where the mapping step is performed before the saving step. [6] Method according to claim 5, - wherein the vehicle-to-X messages are stored in a plurality of databases (21, 22, 23), - wherein each of the databases (21, 22, 23) is associated with at least one application. [7] A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of, after the step of receiving and before the steps of storing and associating: - Decoding the vehicle-to-X messages. [8] A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of, after the step of receiving and before the steps of storing and associating: - Coarse filtering of the vehicle-to-X messages, in particular by a plausibility check and / or a security check. [9] Electronic control device, in particular vehicle-to-X communication module, which is designed to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims. [10] Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program code, the execution of which carries out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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