Vehicle equipped with a network distributor for reporting a fault in a communication network

Abstract

Vehicle (500) with a communication arrangement comprising a network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) for reporting the current status of at least one communication link between the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) and at least one communication participant (503, 505) connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) via a communication interface (219, 221, 303, 305, 405, 407, 413, 416), wherein the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) includes at least one computing unit (429, 509) configured to establish a communication link between the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) and the at least one communication participant (503, 505) to check, and wherein the at least one computing unit (429, 509) is further configured to send a network management message at least to all other communication participants (503, 501) connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501).505) using only one network management protocol, wherein the network management message, in the event that the at least one verified communication link is faulty, includes a fault message about a link status to which the at least one verified communication link is connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) includes a communication participant (503, 505) and at least one camera and / or a vehicle control unit as a communication participant (503, 505) connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501).

Description

[0001] The presented invention relates to a vehicle with a network distributor for reporting a current status of at least one communication connection between a network distributor and at least one communication participant connected to the network distributor via at least one communication interface.

[0002] In communication networks, such as an Ethernet system in a vehicle, several communication participants are typically communicatively connected by being coupled to one another via a network distributor. Each communication connection between a communication participant and the network distributor establishes a connection to a communication interface of the network distributor. This physical connection, referred to below as a "link," therefore represents a physical status of a communication connection between the communication participant and the network distributor.

[0003] The status of a respective link is traditionally or when using a generally known network distributor only known to the network distributor and a respective communication participant communicating via the respective link.

[0004] A communication connection between two communication participants corresponds to a logical “AND operation” between a communication connection from a first communication participant to a network distributor and a communication connection from the network distributor to a second communication participant.

[0005] Particularly in vehicle networks, a network management protocol usually exists on the respective networks used, which enables the respective communication participants to signal a request for network readiness in order to keep the vehicle network "awake" or to put the vehicle network into a standby state or to "let it fall asleep".

[0006] A communication connection failure, for example, due to a temporary outage of a first communication participant or any other technical malfunction, is only detected by another communication participant communicating in a traditional network when the respective network protocols, such as TCP / IP, signal a communication connection failure through failed connection attempts. Accordingly, fault detection is time-consuming and computationally intensive.

[0007] DE 102 10 664 C1 concerns a vehicle network with multiple network segments with gateways, which in turn are networked with participants, such as control units, actuators, and sensors. An operating system of a participant or network segment has independent network management functionalities, in particular for storing information about the status of the network or its respective network segments and participants.

[0008] US 93 23 629 B2 describes an OSEK network that monitors whether messages are forwarded from one communication node to the next communication node along a predetermined path. If a failure occurs, this is detected by a non-forwarding. The defective communication node is then removed from the network, and a communication connection is bridged from its predecessor node to its destination communication node. For this purpose, all communication nodes are informed of the failure and configured to delete the failed communication node from their ID table.

[0009] EP 28 66 398 B1 relates to a transmission system for transmitting data, in which a link state of an Ethernet interface is transmitted to a switching component for a corresponding distribution adaptation.

[0010] Against this background, the expert is faced with the task of providing a vehicle with the option of particularly fast and reliable reporting of a fault in a communication connection in a network arrangement.

[0011] The above-mentioned problem is solved by the features of the independent claim.

[0012] Embodiments result from the description, the accompanying drawings and the dependent claims.

[0013] A method for reporting a current status of at least one communication connection between a network distributor and at least one communication participant connected to the network distributor via at least one communication interface comprises the following steps: - Checking the at least one communication connection between the network distributor and the at least one communication participant by means of a computing unit included in the network distributor, - Transmitting a network management message at least to all other communication participants connected to the network distributor using only one network management protocol, in particular using only one network management connection, wherein the network management message, in the event that the at least one checked communication connection is faulty, comprises a fault message about a connection status to the at least one communication participant connected to the network distributor via the checked communication connection.

[0014] The method is used in particular for reporting or signaling the status of a physical communication connection, i.e., a "link" between at least one communication participant and a network distributor, i.e., a so-called "switch." For this purpose, the status of the link is checked and reported to at least all remaining communication participants connected to the network distributor by means of a network management message, i.e., a message transmitted by means of a network management protocol, in particular via a network management connection that exists between at least two network management interfaces.

[0015] In the context of the present invention, a physical communication connection can be a wired communication connection or a wireless communication connection, whereas a logical communication connection is a communication connection provided by at least one physical communication connection. A logical communication connection can, for example, comprise multiple communication participants connected via a logical AND operation, or their physical communication connections.

[0016] In the context of the invention presented, a network management protocol is understood to be a basic communications protocol, which is executed in particular on a processing unit of the network distributor provided according to the invention. By using a network management protocol, a time delay in the transmission of a message, which occurs, for example, when using traditional transport protocols such as TCP / IP, can be avoided. Accordingly, a respective communication participant or a communication participant of a communication arrangement can be signaled directly or instantly using the network management protocol that a fault is currently present in a communication connection.

[0017] The network management protocol is also used, in particular, to activate or “wake up” or to deactivate or “put to sleep” the respective communication participants that are in communicative connection with a network distributor.

[0018] In order to detect a fault in a particular communication connection, i.e. in a particular link, a check of the respective communication connection is carried out. When checking the communication connection, for example, the current status of the respective communication connection is queried at a corresponding network distributor. If the current status of the respective communication connection indicates a data failure or another fault in the respective communication connection, the communication connection is classified as "faulty" and a corresponding fault message is generated. Alternatively, it can be provided that, for example, a processing unit of a respective network distributor is used to check whether no data has been received by the network distributor via the communication connection for at least a predetermined period of time.If no data has been received for at least the specified period, a communication connection failure can be assumed and a corresponding error message generated. Alternatively, the status of the communication connection can be queried to check the connection.

[0019] In particular, a communication connection is checked based on a current status of the communication connection, which is only known to the network distributor and a communication participant involved in the communication connection.

[0020] The network management message is used in particular to signal the status of a particular communication connection, such as a communication connection failure. Of course, any other signaling, such as a release after reactivation of a previously disrupted communication connection, can also be transmitted to the respective communication participants in a network arrangement using the network management message.

[0021] In one embodiment of the method, it is provided that the network management message comprises a fault message via a physical communication connection between the network distributor and the communication participant connected to the network distributor and / or a fault message via a logical connection between the communication participant connected to the network distributor and at least one further communication participant connected to the network distributor.

[0022] In a further embodiment of the method, it is provided that the network management message is transmitted when checking the at least one communication connection shows that no data has been received via the communication connection from the network distributor for at least a predetermined period of time and / or when checking the at least one communication connection shows that a connection status of the communication connection at the network distributor is faulty.

[0023] To determine the connection status of a communication connection, a network distributor involved in the communication connection can be queried about the current status of the communication connection.

[0024] In a further embodiment of the method, it is provided that the network management message is transmitted to all communication participants in communicative connection with the network distributor, in particular to respective network distributors in communicative connection with the network distributor.

[0025] By transmitting a network management message to all communication participants in communicative connection with the network distributor, a status of a communication connection can be signaled across the various network distributors, particularly in a communication arrangement with a plurality of network distributors.

[0026] In a further embodiment of the method, it is provided that a plurality of communication connections which run via at least one further network distributor and between at least one communication participant as the end point and the network distributor according to the invention as the starting point are classified as one logical line.

[0027] The presented invention uses a network distributor to report a current status of at least one communication connection between the network distributor and at least one communication participant connected to the network distributor via a communication interface. The network distributor comprises at least one computing unit configured to check a communication connection between the network distributor and the at least one communication participant.

[0028] The at least one computing unit of the network distributor is further configured to transmit a network management message at least to all other communication participants connected to the network distributor using only one network management protocol, wherein the network management message, in the event that the at least one checked communication connection is faulty, comprises a fault message about a connection status to the at least one communication participant connected to the network distributor via the at least one checked communication connection.

[0029] In particular, the network management message comprises a fault message via a physical communication connection to the at least one communication participant connected to the network distributor and / or to a logical communication connection between the communication participant and another communication participant.

[0030] The network distributor is used in particular to carry out the procedure.

[0031] In one embodiment of the network distributor, it is provided that the network distributor is designed as a network distributor for a network type from the following list of network types: CAN, MOST and Ethernet.

[0032] The invention presented relates to a vehicle with a communication arrangement, wherein the communication arrangement comprises an embodiment of the network distributor and at least one camera and a vehicle control device as communication participants connected to the network distributor.

[0033] The network distributor is used in particular to report or signal a fault in a communication connection between a camera and the network distributor to the control unit of the presented vehicle via a network management message.

[0034] A computer program with program code means for controlling an embodiment of the network distributor is designed to carry out the method steps of the presented method when the computer program with program code means is executed on a computing unit of the network distributor.

[0035] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0036] The invention is illustrated schematically in the drawings using an embodiment and is described schematically and in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. Figure 1a shows a schematic representation of a communication arrangement according to the prior art in a non-disturbed state. Fig. 1b shows a schematic representation of the communication arrangement from Fig. 1a in a disturbed state. Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a communication arrangement with a possible design of a network distributor. Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of another communication arrangement with another possible design of a network distributor. Fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of yet another communication arrangement with yet another possible design of a network distributor. Fig. 5 shows a schematic representation of a possible embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention with a possible embodiment of a network distributor.

[0037] In the figures, modules, in particular logical modules of respective hardware components of network arrangements, are designated with the following abbreviations: App application module NM Network Management Protocol Module UDP transport protocol module (User Datagram Protocol) TCP transport protocol module (Transmission Control Protocol) ETH Ethernet module IP Internet Protocol Module

[0038] In Fig. Figure 1a shows a network arrangement 100. The network arrangement 100 comprises a network distributor 101, a first communication participant 103, and a second communication participant 105.

[0039] The first communication participant 103 is connected to the network distributor 101 via a first communication interface 107 on the part of the network distributor 101 and a communication interface 109 on the part of the first communication participant 103 by means of a physical communication connection 111.

[0040] The second communication participant 105 is connected to the network distributor 101 via a second communication interface 113 on the part of the network distributor 101 and a communication interface 115 on the part of the second communication participant 105 by means of a physical communication connection 117.

[0041] Furthermore, the first communication participant 103 is connected to the second communication participant 105 via the network distributor 101 by a logical communication connection 119.

[0042] In Fig. 1a shows a situation in which the communication arrangement 100 is in a situation in which the logical connection between the first communication participant 103 and the second communication participant 105 is not disturbed, as indicated by the solid line of the logical communication connection 119.

[0043] In Fig. Figure 1b illustrates the network arrangement 100 in a situation in which the communication arrangement 100 is in a situation in which the logical communication connection between the first communication participant 103 and the second communication participant 105 is disrupted, as indicated by a dashed line 119. The disruption of the logical communication connection occurs due to a disruption in the physical communication connection 117.

[0044] To detect a disruption in the logical communication connection between the first communication participant 103 and the second communication participant 105, a TCP / IP protocol is evaluated. This means, for example, that a number of connection interruptions is counted, and if a predefined threshold of connection interruptions is exceeded, a disruption is assumed.

[0045] To transmit a detected fault to other communication participants (not shown) of the communication arrangement 100, a fault message is transmitted to the other communication participants using the TCP / IP protocol. Such a TCP / IP-based procedure takes a correspondingly long time, so that situations can arise in which, for example, a camera image is not updated and no error message is output due to a fault message not yet being provided. This can lead to considerable complications, particularly in automatic monitoring systems.

[0046] In Fig. 2 shows a communication arrangement 200 with a possible embodiment of a network distributor 201.

[0047] The network arrangement 200 further comprises a first communication participant 203 and a second communication participant 205.

[0048] The first communication participant 203 is connected to the network distributor 201 via a physical communication connection 211 between a first communication interface 207 on the side of the network distributor 201 and a communication interface 209 on the side of the first communication participant 203. Furthermore, the first communication participant 203 is connected to the network distributor 201 via a network management communication connection 217 between a network management interface 213 on the side of the network distributor 201 and a network management interface 215 on the side of the first communication participant 203.

[0049] The second communication participant 205 is connected to the network distributor 201 via a physical communication connection 223 between a second communication interface 219 on the side of the network distributor 101 and a communication interface 221 on the side of the second communication participant 205.

[0050] Furthermore, the first communication participant 203 is connected to the second communication participant 205 by the network distributor 201 by means of a logical communication connection 225.

[0051] In the event that communication between the network distributor 201 and the second communication participant 205 is disrupted, as indicated by the dashed line 225, ie, for example, data transmission from a camera of a vehicle to the network distributor 201 is disrupted, the check provided according to the invention will reveal a disruption.

[0052] To determine the fault, the network distributor 201 can, for example, query the status of the physical communication connection 223. To do so, the network distributor 201 can, for example, transmit a test signal over the physical communication connection 223 or evaluate each additional signal transmitted over the physical communication connection 223 or the absence thereof.

[0053] As soon as the fault is detected, the network distributor 201 transmits a network management message via the network management interface 213 using a network management protocol. Accordingly, the fault is reported by the network distributor 201 to the first communication participant 201 instantly, or immediately upon a current change in the status of the physical communication connection 223. Accordingly, situations in which an output cannot be updated due to the faulty physical communication connection 223 and no fault message is output can be avoided or minimized.

[0054] In Fig. 3 shows a communication arrangement 300 with a further possible embodiment of a network distributor 301.

[0055] Here, the network distributor 301 is connected via a physical communication connection 309 between a first communication interface 303 and a communication interface 305 of a first communication participant 307.

[0056] Furthermore, the network distributor 301 is connected to the network distributor 315 via a network management communication connection 316 between a network management interface 311 on the part of the network distributor 301 and a network management interface 313 on the part of another network distributor 315.

[0057] Furthermore, the network distributor 301 is connected to the network distributor 315 via a physical communication connection 317 between a communication interface 319 on the part of the network distributor 301 and a communication interface 321 on the part of the further network distributor 315.

[0058] The network distributor 315 is further connected to the second communication participant 329 via a physical communication connection 323 between a communication interface 325 on the part of the network distributor 315 and a communication interface 327 on the part of a second communication participant 329.

[0059] Furthermore, the second communication participant 329 is connected to the network distributor 315 via a network management communication connection 331 between the network management interface 313 on the side of the network distributor 315 and a network management interface 333 on the side of the second communication participant 329.

[0060] The first communication participant 307 is connected to the second communication participant via a logical connection 335 by means of the network distributor 301 and the network distributor 315.

[0061] In the present case, the logical communication connection 335 is disrupted because the physical communication connection 309 between the network distributor 301 and the first communication participant 307 is disrupted, as indicated by dashed lines.

[0062] The network distributor 301 checks the physical communication link 309 and detects that its status is "faulty." In response to detecting the fault, the network distributor 301 instantly generates a fault notification in the form of a network management message and transmits it instantly via the network management communication link 316, initially to the second network distributor 315.

[0063] The second network distributor 315 transmits the network management message to the second communication participant 329 via the network management communication connection 331. This means that the network management message is propagated to all available communication connections, so that in a multi-switch architecture the status of the communication connection is signaled across different network distributors.

[0064] In Fig. 4a shows a network arrangement 400 with a further embodiment of a network distributor 401.

[0065] The network distributor 401 is here connected to the first communication participant 409 via a first physical communication connection 403 between a first communication interface 405 on the part of the network distributor 401 and a first communication interface 407 on the part of a first communication participant 409.

[0066] Furthermore, the network distributor 401 is connected to the first communication participant 405 via a second physical communication connection 411 between a second communication interface 413 on the part of the network distributor 401 and a second communication interface 416 on the part of the first communication participant 407.

[0067] A second communication participant 415 is connected to the network distributor 401 via a physical communication connection 417 between a communication interface 419 on the part of the second communication participant 415 and a communication interface 421 on the part of the network distributor 401.

[0068] Furthermore, the second communication participant 415 is connected to the network distributor 401 via a network management communication connection 423 between a network management interface 425 on the part of the second communication participant 415 and a network management interface 427 on the part of the network distributor 401.

[0069] The second communication participant 415 is in communicative connection with the first communication participant 409 via a logical communication connection 431, which is mediated by the network distributor 401.

[0070] In this case, the first physical communication connection 403 is disrupted, as indicated by the dashed line. Since communication between the first communication participant 409 and the network distributor 401 can still proceed via the second physical communication connection 411, the logical communication connection 431 is not disrupted.

[0071] In order to detect that the first physical communication connection 403 is faulty, the network distributor 401 checks the first physical communication connection 403, for example, by a status query.

[0072] If the status query reveals that the first physical communication connection 403 is faulty, the network distributor 401 transmits a network management message via the network management communication connection 423 to the second communication participant 415 to inform the latter of the fault in the first physical communication connection 403.

[0073] In Fig. 4b, the network arrangement 400 is shown in a situation in which the first physical communication connection 403 and the second physical communication connection 411 are disturbed, as indicated by the dashed lines.

[0074] Accordingly, each communication connection between the network distributor 401 and the first communication participant 409 is disrupted, so that the logical communication connection 431 between the first communication participant 409 and the second communication participant 415 is also disrupted, as also indicated by a dashed line.

[0075] In order to detect that the first physical communication connection 403 and the second physical communication connection 411 are faulty, the network distributor 401 checks the first physical communication connection 403 and the second physical communication connection 411, for example by means of a status query.

[0076] If the status query reveals that the first physical communication connection 403 and the second physical communication connection 411 are faulty, the network distributor 401 transmits a network management message via the network management communication connection 423 to the second communication participant 415 to inform the latter of the fault in the first physical communication connection 403 and the second physical communication connection 411.

[0077] The network arrangement 400, and in particular the network distributor 401, are configured such that multiple communication links connected to the same network distributor 401 are considered a single logical communication link. In this configuration, a failure of a communication link, such as the physical communication link 403 or 411, can only be signaled to other communication participants, such as the second communication participant 415, if all communication links fail simultaneously.

[0078] Alternatively, a dedicated status can be transmitted via a number of faulty communication connections and a number of remaining or functioning communication connections to respective further communication participants, such as the second communication participant 415 of the network arrangement 400.

[0079] To perform logical arithmetic operations required to transmit respective messages and to perform a check of a respective communication connection, the network distributor 401 comprises a computing unit 429.

[0080] In Fig. 5 shows a vehicle 500. The vehicle 500 includes a network distributor 501, a first communication device 503 in the form of a camera, and a second communication device 505 in the form of, for example, a control device of a display unit 507.

[0081] In the event of a fault in a physical communication connection between the first communication participant 503 and the network distributor 501, the network distributor 501 instantly communicates the fault to the second communication participant via a network management message, so that the control device instantly outputs a corresponding fault message on the display unit 507.

[0082] To perform logical computing operations required to transmit respective messages, in particular the network management message, and to perform a check of a respective communication connection, the network distributor 501 comprises a computing unit 509. List of reference symbols 100 network arrangement 101 Network Distributors 103 first communication participant 105 second communication participant 107 first communication interface 109 Communication interface 111 physical communication connection 113 second communication interface 115 Communication interface 117 physical communication connection 119 logical communication connection 200 Network arrangement 201 network distributors 203 first communication participant 205 second communication participant 207 first communication interface 209 Communication interface 211 physical communication connection 213 Network management interface 215 Network management interface 217 Network management communication link 219 second communication interface 221 first communication interface 223 physical communication connection 225 logical communication connection 300 network arrangement 301 network distributor 303 first communication interface 305 Communication interface 307 first communication participant 309 physical communication connection 311 Network Management Interface 313 Network management interface 315 network distributors 316 Network management communication connection 317 physical communication connection 319 Communication interface 321 Communication interface 323 physical communication connection 325 Communication interface 327 Communication interface 329 second communication participant 331 Network management communication link 333 Network management interface 335 logical communication connection 400 network arrangement 401 Network Distributor 403 physical communication connection 405 first communication interface 407 first communication interface 409 first communication participant 411 physical communication connection 413 second communication interface 415 second communication participant 416 second communication interface 417 physical communication connection 419 Communication interface 421 Communication interface 423 Network management communication connection 425 Network Management Interface 427 Network Management Interface 429 computing unit 431 logical communication connection 500 vehicles 501 network distributor 503 first communication participant 505 second communication participant 507 display unit 509 computing unit

Claims

[1] Vehicle (500) with a communication arrangement which contains a network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) for reporting a current status of at least one communication connection between the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) and at least one communication participant (503, 505) connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) via a communication interface (219, 221, 303, 305, 405, 407, 413, 416), wherein the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) comprises at least one computing unit (429, 509) which is configured to establish a communication connection between the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) and the at least to check a communication participant (503, 505), and wherein the at least one computing unit (429, 509) is further configured to send a network management message at least to all other communication participants (503,505) using only one network management protocol, wherein the network management message, in the event that the at least one checked communication connection is faulty, comprises a fault message about a connection status to the at least one communication participant (503, 505) connected to the at least one checked communication connection with the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501), and comprises at least one camera and / or a vehicle control device as communication participants (503, 505) connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501). [2] Vehicle (500) according to claim 1, wherein the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) is designed as a network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) for a network type from the following list of network types: CAN, MOST and Ethernet. [3] Vehicle (500) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the network management message comprises a fault message via a physical communication connection (223, 317, 323, 403, 411) between the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) and the communication participant (503, 505) connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) and / or a fault message via a logical connection (225, 335, 431) between the communication participant (503, 505) connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) and at least one further communication participant (203, 329, 415) connected to the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501). [4] Vehicle (500) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one computing unit (429, 509) is configured to transmit the network management message when checking the at least one communication connection reveals that no data has been received via the communication connection by the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) for at least a predetermined period of time and / or when checking the at least one communication connection reveals that a connection status of the communication connection at the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) is faulty. [5] Vehicle (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one computing unit (429, 509) is configured to transmit the network management message to all communication participants (503, 505) in communicative connection with the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501), in particular to respective network distributors (201, 301, 401, 501) in communicative connection with the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501). [6] Vehicle (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one computing unit (429, 509) is configured to classify a plurality of communication connections running via at least one further network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) and between at least one communication participant (503, 505) as the end point and the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) as the starting point as a logical line. [7] Vehicle (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one computing unit (429, 509) is configured to classify a plurality of communication connections between at least one communication participant (503, 505) and the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) as a logical line with a plurality of sub-line units, and in the event that no data has been received from the network distributor (201, 301, 401, 501) for at least a predetermined period of time via only a portion of the plurality of sub-line units (403, 411), the network management message comprises information about a number of faulty sub-line units and about a number of remaining sub-line units.

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