Interface module for bus communication with message-based addressing, receiver, transmission system and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interface module for bus communication with message-based addressing, a receiver, a transmission system and a vehicle, wherein the interface module has a receiving unit (10) and a filter unit (20), wherein the receiving unit (10) is configured to receive messages (30) according to a predefined bus protocol via a bus line (40) and to store data (32) contained in the messages (30) together with respective associated message IDs (34) in a memory (50), and wherein the filter unit (20) is configured to compare the message IDs (34) stored in the memory (50) with a message ID list which is intended for forwarding by the interface module (5) and to provide only those data (32) whose associated message IDs (34) are contained in the message ID list via a data interface (60) of the interface module (5).

Description

State of the art

[0001] The present invention relates to an interface module for bus communication with message-based addressing, a receiver with such an interface module, a transmission system with such a receiver and a vehicle with such a transmission system.

[0002] Bus systems (e.g. LIN, etc.) with message-based addressing are known from the state of the art, in which data-containing messages, which are provided with unique message IDs (message identifiers), are output undirected (i.e., not using a specific receiver addressing) by a sender on a bus and in which respective receivers filter out from the totality of the received messages those messages which are intended for or relevant to the respective receivers according to predefined message ID lists in the receivers.

[0003] The filtering of the messages intended for the respective recipient based on the message IDs corresponding to the messages is performed by a processor, which is usually connected to a receiving unit of the receiver via an internal bus. This provides the processor with all data received via the bus system for filtering, which can cause a correspondingly high processing load on the processor. Disclosure of the invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an interface module for bus communication with message-based addressing (also referred to as content-based addressing) is proposed.

[0005] The interface module comprises a receiving unit and a filter unit. The receiving unit is configured to receive messages via a bus line according to a predefined bus protocol and to store the data contained in the messages together with the associated message IDs in a memory. For this purpose, the interface module comprises electrical contacts for a physical connection of the bus line to the interface module, so that electrical signals transmitted via the bus line can be received by the interface module and, in particular, by the receiving unit.

[0006] The interface module can generally be used in conjunction with any components designed for message-based addressing. One example of an advantageous use of the interface module according to the invention is its use in a vehicle control unit, without thereby imposing a limitation to such an area of ​​application.

[0007] The filter unit is connected to the receiving unit and / or the receiving unit's memory via information technology and is thus configured to compare the message IDs stored in the memory with a message ID list containing message IDs of messages intended for forwarding by the interface module. Furthermore, the filter unit is configured to provide only those data via a data interface (e.g., via a processor bus, etc.) of the interface module whose associated message IDs are contained in the message ID list.

[0008] For this purpose, the filter unit is preferably arranged at the hardware and / or near-hardware level in the interface module.

[0009] It should be noted that the message ID list can be a predefined list, which can preferably be stored persistently in a message ID memory of the interface module. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that the message ID list can be transferred and / or dynamically adapted at runtime via a configuration interface of the interface module.

[0010] The interface module according to the invention thus offers the particular advantage that messages from a bus system with message-based addressing are only forwarded to a higher-level component, such as an evaluation unit designed as a processor, ASIC, FPGA, digital signal processor, microcontroller, or similar, which further processes the received data, if the data is intended for processing by the higher-level component. This makes it possible to reduce the computing load and / or memory requirements in the higher-level component and / or the load on an interface between the interface module according to the invention and the higher-level component. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to use more cost-effective components (e.g., a less expensive processor, etc.) in order to save overall costs.

[0011] The subclaims show preferred developments of the invention.

[0012] Further preferably, the bus protocol underlying the bus communication according to the invention is a LIN bus protocol, without thereby making a restriction to this bus protocol.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the message ID list comprises individual message IDs and / or message ID ranges.

[0014] Particularly advantageously, the receiving unit and the filter unit are designed as respective components of an integrated circuit.

[0015] Further preferably, the filter unit is configured to be activated and deactivated via an activation interface. Activation occurs, for example, via the higher-level component described above, which further processes the messages to be filtered by means of the interface module. In this case, it is conceivable that the activation or deactivation of the filter unit relates to an activation or deactivation of the entire filter function of the filter unit, so that when the filter unit is activated, all messages defined in the message ID list are forwarded to the higher-level component, and when the filter unit is deactivated, all messages received by the receiving unit are forwarded to the higher-level component, regardless of their message ID. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the activation or deactivationDeactivation allows specific message IDs and / or message ID ranges from the message ID list to be specifically activated or deactivated for filtering. For this purpose, an activation register can be provided in the filter unit and / or the interface module, for example, in which either a single activation flag for the entire filter function or dedicated activation flags corresponding to the respective message IDs in the message ID list are provided.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a receiver is proposed which has an interface module according to the first aspect of the invention or according to one of claims 1 to 5 and an evaluation unit designed, for example, as described above, wherein the evaluation unit is connected to the interface module for information technology purposes via the data interface of the interface module and is configured to receive filtered data from the interface module via the interface module. It should be noted that the evaluation unit should fundamentally be understood to mean any computing unit capable of receiving the data of the messages and subjecting them to further processing.The features, combinations of features and the advantages resulting from them correspond to those explained in connection with the first-mentioned aspect of the invention in such a way that, in order to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above explanations.

[0017] Preferably, the evaluation unit of the receiver according to the invention is configured to configure the message IDs to be filtered by the filter unit in the interface module by defining the message ID list. This is done, for example, via a configuration interface of the interface module, which can be identical to or different from the activation interface described above.

[0018] Further preferably, the evaluation unit of the receiver according to the invention is configured to activate and deactivate the filter unit as required by means of the activation interface.

[0019] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a transmission system is proposed which has a receiver according to the second aspect of the invention or according to one of claims 6 to 8 and a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is configured to send messages according to the predefined bus protocol via a bus line and wherein the receiver is configured to receive messages intended for the receiver based on the message ID list and to provide them to the evaluation unit. The features, combinations of features, and the advantages resulting from them correspond to those explained in connection with the first and second aspects of the invention, so that reference is made to the above statements to avoid repetition.

[0020] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is proposed which is designed, for example, as a car, truck, bus, van, etc. and has a transmission system according to the third aspect of the invention or according to claim 9. The features, combinations of features, and the advantages resulting therefrom correspond to those explained in connection with the aforementioned aspects of the invention in such a way that, to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above explanations. Short description of the drawings

[0021] Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing: Fig. 1 a block diagram of an embodiment of a transmission system according to the invention with a receiver according to the invention and an interface module according to the invention, and Fig. 2 a schematic view of an embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention. Embodiments of the invention

[0022] Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a transmission system 100 according to the invention with a receiver 80 according to the invention and an interface module 5 according to the invention.

[0023] The transmission system 100 here is a transmission system 100 of a vehicle (not shown), which is used, among other things, for transmitting data between a transmitter 110 and the receiver 80 of the vehicle, wherein the transmitter 110 and the receiver 80 are arranged, for example, in different control units of the vehicle, which are preferably set up to carry out bidirectional communication, in that both a transmitter 110 and a receiver 80 according to the invention are advantageously provided in each of these control units.

[0024] The transmitter 110 and the receiver 80 are connected via a bus line 40 of a LIN bus system based on message-based addressing. In addition, additional transmitters and / or additional receivers of the vehicle are preferably connected to the bus line 40.

[0025] The interface module 5 according to the invention comprises a receiving unit 10 configured to implement LIN bus communication. Furthermore, the interface module 5 comprises a filter unit 20, which, together with the receiving unit 10 and other components of the interface module 5, is implemented as an integrated circuit.

[0026] Based on this configuration, the receiving unit 10 is configured to receive messages 30 according to the LIN bus protocol via the bus line 40 and to store data 32 contained in the messages 30 together with the respective associated message IDs 34 in a memory 50.

[0027] The filter unit 20 is configured to compare the message IDs 34 stored in the memory 50 with a message ID list (not shown) containing message IDs 34 of messages 30 intended for forwarding by the interface module 5 to a processor 90 of the receiver 80.

[0028] The filter unit 20 is also configured to write only those data 32 and message IDs 34 of messages 30 into a message reception buffer 120 whose message IDs 34 are contained in the message ID list. The filter unit 20 is further configured to provide the data 32 and / or the message IDs 34 to the processor 90 via a data interface 60 of the interface module 5 and an internal bus 95.

[0029] The processor 90 is configured to retrieve the data 32 stored in the message reception buffer 120 from the message reception buffer 120 on an event-based basis (e.g., when an interrupt of the processor is triggered by the interface module when new data 32 is present in the message reception buffer 120) and / or cyclically.

[0030] The processor 90 is further configured to address an activation interface 70 and a configuration interface 75 of the interface module 5 via the internal bus 95, wherein the activation interface 70 is provided to activate and deactivate the filter function of the filter unit 20 as needed, and wherein the configuration interface 75 is provided to adapt the message ID list as needed.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention, which is designed here as a passenger car and has a transmission system 100 consisting of a transmitter 110, a receiver 80 and a bus line 40, wherein the transmitter 110 and the receiver 80 are connected to one another via the bus line 40. In addition, further (not shown) transmitters and / or receivers can be connected to one another via the bus line 40, wherein preferably all receivers 80 of the transmission system 100 (which can advantageously also assume a function as transmitter 90) are connected to an interface module 5 according to the invention (see Fig. 1) are equipped.

Claims

[1] Interface module (5) for bus communication with message-based addressing, comprising: - a receiving unit (10), and - a filter unit (20), wherein - the receiving unit (10) is configured to receive messages (30) according to a predefined bus protocol via a bus line (40) and to store data (32) contained in the messages (30) together with respective associated message IDs (34) in a memory (50), and - the filter unit (20) is set up, - to compare the message IDs (34) stored in the memory (50) with a message ID list containing message IDs (34) of messages (30) intended for forwarding by the interface module (5), and - to provide only those data (32) via a data interface (60) of the interface module (5) whose associated message IDs (34) are contained in the message ID list. [2] Interface module (5) according to claim 1, wherein the bus protocol is a LIN bus protocol. [3] Interface module (5) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the message ID list comprises individual message IDs (34) and / or message ID ranges. [4] Interface module (5) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving unit (10) and the filter unit (20) are part of an integrated circuit. [5] Interface module (5) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the filter unit (20) is configured to be activated and deactivated via an activation interface (70). [6] Receiver (80) having - an interface module (5) according to one of the preceding claims, and - an evaluation unit (90), wherein - the evaluation unit (90) is connected to the interface module (5) via the data interface (60) of the interface module (5) in terms of information technology and is configured to receive filtered data (32) from the interface module (5) via the interface module (5). [7] Receiver (80) according to claim 6, wherein the evaluation unit (90) is arranged to configure the message IDs (32) to be filtered by the filter unit (20) in the interface module (5) by defining the message ID list. [8] Receiver (80) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the evaluation unit (90) is configured to activate and deactivate the filter unit (20) as required by means of the activation interface (70). [9] Transmission system (100) comprising - a receiver (80) according to one of claims 6 to 8, and - a transmitter (110), wherein - the transmitter (110) is configured to send messages (30) according to the predefined bus protocol via a bus line (40), and - the receiver (80) is configured to receive messages (30) intended for the receiver (80) on the basis of the message ID list and to provide them to the evaluation unit (90). [10] Vehicle comprising a transmission system (100) according to claim 9.

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