Trailer network system for data communication in a trailer vehicle, trailer vehicle having same, and method for same
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023761118
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-09-23
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-23
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-30
AI Technical Summary
The increasing complexity of data communication in trailer vehicles, particularly with the rise of automated driving functions, poses a risk of dangerous driving interventions due to potential attacks on safety-critical systems via vehicle components, as existing systems lack adequate segregation of safety-relevant and safety-irrelevant control devices in data bus connections.
A trailer network system is implemented with a dual-bus architecture, where main control devices performing safety-critical functions are connected via a main data bus, while secondary control devices handling non-safety-relevant functions are connected via a separate secondary data bus, preventing unauthorized access to safety-critical data and ensuring secure communication.
This dual-bus structure enhances data security by isolating safety-critical commands and data, reducing the risk of attacks on main control devices, while maintaining redundant communication pathways to ensure reliability even in case of main data bus failures.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Trailer network system for data communication in a trailer vehicle and trailer vehicle therewith and method therefor
[0002] The invention relates to the field of vehicles, and in particular to the field of commercial vehicles. Such commercial vehicles include towing vehicles, such as trucks or semi-trailers, and trailers, such as drawbar trailers or semi-trailers. In particular, the invention relates to trailers.
[0003] The vehicles considered here have a multitude of control units, also called "electronic control units" (ECUs for short). These control units are used to control individual vehicle functions. Preferably, the control units control vehicle actuators or read vehicle sensors, for example. Examples of vehicle control units are brake control units, EBS or TEBS for short, for controlling various braking functions, such as controlling the vehicle's friction brakes, and air suspension control units for controlling air suspension. Control units in modern vehicles are connected to one another via a vehicle network for data communication, in particular a data bus, in order to exchange data.
[0004] For example, a control unit of an air suspension system can be used to determine the mass of the vehicle. A sensor measures the prevailing pressure in the air bellows and transmits this information to the control unit of the air suspension system. From the prevailing pressure, the control unit can determine the mass and provide the determined mass, for example, to a brake control unit. The brake control unit can then take these masses into account when controlling the actuators.
[0005] Due to the increasing number of such control units and the resulting increase in interaction between the control units, the demands placed on the vehicle network for data exchange are increasing, particularly with regard to the data security of a vehicle network system that includes the control units and the vehicle network itself. Data security requirements are becoming particularly relevant due to the increasing number of automated driving functions that enable partially or fully autonomous vehicle operation and are also implemented using these control units. Control units implementing automated driving functions must be able to access the vehicle's sensors and actuators without errors, whereas manipulation of such access can lead to dangerous driving situations or accidents.To ensure data security, control units capable of performing safety-critical functions are often not connected to the vehicle's general data buses. Instead, secure connections are provided for such control units so that such control units can exchange control commands, especially safety-critical control commands, with the secure connections.
[0006] Various measures are already known to ensure data security requirements. For example, a trailer network system is designed according to the state of the art so that a safety-critical control unit, such as the brake control unit, receives safety-critical commands, for example, to activate the friction brakes, from the towing vehicle via a standardized interface with a protocol according to ISO 11992-2. Modern trailer vehicles also have an additional interface that exchanges data with the towing vehicle using a protocol according to ISO 11992-3. This additional interface can be used to communicate with other components of the trailer vehicle, which are connected, for example, via a bus system.
[0007] However, there is increasing interest in providing an interface, in addition to or even as an alternative to existing interfaces, through which all commands, including safety-critical ones, can be transmitted from the towing vehicle to the trailer vehicle and through which data can be exchanged between other control units or components of the trailer vehicle and the towing vehicle. All data traffic between the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle must then be carried out via such an interface, so that, consequently, all control units of the trailer vehicle can be connected to this interface, for example via a bus. In particular, control units that allow wireless remote access to the trailer network system, for example, then pose a risk to safety-relevant control units, namely control units that perform safety-relevant functions, such as the brake control unit.
[0008] The object of the present invention is therefore to address the problems of the prior art. In particular, the risk of attacks by vehicle components on safety-critical systems leading to dangerous driving interventions should be reduced. At the very least, an alternative to the prior art is to be found.
[0009] For this purpose, the invention describes a trailer network system for data communication in a trailer vehicle according to claim 1.
[0010] The trailer network system according to the invention is used for data communication in a trailer vehicle. The trailer network system comprises at least two main control units. The main control units are each configured to execute safety-relevant functions of the trailer vehicle. Furthermore, the trailer network system comprises at least one secondary control unit. The secondary control unit is used to execute non-safety-relevant functions, i.e., functions that are not safety-relevant.
[0011] The trailer network system also includes a main data bus. The main data bus comprises several main data bus interfaces. The main control units are each connected to one of the several main data bus interfaces. The main control units are thus connected to each other via the main data bus for data exchange. The secondary control unit is unconnected to the main data bus. In the case of multiple secondary control units, all secondary control units are unconnected to the main data bus.
[0012] The trailer network system also includes a sub-data bus with multiple sub-data bus interfaces. One sub-data bus interface of the multiple sub-data bus interfaces is connected to one of the main control units. Another sub-data bus interface is connected to another of the main control units. A further sub-data bus interface of the multiple sub-data bus interfaces is connected to the sub-control unit. In the case of multiple main control units and / or multiple sub-control units, all main and sub-control units are connected to the sub-bus. The sub-data bus thus serves for data exchange between all main and sub-control units of the trailer network system.
[0013] According to the invention, the main control unit(s) are connected to each other by two data buses, namely the main data bus and the secondary data bus. The idea of the invention is that the main data bus connects only the main control units, but not the secondary control units. The main data bus therefore does not provide any interfaces for connecting secondary control units of the trailer vehicle. A secondary data bus is provided for connecting secondary control units. Control units that perform non-safety-relevant functions and could pose a threat to control units that perform safety-relevant functions can therefore only be connected via the secondary data bus.
[0014] Secure communication between main control units is thus possible via the main data bus, so that safety-critical commands, which are received, for example, by one of the main control units from a towing vehicle or another main control unit, can be securely transmitted to the main control unit. Secondary control units of the trailer vehicle cannot access the main data bus, as it is not accessible to the secondary control units. This structure of the trailer network system enables secure communication between the control units that perform safety-relevant functions. Furthermore, the structure allows the main control units to also communicate via the secondary data bus in the event of a failure of the main data bus. This creates a partially redundant bus connection, so that the disadvantage of the additional effort required to increase data security is offset by a simultaneous increase in reliability.If the main data bus fails, the main control units are less protected against attacks by the secondary control units, although the lower probability of such an attack in such a situation is accepted in order to ensure communication between the main control units despite the failure of the main data bus. According to a first embodiment, the main control units each correspond to a control unit configured to influence a driving function of the trailer vehicle. In particular, each of the main control units is configured to control an actuator of the trailer vehicle. According to this embodiment, the secondary control unit is a control unit configured to leave the driving function of the trailer vehicle unaffected. In particular, the secondary control unit is configured to execute an actuatorless function.The main control units are therefore used to control all functions related to the trailer's travel and that have a direct influence on the travel or movement. The secondary control unit is therefore a control unit that has no direct influence on the travel or movement of the trailer.
[0015] Secondary control units, which therefore have no direct influence on the driving function, remain unconnected to the main data bus and therefore cannot influence main control units, which exchange safety-relevant data via the main data bus and, in particular, can influence the driving functions of the trailer vehicle through this exchange of data.
[0016] According to a further embodiment, each of the main control units is configured to control at least one actuator for actuating a service brake, an actuator for actuating a parking brake, an actuator for raising and / or lowering a lift axle, an actuator for raising and / or lowering a trailer support leg, an actuator for controlling a trailer level control, or an actuator, in particular an electric motor, for driving or braking a wheel or axle of the trailer. According to this embodiment, the secondary control unit is configured to perform a function that differs from the control of the actuators mentioned in this embodiment, which can be controlled by the main control unit.
[0017] Accordingly, a final list of actuators is specified, each of which can be controlled via several main control units. For example, a first main control unit is configured as a control unit for controlling a service brake, and another main control unit is configured as a control unit for raising and / or lowering a lift axle. Yet another main control unit is configured as a control unit for driving or braking a wheel or axle. Furthermore, secondary control units are configured to perform a function that differs from the final list of actuators.
[0018] The actuators mentioned are clearly actuators whose operation represents a safety-relevant function and is therefore performed by a main control unit. Accordingly, such actuators are not controlled by secondary control units, but exclusively by main control units. Safety-critical commands to a main control unit sent on the secondary bus by a secondary control unit that is not connected to the main data bus can be ignored. Data security in the communication of all control units that influence these safety-relevant actuators can be guaranteed against attacks from control units that are not connected to the main data bus.
[0019] According to a further embodiment, at least one or all of the main control units comprises a data interface unit. The data interface unit is connected to a main data bus interface and a secondary data bus interface. The data interface unit is configured to distinguish between disrupted and undisturbed data traffic on the main data bus, i.e., to detect whether the data traffic is disrupted or undisturbed. If the data interface unit detects undisturbed data traffic on the main data bus, the data interface unit is configured to ignore safety-critical data on the secondary data bus. Safety-critical data is preferably predefined data or data packets, which, for example, include a command to activate the brakes of the trailer vehicle.Preferably, the data interface unit is also configured not to ignore, i.e. to process, safety-critical data on the secondary data bus in the event of a detected disrupted data traffic on the main data bus.
[0020] The main control unit is therefore configured by the data interface unit to ignore safety-critical data, such as data sent by a secondary control unit connected to the secondary data bus and corresponding to safety-critical data, as long as operation with the main data bus, namely uninterrupted data traffic with another main control unit, is possible. An attack on the main control unit by a secondary control unit connected to the secondary data bus is thus completely prevented in the case of an undisturbed main data bus. Nevertheless, the possibility of redundant communication between the main control units remains in the event of a main data bus failure. In particular, non-critical data can also be sent from secondary control units to the brake control unit via the secondary data bus and processed by the brake control unit.
[0021] According to a further embodiment, the trailer network system comprises one or more secondary control units, which are designed as a telematics system, a wireless interface module, an operating unit, or a display unit. The trailer network system accordingly comprises one or more of a telematics system, a wireless interface module, an operating unit, and a display unit. If, for example, a secondary control unit is connected as a display unit to the secondary data bus via a secondary data bus interface, parameters from other secondary control units can preferably be displayed on the display unit. Such parameters can also include parameters provided by a main control unit on the secondary data bus. The secondary control units can thus communicate with one another and with the towing vehicle, for example via a main control unit designed as a trailer interface module.Processing of data from a main control unit designed as a trailer brake control unit by the secondary control units is also possible, whereby safety-critical data addressed to the trailer brake control unit by one of the secondary control units, in particular by the data interface unit, are not processed in the trailer brake control unit.
[0022] According to a further embodiment, the trailer network system comprises a plurality of main control units, wherein one of the main control units corresponds to a trailer brake control unit and is configured to activate friction brakes of the trailer vehicle. Another main control unit corresponds to a control unit for controlling an electric drive of the trailer vehicle. Safety-critical data therefore includes braking requests for activating the friction brakes, which are addressed, for example, by a main control unit embodied as a trailer interface module to the trailer brake control unit. Further safety-critical data are acceleration requests for activating an electric drive controlled by the brake control unit or braking requests for activating recuperation mode of the electric drive. Accordingly, braking requests can be transmitted to the trailer brake control unit via the main data bus in order to activate the friction brakes.However, braking requests via the secondary data bus are preferably ignored as long as the trailer brake control unit detects undisturbed data traffic on the main data bus.
[0023] According to a further embodiment, the trailer network system comprises a plurality of main control units, wherein a trailer brake control unit is formed by at least two of the main control units. At least one of, several of, or all of the main control units forming the trailer brake control unit are configured to control friction brakes of the trailer vehicle. Safety-critical data includes braking requests for activating the friction brakes, which are addressed to at least one of the main control units forming the trailer brake control unit. Safe control of a trailer brake control unit formed by a plurality of main control units is thus possible.
[0024] According to a further embodiment, the trailer network system comprises a plurality of main control units, wherein one of the main control units is designed as a trailer interface module and has a first towing vehicle data interface for exchanging data with a towing vehicle. The first towing vehicle data interface is an Ethernet data interface and particularly preferably a Gigabit Ethernet data interface. Such Ethernet connections, which can be provided with the first towing vehicle data interface, enable rapid data exchange between the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle, for example, in order to exchange large volumes of data from cameras directly connected either to the secondary data bus or to the trailer interface module, in addition to safety-critical data for safety-critical systems, such as braking requests.According to a further embodiment, the main control unit, designed as a trailer interface module, comprises a second towing vehicle data interface. The second towing vehicle data interface also serves to exchange data with the towing vehicle. The second towing vehicle data interface is a standardized data interface according to ISO 11992-3. By providing this second towing vehicle data interface, communication between the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle is possible even if the towing vehicle does not have an Ethernet data interface. This maintains backward compatibility of the trailer network system with known towing vehicles.
[0025] According to a further embodiment, the trailer network system comprises a main control unit configured as a brake control unit with a third towing vehicle data interface. The third towing vehicle data interface is configured to exchange data with the towing vehicle. The third towing vehicle data interface is a standardized interface designed in accordance with ISO 11992-2. Thus, the trailer network system will also be compatible in the future with towing vehicles that do not have an Ethernet data interface but at least have an ISO 11992-2 interface for controlling the trailer vehicle's brakes.
[0026] The invention also encompasses a trailer vehicle with a trailer network system according to one of the aforementioned embodiments. Furthermore, the invention encompasses a combination comprising a trailer vehicle according to the invention and a towing vehicle.
[0027] In addition, the invention comprises a method for operating a trailer network system according to one of the embodiments, a trailer vehicle according to the invention or a combination according to the invention.
[0028] According to one embodiment of the method, at least one of the or each of the main control units detects addressed data packets containing safety-critical data on the secondary data bus. The main control unit determines whether the main data bus is faulty or not. The detected data packet is processed if the main data bus is faulty and discarded if the main data bus is not faulty. According to a preferred development, if safety-critical data is received on the secondary data bus while the main data bus is not faulty, the main control unit outputs an error message.
[0029] Secondary control units connected to the secondary data bus that send safety-critical data to a main control unit remain non-critical for the operation of the trailer vehicle as long as the main data bus is undisturbed. The probability of an attack on the brake control unit by a secondary control unit is thus reduced and limited to the case where the main data bus is disrupted. The probability of an attack on a main control unit by a secondary control unit is thus significantly reduced. The output of an error message serves to make an attack visible. An operator can then initiate measures to prevent further attacks.
[0030] According to one embodiment of the method, the main control unit or each of the main control units detects data packets addressed to themselves containing non-safety-critical data on the secondary data bus. A data packet containing non-safety-critical data detected in this way is processed by the main control unit. Such non-safety-critical data includes, for example, the retrieval of certain parameters from the brake control unit, such as an operating state, by a secondary control unit for display, transmission, or further processing.
[0031] According to a further embodiment of the method, the method comprises receiving safety-critical data for a main control unit embodied as a trailer brake control unit from the towing vehicle via the first towing vehicle data interface or the second towing vehicle data interface. A main control unit embodied as a trailer interface module, which is used for this purpose, also determines or detects whether the main data bus is faulty or undisturbed, i.e., whether faulty data traffic is present or undisturbed data traffic is possible. Furthermore, the trailer interface module sends a data packet addressed to the trailer brake control unit with the received safety-critical data on the main data bus if the main data bus is faultless. If the main data bus is faulty, the data packet is sent to the trailer brake control unit on the secondary data bus.
[0032] According to a further embodiment, the method comprises receiving data for a secondary control unit from the towing vehicle via the first towing vehicle data interface or the second towing vehicle data interface by the trailer interface module. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the method comprises transmitting a data packet addressed to the secondary control unit containing the data on the secondary data bus, regardless of whether the main data bus is faulty or undisturbed. Accordingly, data intended for the secondary control units is always transmitted on the secondary data bus.
[0033] Further embodiments are illustrated in the figures, which show:
[0034] Fig.1 an embodiment of a trailer network system and
[0035] Fig. 2 Steps of the method according to an embodiment.
[0036] Fig. 1 shows a trailer network system 10 for data communication in a trailer vehicle 12. The trailer vehicle 12 is connected to a towing vehicle 14 via data lines 11 in order to exchange data between the trailer vehicle 12 and the towing vehicle 14. The trailer vehicle 12 and the towing vehicle 14 form a combination 15. The towing vehicle 14 has a towing vehicle brake control unit 16 which, for example, depending on a driver's request, generates a braking request 17 for the friction brakes of the towing vehicle 14. In addition, depending on this braking request 17 for the towing vehicle 14, a braking request 17 for a trailer vehicle 12 is also generated in the towing vehicle brake control unit 16.
[0037] Braking requests 17 for the trailer vehicle 12 are transmitted as data to the trailer vehicle 12, such data being predefined as safety-critical data 18.
[0038] In order to send the safety-critical data 18 of a braking request 17 to the trailer vehicle 12, the towing vehicle brake control unit 16 generates the braking request 17 and transmits it to a towing vehicle interface module 20. The towing vehicle interface module 20 generates a data packet 21 with the safety-critical data 18 and transmits it to the trailer network system 10 via a first data connection 22. To receive the data packet 21, the trailer network system 10 comprises a trailer interface module 24 designed as a main control unit 23, which is connected to the first data connection 22 via a first towing vehicle data interface 26. The first data connection 22 is preferably an Ethernet data connection 28 and, in this case, a Gigabit Ethernet data connection 30. Accordingly, the first towing vehicle data interface 26 is an Ethernet data interface 32 and, in this case, a Gigabit Ethernet data interface 34.
[0039] The safety-critical data 18 is transmitted from the trailer interface module 24 via a main data bus 36 to another main control unit 23, which is designed as a trailer brake control unit 38 of the trailer network system 10. The trailer interface module 24 corresponds to a gateway module. This serves the purpose of mediating connections between different network sections. Different communication protocols can be used in the network sections. The gateway module is designed to perform protocol conversion so that messages in the format of one communication protocol are converted into messages of the other communication protocol and vice versa. The gateway module can be housed in a separate housing like an electronic control unit, or alternatively, it can be part of a main control unit 23.The trailer brake control unit 38 includes a data interface unit 40 for reception, which is connected to the main data bus 36 and a secondary data bus 42. The data interface unit 40 comprises a main data bus interface 44 and a secondary data bus interface 46. In contrast, the trailer interface module 24 has a main data bus interface 48 and a secondary data bus interface 50. Similar to the trailer brake control unit 38, which serves as the main control unit 23 and is configured to control an actuator 77, which corresponds, for example, to a friction brake 68, of a service brake 75, additional main control units 23 are connected to the main data bus 36 and the secondary data bus 42 via the respective interfaces.The additional main control units 23 are each configured to control an actuator 79 for actuating a parking brake 81, an actuator 82 for raising and / or lowering a lift axle 83, an actuator 84 for raising and / or lowering a trailer support leg 85, an actuator 86 for controlling a trailer level control 87, and an actuator 88, namely an electric drive 70, for driving or braking a wheel 89. Each of the aforementioned actuators 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 88 serves to execute one of several safety-relevant functions 41 that influence driving functions 43 of the trailer vehicle 12.
[0040] The main data bus 36 differs from the secondary data bus 42 in that the main data bus 36 comprises main data bus interfaces 44, 48, each of which is connected to one of the main control units 23. In addition to the aforementioned secondary data bus interfaces 46, 50, which are connected to the trailer interface module 24 embodied as the main control unit 23 and to the trailer brake control unit 38 embodied as the main control unit 23, the secondary data bus 42 has further secondary data bus interfaces 52. A telematics system 54, a wireless interface module 56, an operating device 58, and a display device 60 are connected to the further secondary data bus interfaces 52. The telematics system 54, the wireless interface module 56, the operating device 58, and the display device 60 can each also be referred to as secondary control units 62. The secondary control units 62 thus serve to execute actuator-free functions 63, which correspond to safety-relevant functions 65.
[0041] The secondary control units 62 can also exchange data with other modules 64 of the towing vehicle 14 via the trailer interface module 24 and the first data connection 22, as well as the towing vehicle interface module 20. The other modules 64 of the towing vehicle 14 and the secondary control units 62 exchange data referred to as non-critical data 66. According to the invention, the non-critical data 66 is exchanged via the secondary data bus 42. The safety-critical data 18, on the other hand, is sent via the main data bus 36 to the main control unit 23, which is designed as a trailer brake control unit 38, at least as long as the main data bus 36 is undisturbed. This safety-critical data 18, for example, controls friction brakes 68 or an electric drive 70, whereby the electric drive can also be controlled via the trailer brake control unit 38.Alternatively, as shown, the drive 70 is controlled via a further separate main control unit 23. To control the electric drive of the towing vehicle, the towing vehicle brake control unit 16 sends, for example, control signals 71 for the electric drive as safety-critical data 18 to the trailer brake control unit 38.
[0042] In addition, a rearview camera 72 is connected to the trailer vehicle 12, and its video data 73 can also be transmitted to the towing vehicle 14 via the trailer interface module 24. Furthermore, the trailer interface module 24 includes a second towing vehicle data interface 74 for backward compatibility, which corresponds to an interface 76 according to ISO 11992-3. The trailer brake control unit 38 is also designed with a third towing vehicle data interface 78, which is an interface 80 according to ISO 11992-2, in order to also be backward compatible with the towing vehicle 14. Safety-critical data 18 is therefore also sent from the towing vehicle brake control unit 16 of the towing vehicle 14 directly to the trailer brake control unit 38 via the third towing vehicle data interface 78.
[0043] Fig. 2 shows the steps of a method 90 according to one embodiment. In a step 92, a data packet 94 is received from a trailer interface module 24. In step 96, the trailer interface module 24 determines whether the data packet 94 comprises safety-critical data 18 or non-critical data 66. If the data in the data packet 94 is non-critical data 66, it is transmitted on a secondary data bus 42 in step 98 if it is intended for a secondary control unit 62. If the data is safety-critical data 18 and it was detected in a previous step 100 that the main data bus 36 is undisturbed 102, the safety-critical data 18 is sent to the trailer brake control unit 38 via the main data bus 36 in a step 104. If, on the other hand, it has been detected in step 100 that the main data bus 36 is faulty 106, the safety-critical data 18 are sent to the trailer brake control unit 38 via the secondary data bus 42 in step 104.In this case, if the trailer brake control unit 38 detects safety-critical data 18 on the secondary data bus 42 in step 108, the trailer brake control unit 38 determines with its data interface unit 40 in step 110 whether the main data bus 36 is faulty 106 or undisturbed 102. In step 112, the data packet 94 is then processed if the main data bus 36 is faulty 106 and discarded if the main data bus 36 is undisturbed 102.
[0044] Reference symbol (part of the description):
[0045] 10 trailer network system
[0046] 11 data lines
[0047] 12 trailer vehicle
[0048] 14 towing vehicle
[0049] 15 team
[0050] 16 Towing vehicle brake control unit
[0051] 17 Braking requirements
[0052] 18 safety-critical data
[0053] 20 towing vehicle interface module
[0054] 21 data package
[0055] 22 first data connection
[0056] 23 Main control unit
[0057] 24 Trailer interface module
[0058] 26 first towing vehicle data interface
[0059] 28 Ethernet data connection
[0060] 30 Gigabit Ethernet data connection
[0061] 32 Ethernet data interface
[0062] 34 Gigabit Ethernet data interface
[0063] 36 Main data bus
[0064] 38 Trailer brake control unit
[0065] 40 Data interface unit
[0066] 41 safety-relevant functions
[0067] 42 Auxiliary data bus
[0068] 43 driving functions
[0069] 44 first main data bus interface
[0070] 46 Auxiliary data bus interface
[0071] 48 second main data bus interface
[0072] 50 Auxiliary data bus interface
[0073] 52 Auxiliary data bus interface
[0074] 54 Telematics system
[0075] 56 Wireless interface module control unit
[0076] Display device
[0077] Auxiliary control units actuatorless functions additional modules safety-relevant functions non-critical data
[0078] Friction brakes electric drive
[0079] Control signals
[0080] Rear view camera
[0081] Video data second towing vehicle data interface
[0082] Service brake
[0083] Interface according to ISO 11992-3
[0084] Actuator third towing vehicle data interface
[0085] Actuator
[0086] Interface according to ISO 11992-2
[0087] parking brake
[0088] Actuator
[0089] Lift axle
[0090] Actuator
[0091] Trailer support leg
[0092] Actuator
[0093] Trailer level control
[0094] Actuator
[0095] wheel
[0096] Proceedings
[0097] Step of the procedure
[0098] Data package
[0099] Step of the procedure
[0100] Step of the procedure Step of the procedure undisturbed main data bus Step of the procedure disturbed main data bus Step of the procedure Step of the procedure Step of the procedure
Claims
Patent claims:
1. Trailer network system (10) for data communication in a trailer vehicle (12), comprising: at least two main control units (23) for performing safety-related functions (41) of the trailer vehicle (12), at least one auxiliary control unit (62) for performing non-safety-related functions (63) of the trailer vehicle (12), a main data bus (36) with several main data bus interfaces (44, 48), wherein each of the main control units (23) is connected to one main data bus interface (44, 48) of the several main data bus interfaces (44, 48) and the auxiliary control unit (62) is not connected to the main data bus (36), an auxiliary data bus (42) with several auxiliary data bus interfaces (46, 50, 52), wherein the main control unit (23) is connected to one auxiliary data bus interface (46, 50, 52) of the several auxiliary data bus interfaces (46, 50, 52) and the auxiliary control unit (62) with another auxiliary data bus interface (46, 50, 52) of the several auxiliary data bus interfaces (46, 50,52) is connected., 2. Trailer network system (10) according to claim 1, wherein each of the main control units (23) corresponds to a control unit configured to influence a driving function (43) of the trailer vehicle (12), and in particular is configured to control one or more actuators (77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 88) of the trailer vehicle (12), and the auxiliary control unit (62) corresponds to a control unit configured to leave the driving function (43) of the trailer vehicle (12) unaffected, and in particular is configured to perform an actuator-less function (63).
3. Trailer network system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the main control units (23) is configured to control at least one of the to control the following actuators (77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 88) of the trailer vehicle (12): Actuator (77) for actuating a service brake (75), actuator (79) for actuating a parking brake (81), actuator (82) for raising and / or lowering a lift axle (83), actuator (84) for raising and / or lowering a trailer support leg (85), Actuator (86) for controlling a trailer vehicle level control system (87), Actuator (88) for driving or braking a wheel (89), wherein the auxiliary control unit (62) is configured to perform a function different from the control of the listed actuators (77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 88).
4. Trailer network system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one, several, or each of the main control units (23) comprises a data interface unit (40) configured to distinguish between disrupted data traffic (106) and undisturbed data traffic (102) on the main data bus (36) and, in the case of undisturbed data traffic (102), to ignore predefined safety-critical data (18) on the secondary data bus (42) addressed to the main control unit (23).
5. Trailer network system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the auxiliary control unit (62) corresponds to one or several auxiliary control units (62) each correspond to one of: a telematics system (54), a wireless interface module (56), an operating device (58) and a display device (60).
6. Trailer network system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising several main control units (23), whereinone of the main control units (23) corresponds to a trailer brake control unit (38) and is configured to control friction brakes (68) of the trailer vehicle (12), and wherein another main control unit (23) is a control unit for controlling an electric drive (70) of the trailer vehicle (12), wherein safety-critical data (18) comprise brake requests (17) for activating the friction brakes (68) and control signals (71) for controlling the electric drive (70) addressed to one of the main control units (23), or wherein a trailer brake control unit (38) is formed by at least two of the main control units (23), wherein at least one, both, or all of the main control units (23) forming the trailer brake control unit (38) are configured to control friction brakes (68) of the trailer vehicle (12), wherein safety-critical data (18) comprise brake requests (17) for activating the friction brakes (68). includewhich are addressed to at least one of the main control units (23) forming the trailer brake control unit (38).
7. Trailer network system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising several main control units (23) wherein one of the main control units (23) is a trailer interface module (24) having a first towing vehicle data interface (26), wherein the first towing vehicle data interface (26) is an Ethernet data interface (32), particularly preferably a Gigabit Ethernet data interface (34), and / or the trailer interface module (24) has a second towing vehicle data interface (74), wherein the second towing vehicle data interface (74) is an interface (76) according to standard ISO 11992-3.
8. Trailer network system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a main control unit (23) designed as a trailer brake control unit (38) which has a third towing vehicle data interface (78) exhibits, wherein the third vehicle data interface (78) is an interface (80) according to the ISO 11992-2 standard.
9. Trailer vehicle (12) with a trailer network system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8.
10. Combination (15) with a trailer vehicle (12) according to claim 9 and a towing vehicle (14).
11. Method (90) for operating a trailer network system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, a trailer vehicle (12) according to claim 9 or a vehicle combination (15) according to claim 10.
12. Method (90) according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises: Recognition by the main control unit (23) of a data packet (94) addressed to a main control unit (23) containing safety-critical data (18) on the secondary data bus (42), Determine whether the main data bus (36) is faulty (106) or undisturbed (102) and Processing the data packet (94) when the main data bus (36) is disrupted (106) and Discard the data packet (94) if the main data bus (36) is undisturbed (102).
13. Method (90) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the method (90) further comprises: Recognition by the main control unit (23) of a data packet (94) addressed to the main control unit (23) containing non-safety-critical data (66) on the secondary data bus (42) and Processing the data packet (94).
14. Method (90) according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising: Receiving safety-critical data (18) for a main control unit (23) designed as a trailer brake control unit (38) via the first towing vehicle data interface (26) or the second towing vehicle data interface (74) by a main control unit (23) designed as a trailer interface module (24), Determine whether the main data bus (36) is faulty (106) or undisturbed (102) by the trailer interface module (24) and Sending a data packet (94) addressed to the trailer brake control unit (38) containing the safety-critical data (18) on the main data bus (36) if the main data bus (36) is undisturbed (102) or, if the main data bus (36) is disturbed (106), sending the data packet (94) on the secondary data bus (42).
15. Method (90) according to any one of claims 11 to 14, further comprising: Receiving data for the auxiliary control unit (62) from the towing vehicle (14) via the first towing vehicle data interface (26) or the second towing vehicle data interface (74) by a main control unit (23) designed as a trailer interface module (24) and Sending a data packet (94) addressed to the auxiliary control unit (62) containing the data on the auxiliary data bus (42), regardless of whether the main data bus (36) is faulty (106) or undisturbed (102).