SECURE SELF-ADDRESSING METHOD FOR SLAVE ORGANS IN A LIN NETWORK

Abstract

METHOD FOR SECURE SELF-ADDRESSING OF SLAVE DEVICES IN A LIN NETWORK The present invention relates to a method for configuring at least one slave device by a master device on a multiplexed LIN communication network, comprising the steps: a) sending a configuration instruction from the master device to the slave device; notable in that the method further comprises the step: b) sending a configuration acceptance signal from the slave device to the master device; c) if step b fails, iteration of steps a) and b) until the first of the following two conditions is met: reaching a maximum number of iterations and completion of step b). (Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: SECURE SELF-ADDRESSING METHOD FOR SLAVE ORGANS IN A LIN NETWORK technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly to the field of LIN-type multiplexed networks embedded in motor vehicles. Previous technique

[0002] The LIN (Local Interconnect Network) type multiplexed communication network is a low-complexity, low-cost communication network intended for use in automotive applications.

[0003] It is known to those skilled in the art that in a LIN network, nodes can be of two types: masters and slaves. Masters control the flow of data on the network, while slaves respond to requests from masters.

[0004] When a slave is added to the LIN network, it must be assigned a unique identifier to communicate with other nodes on the network. A mechanism commonly referred to as "slave auto-addressing" is used in the LIN network to allow slaves to automatically address themselves based on their physical location on the network, thus simplifying network installation and configuration.

[0005] The self-addressing method by detecting the physical position of slaves in the LIN network is known, as disclosed in the standard: "LIN Switch Slave Node Position Detection", in which each slave will be assigned one by one with a nodal address, and once the address assignment is completed, the slaves close their LIN switch, and this even in case of configuration failure, i.e. the unassigned slaves also close their LIN switch.

[0006] The self-addressing method disclosed by the standard does not provide for security or fault handling during address assignment, which is not suitable for an automotive application.

[0007] One solution to secure the disclosed method would be to pre-supply different LIN slave part numbers for each component (slave), which requires providing additional storage space in the factory during production, as well as in after-sales service for vehicle maintenance. Description of the invention

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art. More specifically, the invention aims to to offer a simple, efficient and economical solution to secure the self-addressing of slaves in a LIN network.

[0009] To this end, the invention relates to a method for configuring at least one slave device by a master device, on a LIN-type multiplexed communication network, comprising the following steps: a) transmission by the master unit of a configuration instruction to the slave unit; notable in that the process further comprises the step: b) sending by the slave organ to the master organ of a signal acknowledging the configuration; c) if step b fails), iterate steps a) and b) until the first of the following two conditions is met: reaching a maximum number of iterations and completion of step b).

[0010] According to one embodiment, in the event of a stoppage of iteration c) without completion of step b), the configuration is stopped and an error signal is emitted identifying the corresponding slave device.

[0011] According to one embodiment, iteration c) is stopped after a predefined time interval.

[0012] According to one embodiment, steps a) and b) are iterated for each of several slave organs to be configured.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the method further comprising the step: d) in the event of execution of step b), stopping the configuration and emitting a signal indicating no error in the configuration.

[0014] The invention also relates to a LIN-type multiplexed communication network comprising a master unit and slave units, the master unit being able to communicate with each of the slave units so as to transmit an address configuration instruction to said slave unit, notable in that the slave units of the network are configured in accordance with the method of configuring at least one slave unit by a master unit according to the invention.

[0015] The invention also relates to an electronic device, notable in that it includes a LIN-type multiplexed communication network according to the invention.

[0016] Finally, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising an electronic device, remarkable in that said electronic device is according to the invention.

[0017] The measures of the invention are advantageous in that the steps of the method of configuring at least one slave element by a master element make it possible to provide a robustness solution to the standard: "LIN Switch Slave Node Position Detection", at least by further securing the self-addressing of the slaves and by providing fault management.

[0018] Indeed, the iteration of sending the configuration instruction to the slave device in step c) corresponds to a software loop to ensure that the instruction is correctly taken into account by the slave device.

[0019] The predefined maximum number of iterations and / or the time interval managed by a timer launched in parallel with the iteration in step c), allow exiting the iteration loop and thus deciding on a case of failure to configure the address of the corresponding slave and reporting the error, or on a case of success in which an error-free signal can be emitted.

[0020] Thus, the invention makes it possible to configure slave addresses in software to distinguish them in LIN networks, and this in a secure manner, making it possible to considerably reduce the costs associated with the development and production of motor vehicles incorporating such networks. Brief description of the drawings

[0021] [Fig.1] schematically illustrates a motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0022] [Fig.2] represents a schematic view of the method of configuring at least one slave organ by a master organ on a LIN network of the motor vehicle of [Fig.1], according to the invention. Detailed description

[0023] Fig. 1 schematically represents a motor vehicle 2 according to the invention.

[0024] The motor vehicle 2 includes an electronic device 4 comprising a LIN-type multiplexed communication network 8.

[0025] The electronic device 4 can, for example, correspond to an air conditioning system in which the LIN network 8 can be used to communicate between the temperature sensors, the air distribution flap actuators and the dashboard controls.

[0026] Other non-exhaustive examples of the use of the LIN 8 network in the motor vehicle 2 include lighting systems, tire pressure monitoring systems, windshield wiper control systems, etc. The invention is not limited to any of these examples.

[0027] The LIN 8 network preferably comprises a typical LIN bus topology with a plurality of slave nodes, a master organ M and slave organs E, the master organ M being able to communicate with each of the slave organs E in order to transmit to it an address configuration instruction.

[0028] Preferably, at least one of the slave organs E is configurable, i.e. including a LIN switch.

[0029] Advantageously, the slave organs E of the network 8 are configured according to the method of configuring at least one slave organ by a master organ according to the invention, the various steps of which are described following [Fig.2].

[0030] Fig. 2 represents a schematic view of the method 10 of configuring at least one slave component by a master component of the LIN network of the motor vehicle of Fig. 1.

[0031] Preferably, the method 10 includes an initial step (not shown) in which the LIN switches of all configurable slaves in the LIN network are opened. Self-addressing of the slaves using the method 10 allows one slave to be configured at a time, until all configurable slaves in the LIN network are configured, and, if necessary, detects and reports any unconfigured slave devices (for which nodal address assignment failed).

[0032] The method 10 for configuring at least one slave organ includes a step a) of sending by the master organ an address configuration instruction, preferably, to only one of the configurable slave organs E of the LIN 8 network of the [Fig.1].

[0033] Advantageously, the instruction sent to the slave is returned to the master in the form of a configuration acknowledgment signal at step b). This signal corresponds to information in the return frame of the slave allowing the master to know that the configuration instruction has been taken into account.

[0034] If the master successfully notifies the slave device in step b), this indicates that the address has been correctly assigned to the slave device. The configuration of said slave device is then stopped in step d), which includes the transmission of a configuration error-free signal. In this configuration, the process 10 can proceed to the configuration of another configurable slave device on the LIN network.

[0035] In the absence of notification from the master in step b), this indicates that the address has not been assigned to the slave organ, and therefore a failure to configure said slave organ.

[0036] To this end, the method 10 of the invention proposes the execution of a step c) of iterating steps a) and b) until the master's notification in step b) is successful, or until a predefined maximum number of iterations is reached, which may be, for example, between 2 and 10 iterations.

[0037] The iteration in step c) can also end after a predefined time interval, the latter being preferably managed by a timer (Tempo) launched in parallel with the triggering of the iteration in step c), and which allows exiting this iteration loop and thus determining whether the slave device configuration has been successful, in which case an error-free signal can be issued in step d), or to rule on a case of failure to configure the address of the slave organ when the absence of notification from the master in step b) persists.

[0038] The configuration failure is this time reported at a step e) in which an error signal identifying the corresponding slave organ is sent to the master organ, the latter stores a fault code linked to said unconfigured slave.

[0039] When the process 10 completes the attempt to configure all the configurable slave devices of the LIN network, then the affected slave devices will have addresses stored by the master, and where applicable, the unaffected slaves will be identified in the network as having a configuration fault and will also be signaled, for example, by a light on the dashboard.

[0040] Thus, the method 10 of the invention makes it possible to ensure self-addressing of slaves by software in order to distinguish them in LIN networks, and this in a more secure way.

Claims

Demands

1. A method (10) for configuring several slave devices (E) by a master device (M), on a LIN-type multiplexed communication network (8), said slave devices being configurable, each of said slave devices comprising a LIN switch, the method comprising the steps: an initial step in which the LIN switches of all the configurable slave devices of the LIN network are opened; a) sending by the master device (M) a configuration instruction to one of said slave devices (E); characterized in that the method (10) further comprises the steps: b) sending by said slave device (E) to the master device (M) a signal acknowledging the configuration; c) in case of failure of step b), iteration of steps a) and b) until the first of the following two conditions is met: reaching a maximum number of iterations and completion of step b);steps a) and b) being iterated for each of said slave organs (E) to be configured.;

2. A configuration method (10) according to claim 1, wherein in the event of a stoppage of iteration c) without completion of step b), the configuration is stopped and an error signal is emitted identifying the corresponding slave element (E).

3. A configuration method (10) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein iteration c) is stopped after a predefined time interval.

4. A configuration method (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising step: d) if step b is performed, stopping the configuration and emitting a signal indicating that there is no error in the configuration.

5. A LIN-type multiplexed communication network (8) comprising a master unit (M) and slave units (E), the master unit (M) being capable of communicating with each of the slave units (E) so as to transmit an address configuration instruction to said slave unit (E), characterized in that the slave units (E) of the network are configured in accordance with the configuration method (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Electronic device (4), characterized in that it comprises a LIN-type multiplexed communication network (8) according to claim "

7. J. Motor vehicle (2) comprising an electronic device (4), characterized in that said electronic device (4) is according to claim 6.

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