Method, device and system for communicating data in a switched communication network of a vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, a device and a system for communicating data in a switched communication network of a vehicle, the switched communication network comprising a plurality of computers (311, 312, 313) and a plurality of switches (301, 302), each switch comprising a plurality of communication ports, a communication port corresponding to a so-called instrument port (3010, 3020). For this purpose, a first switch (301) receives a first data frame (F1) from a first computer (311) connected to the first switch (301). The first switch (301) generates a copy of the first data frame (F1) by adding first data representative of a time stamp (t1) in the first data frame (F1) to obtain the copy. Figure for abstract: Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Method, device and system for communicating data in a switched communication network of a vehicle Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to methods, devices and systems for communicating data in a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, a device and a system for communicating data in a switched communication network of a vehicle, in particular in an Ethernet network. Technological background

[0002] Contemporary vehicles have a number of computers on board, each performing one or more functions, such as, for example, the management of driving assistance, anti-skid, electronic brake distribution, the control of actuators to ensure optimal operation of an engine, the piloting and control of the infotainment system, also called IVI system (from the English "In-Vehicle Info-tainment" or in French "Infodivertissement embargo") and / or other systems embedded in the vehicle such as, for example, the air conditioning system and the vehicle's navigation system.

[0003] These calculators are also called ECU ("Electronic Control Unit" or ECU in English). These calculators embed software which is executed to ensure the functions for which they are responsible. These calculators communicate and exchange data between themselves via one or more computer buses, for example a communication bus of the CAN (Controller Area Network) type, CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate) type, FlexRay (according to the ISO 17458 standard) or Ethernet (according to the ISO / IEC 802-3 standard).

[0004] An example of a network architecture implemented in a vehicle and based on CAN type buses is illustrated in [Fig.l]. [Fig.l] illustrates a CAN type communication network embedded in a vehicle according to the prior art, such a network comprising a central computer 10 (also called master computer) connected to all the CAN buses of the vehicle network. A first set of computers 111, 112 and 113 is for example connected to a first CAN bus 110 connected to the central computer 10 and a second set of computers 121, 122 and 123 is for example connected to a second CAN bus 120 connected to the central computer 10. Such a network architecture allows the central computer 10 to receive all the data frames transmitted by each of the computers 111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123 on the CAN network of the vehicle. When a data processing device of the computer or instrument tool type 11 connects to the network via a dedicated port, called instrument port 102, of the central computer 10, for example to collect the data transmitted by the computers on the network during testing or trial phases of the vehicle, the central computer 10 is able to transmit to this instrument tool 11 all the frames transmitted on the network following activation of a dedicated functional module 101 of the central computer 10 by the instrument tool 11 thus connected to the central computer 10 via the instrument port 102.Since all the computers 111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123 of the CAN network are connected to the central computer 10, the central computer 10 is furthermore able to transmit the data frames received from each of these computers 111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123 to the instrument tool 11 in the time order of reception of these data frames. The instrument tool 11 is thus able to recover the chronology of transmission of the data frames on the network which is consistent with the chronology of reception of these data frames by the central computer 10, such a chronology being able to prove important for tracing the activity of the computers during a test or trial phase of the vehicle.

[0005] With the implementation of Ethernet-type networks in vehicles, certain architectures based on a so-called switched Ethernet network have appeared and are now equipping more and more vehicles. In a switched Ethernet-type network, the vehicle network comprises several switches connected to each other by Ethernet-type data buses, to each switch being connected one or more computers, the switches being synchronized in time to share a common time reference. An example of the architecture of a switched Ethernet network with 2 switches is illustrated in [Fig. 2]. The network of [Fig. 2] thus comprises a first switch 201 implemented by the central computer 21 to which a second switch 202 is connected. A computer 211 is connected directly to the first switch 201 and two computers 212, 213 are connected to the second switch 202.In such a switched network, the central computer no longer directly receives all of the data frames transmitted by all of the computers in the network. Only the data frames transmitted by the computer 211 directly connected to the first switch 201 are received directly by the central computer 21, the data frames transmitted by the other computers being received via the switch to which they are directly connected. Thus, the data frames transmitted by the computers 212 and 213 are transmitted to the central computer 21 via the second switch 202.

[0006] One problem associated with this type of switched network architecture is that the timeline reception of data frames by the first switch 201 implemented by the central computer 21 do not always reflect the chronology of transmission of data frames on the network by the computers. For example, a data frame transmitted by the computer 212 is received at a time 't2' followed in time by a data frame transmitted by the computer 213 and received at a time 't3' by the second switch 202 are received at time instants t'2 and t'3, respectively, by the first switch 201 of the second switch 202, a time shift appearing between t2 and t'2 and between t3 and t'3, due for example to the processing and transmission time of the data by the second switch 202. A data frame transmitted by the computer 211 and received directly by the first switch 201 at a time t1 after the times t2 and t3 may be received by the first switch 201 before the reception times t'2 and t'3.The first switch 201 retransmitting the data frames to the instrument tool 11 via the instrument port 2010 in the time order of reception by the first switch 201, the instrument tool 11 will then receive the data frame transmitted by the computer 211 with a time indication equal to t1 and the data frames transmitted by the computers 212 and 213 with the time indications equal to t'2 and t'3 respectively. When the instrument tool 11 determines the timing of transmission of the data frames on the vehicle network, an error occurs in the example described since the time instants t2 and t3 are prior to the time tl while the information received by the instrument tool 11, i.e. tl, t'2 and t'3, indicates that the data frame from the computer 11 received at the time tl is prior, temporally, to the data frames from the computers 212 and 213, which is erroneous. Summary of the present invention

[0007] An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to improve the chronological monitoring of transmission of data frames on a switched communication network of a vehicle.

[0009] According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for communicating data in a switched communication network of a vehicle, the switched communication network comprising a plurality of computers and a plurality of switches, each switch comprising a plurality of communication ports, a communication port of the plurality of communication ports corresponding to a so-called instrument port, the method comprising the following steps: - reception, by a first switch of the plurality of switches, of a first data frame from a first computer of the plurality of computers, the first computer being connected to the first switch; - generation, by the first switch, of a copy of the first data frame, called the first copy, the generation comprising an addition of first data representative of the timestamp of the first data frame in the first copy.

[0010] Such a method makes it possible to reconstruct the communication chronology of the data frames on a switched communication network of the vehicle by adding timestamp data in a copy of each data frame received by the switch.

[0011] According to a variant, the method further comprises the following steps: - receiving, by a second switch of the plurality of switches, a second data frame from a second computer of the plurality of computers, the second computer being connected to the second switch; - generation, by the second switch, of a copy of the second data frame, called the second copy, the generation comprising an addition of second data representative of the timestamp of the second data frame in the second copy; - transmission, by the second switch to the first switch, of the second data frame via a communication port of the plurality of communication ports of the second switch and of the second copy via the instrument port of the second switch.

[0012] According to another variant, the method further comprises the following steps: - reception, by the first switch, of the second data frame and the second copy from the second switch; - transmission, by the first switch to a device external to the switched communication network via the instrument port of the first switch, of the first copy and the second copy.

[0013] According to an additional variant, the first copy and the second copy are transmitted by the first switch to the external device according to a time order of reception of the first data frame and the second copy by the first switch.

[0014] According to an additional variant, the method further comprises a step of verifying the presence or absence of information representative of the timestamp of the first data frame before the generation of the first copy, the generation of the first copy only being implemented if a result of the verification is representative of the absence of the information in the first data frame.

[0015] According to another variant, the first switch is implemented by a so-called central computer of the vehicle, the central computer being configured to receive any data frame transmitted by a computer of the plurality of computers on the switched communication network.

[0016] According to an additional variant, the switched communication network is of the Ethernet type.

[0017] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a switch of a switched communication network of a vehicle, the switch comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0018] According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a data communication system in a switched communication network of a vehicle, the system comprising a plurality of switches as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0019] According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle, for example of the automobile type, comprising a switch as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention or a system as described above according to the third aspect of the present invention.

[0020] According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which comprises instructions adapted for executing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

[0021] Such a computer program may use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0022] According to a sixth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0023] On the one hand, the recording medium may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM memory, a RAM memory, a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit type ROM memory, or even a magnetic recording means or a hard disk.

[0024] Furthermore, this recording medium may also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or hertzian radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other means. The computer program according to the present invention may in particular be downloaded from an Internet-type network.

[0025] Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to carry out or to be used in carrying out the method in question. Brief description of the figures

[0026] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description of the particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the appended figures 1 to 7, in which:

[0027] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates a vehicle communication network, according to a first example of embodiment of the prior art.

[0028] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a vehicle communication network, according to a second exemplary embodiment of the prior art.

[0029] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates a switched communication network of a vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates a data frame communicated on the switched communication network of [Fig.3], according to a first particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] [Fig.5] schematically illustrates a data frame communicated on the switched communication network of [Fig.3], according to a second particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] [Fig.6] schematically illustrates a device configured for data communication over the switched communication network of [Fig.3], according to particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present invention; and

[0033] [Fig.7] illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a method of communicating data on the switched communication network of [Fig.3], according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Description of examples of implementation

[0034] A method, a device and a system for communicating data in a switched communication network of a vehicle will now be described in the following with reference to Figures 1 to 7. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the description which follows.

[0035] The terms "first(s)", "second(s)" (or "first(s)", "second(s)"), etc. are used in this document by arbitrary convention to enable different elements (such as operations, means, etc.) implemented in the embodiments described below to be identified and distinguished. Such elements may be distinct or correspond to a single element, depending on the embodiment.

[0036] According to a particular and non-limiting example of embodiment of the present invention, Data communication in a switched communication network of a vehicle is implemented by one or more switches of the network connected to each other via one or more data buses, for example of the Ethernet type. Each switch comprises a plurality of communication ports, one of these communication ports corresponding to a particular port, called an instrument port, a part of the communication ports other than the instrument port being for example connected to one or more computers and / or to one or more other switches of the network. Data communication on the switched communication network comprises the reception, by a first switch of the network, of a first data frame transmitted by a first computer of the switched communication network, this first computer being connected or linked directly, that is to say without an intermediate device (such as another switch) to the first switch.The first switch then generates a copy of the first data frame, called the first copy, by adding to the first data frame first data representative of the timestamp of the first data frame to obtain the first copy. The timestamp data correspond for example to the time of reception of the first data frame by the first switch and are representative of the time of transmission of the first data frame by the first computer.

[0037] Such a method thus makes it possible to preserve the data frames as emitted by the computer and to associate a timestamp with the data frame via the copy thus generated.

[0038] Timestamping data frames allows a history of the communication timeline of data frames over the network to be kept.

[0039] [Fig. 3] schematically illustrates an electronic and electrical architecture, called E / E architecture, of a vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] The E / E architecture comprises a set of computers or ECUs 311, 312, 313 and a plurality of switches 301, 302 connected to each other by data buses to form a switched type network, for example a switched Ethernet network (according to the ISO / IEC 802-3 standard).

[0041] The numbers of computers and switches are not limited to the numbers of computers and switches of the particular example of [Fig.3] but extend to any number, for example 10, 20, 50, 100 or more computers and 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 or more switches.

[0042] A switch (also called a network switch) is a network device configured to transmit the data frames that it receives from the devices connected to it (for example, computers) to another device based on the destination address contained in each data frame received, for example for example a MAC address (from the English “Media Access Control”), via the switch’s communication ports (for example RJ45 type).

[0043] The vehicle comprising the switched network corresponds for example to a vehicle with a thermal engine, with electric motor(s) or even a hybrid vehicle with a thermal engine and one or more electric motors. The vehicle thus corresponds for example to a land vehicle, for example a car, a truck, a bus, a motorcycle.

[0044] According to the example of [Fig.l], the switched communication network of the vehicle comprises a first switch 301, for example implemented by a central computer 21. A first computer 311 is linked or connected directly to this first switch 301 via a communication port of the set of communication ports that the first switch 301 comprises. The first switch 301 advantageously comprises a particular communication port, called instrument port 3010, which is configured to be connected to a device external to the network such as a data processing device 11 of the computer type. The data processing device 11 corresponds for example to a diagnostic tool or to an instrument tool configured to record the data transmitted on the switched network of the vehicle, for example during vehicle tests, for example during a vehicle design phase.A second switch 302 is also connected or directly connected to the first switch 301 via communication ports of the first and second switches 301, 302. Advantageously, the second switch 302 is connected to the first switch via the instrument port 3020 of the second switch 302, which instrument port 3020 is connected to a port of the first switch 301 via a data bus. The second switch 302 is further connected to the first switch 301 via another communication port of the second switch 302, different from the instrument port.

[0045] Two computers 312, 313 are connected or linked directly to the second switch 302, each computer 312, 313 being connected to a communication port of the second switch 302.

[0046] Of course, the architecture of the switched network according to the invention is not limited to such an example, several computers and / or switches being able to be connected directly to the first switch 301, one or more switches being able to be connected directly to the second switch 302 (each via its instrument port and another communication port), other computers and / or other switches being able in turn to be connected directly to these other computers, the switches being connected in cascade in the architecture to form a hierarchical architecture.

[0047] A data communication process in the switched network illustrated in [Fig.3] is advantageously implemented by one or more switches of this switched network, that is to say by one or more processors of this or these switches.

[0048] In a first operation of the process, the first computer 311 transmits a first data frame F1, the second computer 312 transmits a second data frame F2 and the third computer 313 transmits a third data frame F3.

[0049] The first computer 311 being connected to the first switch 301 and the second and third computers 312, 313 being connected to the second switch 302, the first data frame F1 is received by the first switch 301 at a time 't1' (for example for retransmission by the first switch 301 to the recipient of the first data frame F1), the second data frame F2 is received by the second switch 302 at a time 't2' (for example for retransmission by the second switch 302 to the recipient of the second data frame F2) and the third data frame F3 is received by the second switch 302 at a time 't3' (for example for retransmission by the second switch 302 to the recipient of the third data frame F3).

[0050] According to a particular example of illustration of the process, 't2' is earlier than 't3' which is itself earlier than 'tl' in time. In other words, from a time point of view, the second data frame F2 is transmitted before the third data frame F3 and the third data frame F3 is transmitted before the first data frame F1, i.e. t2 < t3 < tl.

[0051] The first data frame F1, the second data frame F2 and the third data frame F3 are for example as illustrated in [Fig.4], according to a particular exemplary embodiment.

[0052] [Fig.4] thus illustrates a data frame 4 comprising: - a first field 41 comprising data representative of the sender of the frame, for example data representative of the MAC address of the sender; - a second field 42 comprising data representative of the recipient of frame 4 (for example another computer of the switched communication network), for example data representative of the MAC address of the recipient; - one or more third fields 43 comprising the useful data (from the English “payload data”) transported by frame 4; and - a fourth field 44 FCS (from the English “Frame Check Sequence”) or a CRC field (from the English “Cyclic Redundancy Checking”) used for error correction and detection.

[0053] According to other examples, frame 4 further comprises, for example, a field header at the start of the frame and / or one or more signaling fields carrying signaling data relating to the data and fields of the frame 4.

[0054] Frame 4 is for example transmitted in the form of a sequence of data packets.

[0055] In a second operation of the process, the second switch 302 receives the second data frame F2 at time 't2' from the second computer 312 and the third data frame F3 at time 't3' from the third computer 313. The first switch 301 receives the first data frame F1 at time 'tl' from the first computer 311.

[0056] In a third operation of the process, the first switch 301 generates a copy of the first data frame FL, called the first copy, upon receipt of the first data frame FL

[0057] The second switch 302 generates a copy of the second data frame F2, called the second copy, upon receipt of the second data frame F2 and a copy of the third data frame F3, called the third copy, upon receipt of the third data frame F3.

[0058] According to an alternative embodiment, the first copy, the second copy and the third copy are generated only when an instrument tool 11 is connected to the first switch 301 via the instrument port 3010.

[0059] According to this variant, the instrument tool transmits for example for this purpose a request to the central computer 31 to receive all the data frames transmitted on the network by the computers of the network, which triggers the transmission of a request by the central computer 31 so that each switch of the network generates a copy of each data frame that it receives from a computer connected to it. According to another example, the first switch 301 detects the connection of the instrument tool 11 to the instrument port 3010, which triggers the transmission of the request to generate copies of the frames received for each switch of the network.

[0060] The generation of the first copy by the first switch 301 advantageously comprises the addition or integration of first data representative of the timestamp of the first data frame F1 in the first copy. The data representative of the timestamp comprise data representative of the instant of reception 'tl' of the first data frame F1 by the first switch 301.

[0061] In the same way, the generation of the second copy by the second switch 302 advantageously comprises the addition or integration of second data representative of timestamp of the second data frame F2 in the second copy. The data representative of timestamp comprise data representative of the time of reception 't2' of the second data frame F2 by the second switch 302. The generation of the third copy by the second switch 302 advantageously comprises the addition or integration of third data representative of the timestamp of the third data frame F3 in the third copy. The data representative of the timestamp comprise data representative of the time of reception 't3' of the third data frame F3 by the second switch 302.

[0062] The first copy, the second copy and the third copy correspond for example to a data frame 5 as illustrated in [Fig.5], according to a particular example of embodiment.

[0063] [Fig.5] thus illustrates a data frame 5 comprising: - a first field 51 comprising data representative of the transmitter (or source) of frame 5, for example data representative of the MAC address of the transmitter, the first field 51 being identical or similar to the first field 41 of frame 4; - a second field 52 comprising data representative of the recipient of frame 5, for example data representative of the MAC address of the recipient, the second field 52 being identical or similar to the second field 42 of frame 4; - a third field 53 comprising information representative of the timestamp of frame 5, this third field 53 comprising signaling data (corresponding to the information representative of the timestamp) signaling the presence of a field in frame 5 (i.e. the fifth field 55) comprising the data representative of the timestamp (i.e. the data representative of the instant of reception of frame 5 by the switch generating frame 5; - one or more fourth fields 54 comprising the useful data (from the English “payload data”) transported by frame 5; - the fifth field 55 comprising the data representing the timestamp (i.e. the data representing the instant of reception of frame 5 by the switch generating frame 5, this data corresponding to a timestamp of frame 5 coded on 8 or 10 bits for example; and - a sixth field 56 FCS (from the English “Frame Check Sequence” or in French “Séquence de vérification de trame”) or a CRC field (from the English “Cyclic Redundancy Checking” or in French “Contrôle de Redondance Cyclique”) used for error correction and detection, the sixth field 55 being identical or similar to the fourth field 44 of frame 4.

[0064] According to other examples, the frame 5 further comprises, for example, a header field at the start of the frame and / or one or more fields. signaling carrying signaling data relating to the data and fields of frame 5.

[0065] Frame 5 is for example transmitted in the form of a sequence of data packets each comprising one or more data bytes.

[0066] According to an alternative embodiment, the first switch 301 implements an operation of verifying or detecting the presence or absence of the information representative of timestamp 53 in the first data frame before implementing the generation of the first copy. According to this alternative, the generation of the first copy is only implemented when the result of the verification or detection is representative of an absence of the information in the first data frame, that is to say that the generation of the first copy is only implemented when the first data frame F1 is in a format conforming to that of the frame 4. Such a verification avoids adding timestamp information to a frame already comprising such information.

[0067] In a fourth operation of the process, the second switch 302 transmits to the first switch 301: - the second data frame F2 and the third data frame F3 via a communication port of the set of ports of the second switch 302; and - the second copy, denoted 'F2+t2' in [Fig.3], and the third copy, denoted 'F3+t3' in [Fig.3], via the instrument port 3020 of the second switch 302, this instrument port corresponding to a communication port of the second switch dedicated to the transmission of copies of data frames received from the computers connected to the second switch 302, i.e. dedicated to frames such as frame 5.

[0068] The second data frame F2 and the third data frame F3 are for example transmitted to the first switch 301 according to their order of reception by the second switch 302. Thus, when t2 is earlier than t3, the second data frame F2 is transmitted temporally before the third data frame F3.

[0069] In the same way, the second copy 'F2+t2' and the third copy 'F3+t3' are for example transmitted to the first switch 301 according to their order of generation or according to the order of reception of the second data frame F2 and the third data frame F3 by the second switch 302. Thus, when t2 is earlier than t3, the second copy 'F2+t2' is transmitted temporally before the third copy 'F3+t3'.

[0070] In a fifth operation, the first switch 301 receives from the second switch 302 the frames transmitted by the second switch, namely the second data frame, the third data frame F3, the second copy 'F2+t2' and the third copy 'F3+t3'.

[0071] In a sixth operation, the first switch 301 transmits to the instrument tool 11 the first copy 'Fl+tl', the second copy 'F2+t2' and the third copy 'F3+t3' according to their order of reception by the first switch 301.

[0072] Thus and for example, the first switch 301 transmits first the first copy 'Fl+tl' then later the second copy 'F2+t2' and the third copy 'F3+t3' when it receives its last ones.

[0073] The order of transmission of the first copy 'Fl+tl', the second copy 'F2+t2' and the third copy 'F3+t3' by the first switch 301 is not representative of the order of transmission of the first data frame F1, the second data frame F2 and the third data frame F3 on the switched communication network.

[0074] However, the instrument tool 11 is able to reconstruct the time history of transmission of the data frames on the network since the copies of these frames that it receives are time-stamped by decoding the data representative of the time stamp included in each copy. The time stamp is representative of the time of reception of each of the frames by the switch having received it, the time of reception by a switch being representative of the time of transmission by the computer.

[0075] The instrument tool 11 collects all the copies of the frames to generate a log file with a time tracking of the transmission of the data frames by the different computers of the vehicle network.

[0076] [Fig. 6] schematically illustrates a device 6 configured for data communication, in particular in a switched communication network of a vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The device 6 corresponds for example to a device on board the vehicle, for example a computer or a switch of the switched network.

[0077] According to another example of implementation, the device 6 corresponds to a data processing device, for example the tool 11, configured to connect to the vehicle network.

[0078] The device 6 is for example configured for the implementation of the operations described with regard to figures 1 to 5 and / or the steps of the method described with regard to [Fig.6]. Examples of such a device 6 include, but are not limited to, on-board electronic equipment such as an on-board computer of a vehicle, an electronic calculator such as an ECU (“Electronic Control Unit”), a TCU (Telematic Control Unit), a computer or any device for processing or communicating data of an on-board vehicle system. The elements of the device 6, individually or in combination, can be integrated in a single integrated circuit, in several integrated circuits, and / or in discrete components. The device 6 can be produced in the form of electronic circuits or software modules (or information matics) or a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

[0079] The device 6 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 60 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method and / or for executing the instructions of the software(s) embedded in the device 6. The processor 60 may include integrated memory, an input / output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 6 further comprises at least one memory 61 corresponding for example to a volatile and / or non-volatile memory and / or comprises a memory storage device which may comprise volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic or optical disk.

[0080] The computer code of the embedded software(s) comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored in the memory 61.

[0081] According to various particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiments, the device 6 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and / or with communication devices, for example via a communication bus or through dedicated input / output ports.

[0082] According to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the device 6 comprises a block 62 of interface elements for communicating with external devices. The interface elements of the block 62 advantageously comprise one or more communication ports, for example a set of Ethernet (or RJ 45) ports. According to another example, the interface elements comprise a LIN interface (from the English “Local Interconnect Network”).

[0083] According to another particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the device 6 comprises a communication interface 63 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices (such as other computers of the on-board system) via a communication channel 630. The communication interface 63 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and / or data via the communication channel 630. The communication interface 63 corresponds for example to a wired network of the Ethernet type (standardized by the ISO / IEC 802-3 standard).

[0084] According to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the device 6 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen, touch-sensitive or not, one or more speakers and / or other peripherals via respective output interfaces.

[0085] [Fig.7] illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a communication process data communication in a switched communication network of a vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The network switched communication system comprises a plurality of computers and a plurality of switches, each switch comprising a plurality of communication ports, one communication port of the plurality of communication ports corresponding to a so-called instrument port. The method is for example implemented by one or more devices on board the vehicle 10, for example by one or more switches, or by the device 6 of [Fig.6].

[0086] In a first step 71, a first switch of the plurality of switches receives a first data frame from a first computer of the plurality of computers, the first computer being connected to the first switch.

[0087] In a second step 72, the first switch generates a copy of the first data frame, called the first copy, the generation comprising an addition of first data representative of the timestamp of the first data frame in the first copy.

[0088] According to a variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to figures 1 to 5 apply to the steps of the method of [Fig.7].

[0089] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above but extends to a method for tracking the transmission history of data frames on a switched network of a vehicle which would include secondary steps without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured for implementing such a method.

[0090] The present invention also relates to a vehicle, for example an automobile or more generally an autonomous land-based motor vehicle, comprising the device 6 of [Fig.6].

Claims

Claims

1. A method of communicating data in a switched communication network of a vehicle, said switched communication network comprising a plurality of computers (311, 312, 313) and a plurality of switches (301, 302), each switch comprising a plurality of communication ports, a communication port of said plurality of communication ports corresponding to a so-called instrument port (3010, 3020), said method comprising the following steps: - receiving (71), by a first switch (301) of said plurality of switches, a first data frame from a first computer (311) of said plurality of computers, said first computer (311) being connected to said first switch (301);- generation (72), by said first switch (301), of a copy of said first data frame, called first copy, said generation comprising an addition of first data representative of timestamp of said first data frame in said first copy.;

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the following steps: - receiving, by a second switch (302) of said plurality of switches, a second data frame from a second computer (312) of said plurality of computers, said second computer (312) being connected to said second switch (302); - generating, by said second switch (302), a copy of said second data frame, called a second copy, said generation comprising an addition of second data representative of a timestamp of said second data frame in said second copy; - transmitting, by said second switch (302) to said first switch (301), said second data frame via a communication port of said plurality of communication ports of the second switch and said second copy via the instrument port (3020) of said second switch (302).

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: - receiving, by said first switch (301), said second data frame and said second copy from said second switch (302); - transmission, by said first switch (301) to an external device (11) to said switched communication network via the instrument port (3010) of the first switch (301), of said first copy and of said second copy.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first copy and said second copy are transmitted by said first switch (301) to said external device (11) in a time order of reception of said first data frame and said second copy by said first switch (301).

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a step of verifying the presence or absence of information representative of the timestamp of said first data frame before said generation of the first copy, the generation of the first copy being implemented only if a result of said verification is representative of the absence of said information in said first data frame.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, for which said first switch (301) is implemented by a so-called central computer (31), said central computer being configured to receive any data frame transmitted by a computer of said plurality of computers (311, 312, 313) on said switched communication network.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, for which said switched communication network is of the Ethernet type.

8. Switch (6) of a switched communication network of a vehicle, said switch (6) comprising a memory (61) associated with at least one processor (60) configured for implementing the steps of the method according to claim 1.

9. A data communication system in a switched communication network of a vehicle, said system comprising a plurality of switches (6) according to claim 8, said system being configured to implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A vehicle comprising the switch (6) of claim 8 or the system of claim 9.

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