Method and system for considering measurement units in signaling

Abstract

To provide a method and system for considering measurement units in signaling.SOLUTION: A method in a computing device includes: sending a request for data from a signal to a second entity; and receiving a response providing the information, the response further specifying a measurement unit that the information is provided in. The measurement unit is appended as a separate branch for a signal, a name for a signal, a use of a separator for the signal, or a combination thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Field of Disclosure The present disclosure relates to computing systems, such as vehicle systems, and in particular to signaling within such computing systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Modern vehicles have numerous components and sensors that can be viewed as data objects and queried to provide insight into the vehicle and its operation.

[0003] Various signals around a device (e.g., a vehicle) can indicate values, which may (but need not) change over time. Such signals can be classified and identified using a hierarchical format.

[0004] One example of a hierarchical format is that provided by COVESA (Connected VEhicle Systems Alliance), which defines a set of signals for vehicles called VSS (Vehicle Signal Specification), where a specific format of such signals is defined. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure provides a method in a computing device, the method including sending a request for data from a signal to a second entity and receiving a response providing the data, the response further defining a unit of measurement for the signal.

[0006] The present disclosure further provides a computing device including a processor and a communication subsystem, the computing device configured to send a request for data from the signal to a second entity and receive a response providing the data, the response further defining a unit of measurement for the signal.

[0007] The present disclosure further provides a computer-readable medium for storing instruction code that, when executed by a processor of the computing device, causes the computing device to send a request for data from the signal to a second entity and receive a response providing the data, the response further defining a unit of measurement for the signal. The present disclosure provides the following: (Item 1) 1. A method in a computing device, the method comprising: transmitting a request for data from the signal to a second entity; receiving a response providing data, the response further defining a unit of measurement for the signal; A method comprising: (Item 2) The method of any preceding claim, wherein the signal is part of a tree structure and the response includes the measurement units as part of the branches for the signal. (Item 3) 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the response further includes a data type defined as a branch for the signal. (Item 4) 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes a unit of measure as part of the signal's name. (Item 5) Item 11. The method of any of the preceding items, wherein the response includes using a separator after the signal name, and the unit of measurement is defined after the separator. (Item 6) Item 11. The method of any of the preceding items, wherein the units of measurement are defined in an enumerated list of units of measurement for the signal. (Item 7) Item 11. The method of any of the preceding items, wherein when the request does not specify a unit of measure, the response includes the first unit of measure from the enumerated list. (Item 8) determining that the response is in a unit of measure different from the unit of measure specified in the request; Converting units of measurement on a computing device The method according to any of the above items, further comprising: (Item 9) A method according to any of the preceding items, wherein the request includes a first request for data in a first unit of measure, and the method further comprises, prior to receiving receiving an error message from the second entity in response to the first request; sending a second request to a second entity, the second request including a request for data using a unit of measurement for the signal; converting the unit of measure of the data to the first unit of measure after receiving the response; The method further comprising: (Item 10) 5. The method according to any of the preceding items, wherein the signal is a COVESA (CONnected VEhicle Systems Alliance) VSS (Vehicle Signal Specification) signal. (Item 11) 1. A computing device, comprising: A processor; Communication Subsystem and Including, The computing device transmitting a request for data from the signal to a second entity; receiving a response providing data, the response further defining a unit of measurement for the signal; 16. A computing device configured to: (Item 12) The computing device of the preceding item, wherein the signal is part of a tree structure and the response includes the measurement unit as part of a branch for the signal. (Item 13) The computing device of any preceding item, wherein the response further includes a data type defined as a branch for the signal. (Item 14) The computing device of any of the preceding items, wherein the response includes a unit of measure as part of the signal's name. (Item 15) The computing device of any preceding item, wherein the response includes using a separator after the signal name, and the unit of measurement is defined after the separator. (Item 16) The computing device of any of the preceding items, wherein the units of measurement are defined in an enumerated list of units of measurement for the signal. (Item 17) 2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein when the request does not specify a unit of measurement, the response includes a first unit of measurement from the enumerated list. (Item 18) The computing device determining that the response is in a unit of measure different from the unit of measure specified in the request; Converting units of measurement on a computing device 2. The computing device of claim 1, further configured to: (Item 19) 2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the request includes a first request for data in a first unit of measure, and the computing device, prior to receiving, receiving an error message from the second entity in response to the first request; sending a second request to a second entity, the second request including a request for data using a unit of measurement for the signal; converting the unit of measure of the data to the first unit of measure after receiving the response; The computing device, further configured to: (Item 20) A computer-readable medium for storing instruction codes, the instruction codes, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causing the computing device to transmitting a request for data from the signal to a second entity; receiving a response providing data, the response further defining a unit of measurement for the signal; A computer-readable medium for causing (Summary) A method and system are described that considers units of measurement in signaling. A method in a computing device, the method including sending a request for data from a signal to a second entity and receiving a response providing the information, the response further specifying a unit of measurement for which the information is provided. The unit of measurement may be added as a separate branch for the signal, a name for the signal, or using a separator for the signal, or a combination thereof. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] The present disclosure may be better understood with reference to the drawings.

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a tree structure for a VSS.

[0010] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a modified tree structure in which branches are created and signals are for specific units.

[0011] [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the modified tree in which the signal names have been modified to include units.

[0012] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a modified tree in which units can be included after the signal's name using a separator.

[0013] [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a data flow diagram for providing units to signal information.

[0014] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a data flow diagram for providing units to signal information using unit conversion at a responding device.

[0015] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a data flow diagram for providing units to signal information using unit conversion at a receiving device.

[0016] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example vehicle computing node.

[0017] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a simplified computing device that may be used with embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Detailed Description of the Drawings In a device, such as a vehicle, information from one or more physical sensors may be processed by an application that obtains information from the device. For example, an insurance company may have a device to plug into an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port to monitor the driving behavior of insured drivers. An application on such a device may interrogate and obtain information from the vehicle. Other options may be possible.

[0019] However, in order for a receiving entity of a signal to be able to understand and / or process the signal, the entity may need to know the unit of measure that indicates the value of the signal. For example, a signal indicating the speed of a vehicle may provide values ​​expressed in miles per hour (MPH or mph), kilometers per hour (km / h), wheel revolutions per second (RPS), among other options.

[0020] COVESA VSS addresses this issue by specifying the specific units of measurement that should be used for VSS signals. For example, the Vehicle.speed signal is defined to use kilometers per hour. As a result, a VSS-compliant / capable receiving entity can infer the units of measurement in the received signal based on this specification.

[0021] However, COVESA specifies that implementers can make modifications (through the use of "Overlays") if they wish.

[0022] Furthermore, not all audiences using COVESA VSS prefer the same units of measurement. For example, some regions of the world may prefer miles per hour over kilometers per hour as the unit of measurement for vehicle speed. This leads to some vehicle manufacturers or vehicle component manufacturers implementing different units of measurement according to their preferences.

[0023] This different unit of measurement is typically not communicated to the receiving entity without an explicit second query, and thus may cause misinterpretation of the received value (e.g., the receiving entity may always process speed values ​​as kilometers per hour instead of miles per hour, because kilometers per hour is the unit defined according to the COVESA VSS).

[0024] While this may be acceptable for applications written by the vehicle manufacturer, as this is known to them, it may create uncertainty for third party applications or require application designers to modify the application for different OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) or different regions in order for the application to be portable.

[0025] Additionally, the COVESA VSS solution allows only a single unit of measurement to be transmitted, leaving any conversions up to the receiving entity.

[0026] VSS defines itself as a method for creating a common understanding of vehicle signals, leading to a common language independent of the protocol or serialization used.

[0027] An example of the VSS naming convention is shown in Table 1 below. [Table 1]

[0028] As can be seen from Table 1 above, dotted name paths are utilized in VSS. Such dotted notation may further identify components as branch nodes (sets of data entries) and data entry nodes / leaves / signals (sensors, actuators, or attributes).

[0029] Using dotted node path names, a tree structure can be built up for the various data objects within the vehicle.

[0030] However, currently various parts of the VSS catalog are rigid and define only one unit of measurement, for example vehicle speed is defined in km / h, this is shown in the example VSS in Table 2 below. [Table 2]

[0031] Table 2 provides a small subset of the VSS catalog. In Table 2, Sensors are one-way signals that originate from the vehicle. Actuators are two-way signals where the value can be set or gotten. Branches are nodes in a tree structure. Attributes are typically fixed values, but can also be one-way signals that originate from the vehicle with the expectation that the value will change infrequently or be set only once per ignition cycle.

[0032] For example, reference is now made to FIG. 1, which shows an exemplary tree structure for a portion of Table 2 above.

[0033] 1, object tree 100 has as a root a vehicle 110. Below this root, an example in the tree may be a powertrain 120, which may be a branch.

[0034] Further examples include velocity 122 and distance traveled 124, which are both sensors.

[0035] The powertrain 120 may include a battery, shown as a traction battery 130. The powertrain 120 may further include a combustion engine 132 and / or an electric motor 134.

[0036] 1, the traction battery 130 includes a temperature branch 140. The battery temperature may have various sensors, attributes, actuators, and branches. The sensors may include an average temperature 150, a minimum temperature 152, and a maximum temperature 154. Other sensors and actuators from the VSS catalog are not shown for simplicity.

[0037] Similarly, the electric motor 134 may have various sensors, attributes, actuators, and branches associated with it. In the simplified example of Figure 1, electric motor speed 144, power 146, and torque 148 sensors are shown.

[0038] Each of the sensors and attributes provides data in defined units, as shown in Table 2. However, as provided further above, not all manufacturers use the specified VSS units and may choose different units.

[0039] Thus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, to allow for different, and possibly multiple, units of measurement to be conveyed in a signal indicating a value from a sensor, a VSS may be defined to expand the identification of the signal to include an indication or identification of the unit of measurement associated with the value of the signal.

[0040] This can be done in a variety of ways. In one case, the unit may be added as a separate entity / node under a branch. In one case, the signal naming convention is amended to include the unit. In one case, the signal may use a separator with a unit selected from an enumerated list. Each is described below.

[0041] Creating branches and attaching units

[0042] In one embodiment, the transmitting entity may append an identifier for the unit of measurement. For example, a vehicle speed may have the speed unit appended to the end of the signal for the vehicle speed (e.g., Vehicle.Speed.MPH, Vehicle.Speed.KMH). Other units may be appended similarly.

[0043] For example, reference is made to Table 3, which is the VSS of Table 2, but with added units. [Table 3-1] [Table 3-2] [Table 3-3]

[0044] Thus, as provided in Table 3, the aforementioned sensors or attributes can be turned into or interpreted as branches, where the sensors or attributes or actuators have units associated with them. For example, Vehicle.Speed ​​is now a branch, where Vehicle.Speed.MPH or Vehicle.Speed.KMH indicate the units and measurements are provided in that unit. Similar modifications are shown in Table 3, including temperature, power, torque, among others. This disclosure is not limited to any particular units of measurement, and the principles of Table 3 can be extended to other units of measurement.

[0045] Additionally, the principles of Table 3 can be extended to include other aspects of the signal, such as the data type provided. For example, while the data types are defined in the third column of Table 3, such data types may be capable of being provided as enumerated values. For example, Vehicle.Speed ​​and Vehicle.Speed.MPH are returned as floats. However, if an application desires a specific data type, in some cases this may be specified. For example, an application may be satisfied with an integer for speed, and thus request and receive the signal Vehicle.Speed.INT32 or Vehicle.Speed.MPH.INT32. In some cases, that integer may be signed or unsigned. In some cases, an application may desire a string to be returned, and the signal may be Vehicle.Speed.String or Vehicle.Speed.MPH.String. Other options may be possible to extend the embodiments of Table 3.

[0046] Thus, the embodiments of Table 3 can be enhanced or modified to include conveying other aspects, including the signal value, including type, such as branch, attribute, sensor, or actuator; data type, such as unsigned integer, signed integer, floating point number, string, etc.; or minimum, maximum, or default value, among other options. This would involve adding these aspects to the signal's name after a dot.

[0047] A portion of the expansion of Table 3 is shown, for example, in Figure 2. The embodiment of Figure 2 shows a portion of the tree from Figure 1. However, in the example of Figure 2, speed 210 is now a branch. Similarly, power 212 and torque 214 are now branches as well.

[0048] Under the speed branch 210, a first sensor value in kilometers per hour format is shown using block 220. A second sensor value is shown in MPH as shown in block 222.

[0049] Under the power branch 212, a first block 224 is shown in horsepower and a second block 226 is shown in kW.

[0050] Under the torque branch 214, a first block 228 is shown as Newton meters and a second block 230 is shown as pound-feet.

[0051] Additionally, naming conventions for signals may be defined in a standard manner. For example, an indication / identification of a unit of measure associated with the value of a signal may include a letter in alphanumeric format, which may be included as a substitute for another letter (e.g., "o" instead of "°" for degrees).

[0052] Thus, based on Table 3 and FIG. 2, a signal may, in some cases, specify the signal's units using dot notation, and / or, in some cases, specify other information, such as, for example, data type, type of signal, among other options.

[0053] Create a new named signal

[0054] In further embodiments, the unit of measurement can also be included in the name of the signal without altering the hierarchy. For example, in one case a new signal can be defined that includes a unit of measurement, such as Vehicle.SpeedMPH or Vehicle.SpeedKMH. In another case tire pressure can be specified using the signals Vehicle.Wheels.Front.Right.PressureBar or Vehicle.Wheels.Front.Right.PressurePSI. Other examples are possible.

[0055] For example, a portion of the VSS schema is shown in Table 4 below. [Table 4-1] [Table 4-2]

[0056] Thus, as can be seen in Table 4, for the example illustrated in Table 3, rather than creating a new branch and then having an additional dot with the unit of measurement, a new signal is created whose name includes the unit of measurement.

[0057] This is further illustrated in Figure 3. In the example of Figure 3 showing a portion of a VSS catalog in a tree format, similar reference numerals are used as in Figure 1.

[0058] However, in the example of FIG. 3, electric motor 134 may have new signals including speed in mph as shown in block 310, speed in km / h as shown in block 312, torque in pound-feet as shown in block 314, torque in newton-meters as shown in block 316, power in horsepower as shown in block 318, and power in kW as shown in block 320.

[0059] As with the embodiment of FIG. 2, the embodiment of FIG. 3 can be further enhanced or modified to include conveying other aspects about the signal value, including, among other options, a type, such as a branch, attribute, sensor, or actuator; a data type, such as an unsigned integer, a signed integer, a floating point number, a string, or a minimum, maximum, or default value. This involves renaming the signal to convey such information, and then a particular signal, such as vehicle speed, can be represented to include such additional information. For example, Vehicle.SpeedKMH and Vehicle.SpeedMPH are returned as floating point numbers. However, if an application desires a particular data type, in some instances this can be specified. For example, an application may be satisfied with an integer for speed and therefore request and receive the signal Vehicle.SpeedINT32 or Vehicle.SpeedMPHINT32. In some instances, the integer can be signed or unsigned. In some examples, an application may want a string returned and the signal may be Vehicle.SpeedString or Vehicle.SpeedMPHString. Other options may be possible to extend the embodiment of Table 4.

[0060] Using Separators to Convey Information

[0061] In still further embodiments, the VSS catalog can be modified to allow other separator characters ("separators") to be appended with the enumerated values ​​or pieces of information to form part of the signal. In the examples below, such a separator is noted as "#". However, this separator is not limiting and other characters or groups of characters can equally be used as separators.

[0062] In this case, the signal can be enhanced by adding a separator and then a piece of information, such as units for the data. Thus, the current signal, Vehicle.Speed, can be modified to Vehicle.Speed#MPH to indicate that the speed units are in miles per hour. In another case, the signal can be modified to Vehicle.Speed#KMH to indicate that the speed units are in kilometers per hour.

[0063] The VSS catalogue can then be modified to list units that are acceptable in some cases. For example, reference is made to Table 5. [Table 5-1] [Table 5-2]

[0064] From Table 5, the units for each signal are enumerated in a list shown between square brackets. In some cases, the first element of the list may be the default value used, so that if a separator is not specified in a signal request or signal response, the sending or receiving entity may infer that the unit for the signal is the first value in the enumerated list.

[0065] In other cases, the separator may be "." For example, from the embodiment of Table 3 and FIG. 2, a new branch is created and the units are placed under that branch as an attribute or sensor value. In this embodiment, rather than a new branch, the units (or other data) can be specified using dot notation (e.g., Vehicle.Speed.MPH) and the receiving entity will interpret the ".MPH" as a combination of separator and unit. Thus, a unit that is not interpreted as a node, but instead recognized as a unit, defers the node definition to the signal itself and the suffix being interpreted.

[0066] In one case, a server responding to a receiving node's request, such as Vehicle.Speed.MPH, may check whether the suffix corresponds to one of the supported units. In this case, the suffix is ​​mph, which is supported by the units, so the server may recognize two entities: Vehicle.Speed ​​and mph. The server will use the Vehicle.speed definition to return the value for the signal. If Vehicle.speed in this implementation is defined in mph, no conversion will be necessary and any value will be returned as is. If the Vehicle.speed signal was defined in km / h, the service could respond to a query for Vehicle.Speed.KMH by performing the conversion from mph to km / h, as described below, and preventing the calling application from having to do this conversion.

[0067] In other cases, the server may receive a node request, such as Vehicle.Speed_MPH, and respond to the signal with the speed in miles per hour or return an error.

[0068] Other options may be possible.

[0069] This approach would also allow a calling application to use Vehicle.Speed ​​instead of Vehicle.Speed.KMH or Vehicle.Speed.MPH to receive values ​​that use the units defined for Vehicle.speed, and would therefore be backwards compatible.

[0070] Additionally, in some instances, the enumerated list may not be exhaustive. Thus, if an OEM / manufacturer wishes to use a different unit, in some embodiments they may use a different unit and specify it with a separator. The receiving entity would then be responsible for interpreting the separator and determining if it can handle such unit.

[0071] Table 5 shows the units with separators. In other cases, other values ​​can also be enumerated and added to the signal with a separator. Thus, the data type in some cases forms part of an enumerated list, and a specific data type can be added after the signal name to indicate the type of data being transmitted or received. Thus, for example, a signal such as Vehicle.Speed_int32 can indicate that the speed in the signal is a 32-bit signed integer. As with the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3, various information can be provided using separators, such as units, data type, signal type, minimum value, maximum value, default value, or other information.

[0072] In some cases, more than one separator can be added to a signal name. So, for example, Vehicle.Speed ​​can have two separators (or more) after it. In one example, a signal could be Vehicle.Speed#KMH#int32 to indicate that the speed is in kilometers per hour and that the value is a 32-bit signed integer. Additionally, while this example shows two values ​​using the same separator, in some cases different separators can be used, one to indicate units and a different one to indicate other data such as the data type. For example, this could be Vehicle.Speed#KMH$int32. Other examples may be possible.

[0073] The use of separators with units is shown, for example, in Figure 4, which illustrates a portion of a tree similar to the tree of Figure 1. Numbers similar to those from Figure 1 are used in the example of Figure 4.

[0074] As seen in FIG. 4, the combustion engine 132 may include a displacement signal 410 that includes an enumerated list of units including cubic centimeters and cubic inches.

[0075] The electric motor 134 includes a speed signal 420 that includes an enumerated list of units including mph, km / h, and revolutions per minute (RPM).

[0076] The power signal 422 includes an enumerated list of units including horsepower and kW.

[0077] The torque signal 424 includes an enumerated list of units including pound-feet and newton-meters.

[0078] Additionally, the temperature branch 140 includes an average temperature signal 430 that includes an enumerated list of temperature units in degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit. Similarly, a minimum temperature signal 432 has an enumerated list of units that includes degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit. A maximum temperature signal 434 further includes an enumerated list of units that includes degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit.

[0079] Thus, in accordance with the embodiment of Table 5 and Figure 4, the VSS catalog can be modified by adding an enumerated list of units (or other information), which can be defined as part of the signal using a separator. The use of a separator allows the signal to be backward compatible, since the absence of a unit with a separator can indicate that the signal uses the unit of the first element in the enumerated list.

[0080] use

[0081] Various examples are provided below to illustrate how the specifications of data in a signal call (eg, the type of units for the data, etc.) can be used.

[0082] Although various examples of the present disclosure are provided using the example of a vehicle computing device, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to vehicle computing systems, for example, other computing systems such as vehicle fuel injection / charging devices, Internet of Things (IoT) systems / devices, medical devices, among others, may similarly employ the principles provided in the present disclosure.

[0083] In particular, in accordance with the embodiments of Tables 3-5 and Figures 2-4, the units (or other data for the signal) can be provided as part of the signal name, or can be provided as a separate branch by either renaming the signal or using the data after a separator.

[0084] The requesting entity may then request the value of the signal in a particular unit of measurement. Furthermore, if that entity determines that the second entity does not support the particular unit of measurement (e.g., as determined by receiving an error indication in response to the request, which may include an indication of one or more units of measurement), the requesting entity may attempt to request the value of the same signal in a different unit of measurement. In this case, the requesting entity may perform another operation (e.g., converting from one unit of measurement to another unit of measurement) upon receiving the value of the signal.

[0085] The responding-receiving entity may then be able to determine, potentially with much greater accuracy, the units of measurement used by the values ​​indicated in such signals and may also be able to determine further processing / actions (e.g., converting one unit of measurement to another).

[0086] Reference is now made to Figure 5. In the embodiment of Figure 5, a first device 510 may communicate with a second device 512. For example, the first device 510 may be an application on a computing device that communicates with the second device 512, and the second device may be a vehicle. For example, the first device 510 may be a computing device used for insurance purposes to monitor driving behavior. However, other options may be possible.

[0087] Additionally, the first device 510 and the second device 512 may in some cases be virtual devices (e.g., software or applications) running on the same computing device. Other options may be possible.

[0088] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, a first device 510 may make a request 520 to a second device 512, the request 520 asking for a signal with units. In some cases, the request 520 may use the format of FIG. 2 and Table 3. In some cases, the request 520 may use the format of FIG. 3 and Table 4. In some cases, the request 520 may use the format of FIG. 4 and Table 5. In some cases, the request may use a combination of the above embodiments. Other options may be possible.

[0089] Upon receiving the request 520 , the second device 512 may determine that it is capable of providing such a signal with the units, and therefore provides a response 530 back to the first device 510 .

[0090] In this manner, the first device 510 can be sure of the units for the signal, thereby eliminating ambiguity in communications between the first device 510 and the second device 512.

[0091] As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, rather than making a request 520 with units, or in addition to making a request 520 with units, the request may include a data type, a type of information, or other data associated with a particular signal to remove ambiguity, and thus the present disclosure is not limited to requesting a signal or returning a message where units are specified.

[0092] However, in some cases, the device receiving the request may not have the data with the requested units. In this case, one option is for the second device to perform the conversion of the units to the requested units. Reference is now made to FIG.

[0093] In the embodiment of Figure 6, a first device 610 communicates with a second device 612. The first device 610 and the second device 612 may, in some cases, be the same as the first device 510 and the second device 512 from the embodiment of Figure 5.

[0094] The first device 610 may send a request 620 to the second device 612, where the request 620 asks for a signal with defined units. In some cases, the request 620 may use the format of FIG. 2 and Table 3. In some cases, the request 620 may use the format of FIG. 3 and Table 4. In some cases, the request 620 may use the format of FIG. 4 and Table 5. In some cases, the request may use a combination of the above embodiments. Other options may be possible.

[0095] As indicated, the second device 612 may not have a signal with the requested units. The second device may perform a conversion of the units to the requested units, which is indicated at block 622.

[0096] Once the signal is in the requested units, the second device 612 may provide a response 630 to the first device 610, providing the signal with the requested units.

[0097] As with the embodiment of Figure 5, the embodiment of Figure 6 may provide other information, such information being specified in the request. Specifically, rather than or in addition to requesting a signal with units, the request may include a data type, a type of information, or other data related to a particular message to remove ambiguity. Thus, the present disclosure is not limited to requesting a signal or returning a signal when units are specified.

[0098] In still further cases, the second device may not be able to provide a signal with the requested units, in which case the application on the first device may be robust enough to handle such situations. Reference is now made to FIG.

[0099] In the embodiment of Figure 7, a first device 710 communicates with a second device 712. The first device 710 and the second device 712 may, in some cases, be the same as the first device 510 and the second device 512 from the embodiment of Figure 5.

[0100] A first device 710 may send a request 720 to a second device 712, where the request 720 asks for a signal with a defined unit. This is shown as "Unit A" in the embodiment of FIG. 7. In some cases, the request 720 may use the format of FIG. 2 and Table 3. In some cases, the request 720 may use the format of FIG. 3 and Table 4. In some cases, the request 720 may use the format of FIG. 4 and Table 5. In some cases, the request may use a combination of the above embodiments. Other options may be possible.

[0101] In the example of FIG. 7, the second device 712 is unable to provide a signal with the requested units and therefore returns an error indication 730 .

[0102] In some cases, the error indication 730 simply indicates that the second device is unable to provide the requested information.

[0103] In some cases, the error indication 730 may include details or workarounds. For example, the error indication 730 may indicate that the requested units are not available, but that the information can be provided with other units of measurement.

[0104] Other options may be possible.

[0105] The first device 710 receives the error indication 730 and forms a new request 740 in which a signal with a different unit is sought, which is shown as "unit B" in the embodiment of FIG. 7. The second request 740 may use the same format as used in the first request 720, i.e., one or a combination of the embodiments of Tables 3 through 5 and FIGS. 2 through 4. In some cases, the error indication 730 indicates that the second device 712 can provide information in unit B.

[0106] In the example of FIG. 7, the second device can provide the requested information along with the second unit found in the request 740, and therefore returns a response 750 providing information along with the requested unit.

[0107] The first device receives a response 750. In some cases, the first device may use a signal involving the second unit.

[0108] In some cases, the first device 710 may detect that the units are not the desired units, so the device 710 may selectively convert the units to the desired units at block 752 .

[0109] As with the embodiments of Figures 5 and 6, the embodiment of Figure 7 may provide other information, such information being specified in the request. Specifically, rather than or in addition to requesting a signal with units, the request may include a data type, type of information, or other data related to a particular signal to remove ambiguity. Thus, this disclosure is not limited to requesting or returning a signal where units are specified. For example, Vehicle.Speed ​​or Vehicle.Speed.MPH can become Vehicle.Speed.String or Vehicle.Speed.MPH.String to return the speed in string format. Other options may be possible.

[0110] Based on the embodiments of Figures 2 to 7 and Tables 3 to 5, ambiguity in communication between two devices is reduced or eliminated.

[0111] Exemplary Vehicle System

[0112] The present disclosure will be described with respect to an automotive system; however, this is provided for illustrative purposes only, and the methods and systems described herein can be used with any other system as well.

[0113] For example, reference is now made to Figure 8, which illustrates a node 810. A node, as used herein, may be one or a group of electronic control units, central processing units, or kernel controls, among other options, and may be considered as a single computing unit.

[0114] 8, node 810 includes a service manager 820 that may interact with drivers for sensors to which the node is connected. For example, node 810 may have access to a location sensor, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) chipset, as shown in block 822.

[0115] To enable node 810 to interact with modules on other nodes and to provide computing system functionality, a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) may be provided on node 810, which includes HAL services 830. Each HAL service 830 is responsible for integrating sensors and may provide various functions, including integrating into underlying sensors, normalizing sensor data, and / or providing a barrier between safety-certified and non-safety-certified software, if required. Other functions for the HAL services are also possible.

[0116] In the example of FIG. 8, the HAL is provided with camera information, as indicated using block 832 .

[0117] 8 shows a node 810 with a single service and a single HAL, this is provided for illustrative purposes only. Node 810 can have a single service with no HAL, a single HAL with no service, multiple services with no HAL, multiple HALs with no services, and / or a combination of services and HALs.

[0118] In many systems, node 810 needs to communicate with other nodes (e.g., other ECUs, CPUs, or computing systems), and such ECUs, CPUs, or computing systems may use an operating system that is different from the operating system of node 810.

[0119] Such a system may use a modified VSS as described above.

[0120] Exemplary Computing System

[0121] The above network elements, nodes, computing devices, and other computing platforms may be implemented using any computing device. A simplified diagram of one of the computing devices is shown with respect to Figure 9. The computing device of Figure 9 can be any fixed or mobile computing device.

[0122] 9, the device 910 includes a processor 920 and a communication subsystem 930, which cooperate to perform the methods of the above-described embodiments. The communication subsystem 930 enables the device 910 to communicate with other devices or network elements and may vary based on the type of communication being performed. Additionally, the communication subsystem 930 may include multiple communication technologies, including any wired or wireless communication technology.

[0123] The processor 920 is configured to execute programmable logic, which may be stored in the device 910 along with data, shown in the example of FIG. 9 as memory 940. The memory 940 may be any tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instruction code that, when executed by the processor 920, causes the device 910 to perform the methods of the present disclosure. The computer-readable storage medium may be tangible or may be in a transitory / non-transitory medium, such as, for example, optical media (e.g., CDs, DVDs, etc.), magnetic media (e.g., tape), flash drive, hard drive, or other memory known in the art.

[0124] Alternatively, or in addition to memory 940, device 910 may access data or programmable logic from an external storage medium (eg, through communications subsystem 930).

[0125] 9, one or more internal sensors 970 or external sensors 972 may be associated with the computing device. However, this is optional and in some cases, the computing device 910 is not associated with any sensors.

[0126] Communication between the various elements of device 910 may, in one embodiment, be via an internal bus 960. However, other forms of communication may be possible.

[0127] The embodiments described herein are examples of structures, systems, or methods having elements that correspond to elements of the technology of the present application. The description provided herein may enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use embodiments having alternative elements that similarly correspond to elements of the technology of the present application. Thus, the intended scope of the technology of the present application includes other structures, systems, or methods that do not differ from the technology of the present application described herein, and further includes other structures, systems, or methods that have substantial differences from the technology of the present application described herein.

[0128] Although operations are depicted in the figures in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring such operations to be performed in the particular order or sequential order shown, or that all of the illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In some situations, multitasking and parallel processing may be employed. Furthermore, the separation of various system components in the above-described implementations should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the program components and systems described may generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged in multiple software products.

[0129] Additionally, the techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described and illustrated in various implementations as being separate or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods. Other items shown or described as being coupled or directly coupled or in communication with each other may be indirectly coupled or in communication through some interface, device, or intermediate component, whether electrically, mechanically, or in other ways. Other examples of modifications, substitutions, and alterations can be ascertained and made by those skilled in the art.

[0130] While the above detailed description illustrates, describes, and points out the basic novel features of the present disclosure as applied to various implementations, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the illustrated system may be made by those skilled in the art. In addition, no order of method steps is implied by the order in which they appear in the claims.

[0131] When messages are sent to / from an electronic device, such actions may not be instantaneous or may not originate directly from a server. They may be delivered synchronously or asynchronously from a server or other computing system infrastructure supporting the devices / methods / systems described herein. The steps above may include synchronous / asynchronous communication to / from the device / infrastructure in whole or in part. Additionally, communication from the electronic device may be to one or more endpoints on the network. These endpoints may be serviced by a server, a distributed computing system, a stream processor, etc. Content delivery networks (CDNs) may also provide communication to electronic devices. For example, rather than a typical server response, a server may provide or direct data to a content delivery network (CDN) and then wait for download by the electronic device, e.g., subsequent activity of the electronic device. Thus, data may be sent directly from a server or other infrastructure (e.g., a distributed infrastructure or CDN, etc.) that is separate from parts or systems of the system.

[0132] Typically, the storage medium may include any one or some combination of the following: semiconductor memory devices, such as dynamic or static random access memory (DRAM or SRAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and flash memory; magnetic disks, such as floppy and removable disks; other magnetic media, including tape; optical media, such as compact disks (CD) or digital video disks (DVD); other types of storage devices. It should be noted that the above-mentioned instructions may be provided on one computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium, or alternatively, on multiple computer-readable or machine-readable storage media, possibly distributed in a larger system having multiple nodes. Such computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium or media is part of a product (or article of manufacture). A product or article of manufacture may refer to any manufactured single component or multiple components. The storage medium or media may be located within the machine that executes the machine-readable instructions, or may be located at a remote site, and the machine-readable instructions may be downloaded over a network from the remote site for execution.

[0133] In the preceding description, numerous details have been set forth to provide an understanding of the subject matter disclosed herein. However, implementations may be practiced without some of these details. Other implementations may include modifications and variations from the above details. It is intended that the appended claims may cover such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method in a computing device, The process involves sending a request for data from a signal to a second entity, wherein the request identifies the signal by a name path corresponding to a tree structure. Receiving a response that provides the aforementioned data, wherein the response further defines a unit of measurement for the signal, the response includes the name path of the signal, and the name path includes the unit of measurement. Methods that include...

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is a portion of the tree structure, and the response includes the unit of measurement as a branch portion to the signal.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the response further includes a data type defined as a branch to the signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the response includes using a separator after the signal name, and the unit of measurement is defined after the separator.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the unit of measurement is defined in an enumerated list of units of measurement for the signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein when the request does not specify the unit of measurement, the response includes a first unit of measurement from the enumerated list.

7. Determining that the response is in a unit of measurement different from the unit of measurement specified in the request, Converting the unit of measurement in the computing device The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

8. The request includes a first request for data in a first unit of measurement, the method before receiving, Receiving an error message from the second entity in response to the first request, Sending a second request to the second entity, the second request including a request for data using the unit of measurement for the signal, After receiving the response, the measurement unit of the data is converted to the first measurement unit. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is a COVESA (Connected Vehicle Systems Alliance) VSS (Vehicle Signal Specification) signal.

10. A computing device, Processor and Communication subsystem and Includes, The computing device is The process involves sending a request for data from a signal to a second entity, wherein the request identifies the signal by a name path corresponding to a tree structure. Receiving a response that provides the aforementioned data, wherein the response further defines a unit of measurement for the signal, the response includes the name path of the signal, and the name path includes the unit of measurement. A computing device configured to perform the following actions.

11. The computing device according to claim 10, wherein the signal is a portion of the tree structure, and the response includes the unit of measurement as a branch portion to the signal.

12. The computing device according to claim 11, wherein the response further includes a data type defined as a branch to the signal.

13. The computing device according to claim 10, wherein the response includes using a separator after the signal name, and the unit of measurement is defined after the separator.

14. The computing device according to claim 13, wherein the unit of measurement is defined in an enumerated list of units of measurement for the signal.

15. The computing device according to claim 14, wherein when the request does not specify the unit of measurement, the response includes a first unit of measurement from the enumerated list.

16. The computing device is Determining that the response is in a unit of measurement different from the unit of measurement specified in the request, Converting the unit of measurement in the computing device The computing device according to claim 10, further configured to perform the following:

17. The request includes a first request for data in a first unit of measurement, wherein the computing device, before receiving, Receiving an error message from the second entity in response to the first request, Sending a second request to the second entity, the second request including a request for data using the unit of measurement for the signal, After receiving the response, the measurement unit of the data is converted to the first measurement unit. The computing device according to claim 10, further configured to perform the following:

18. A non-temporary computer-readable medium for storing instruction code, wherein the instruction code, when executed by the processor of a computing device, is transmitted to the computing device. The process involves sending a request for data from a signal to a second entity, wherein the request identifies the signal by a name path corresponding to a tree structure. Receiving a response that provides the aforementioned data, wherein the response further defines a unit of measurement for the signal, the response includes the name path of the signal, and the name path includes the unit of measurement. A non-temporary computer-readable medium that enables the operation of [the process].

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