Automotive Virtualization Layer for CAN Message Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive systems face challenges in balancing resource constraints such as space, power consumption, and processing power while demanding additional functionality for intelligent driver assistance, with existing technologies like AUTOSAR not providing frameworks for sophisticated applications like multimedia, and struggling to efficiently integrate real-time and non-real-time operating systems for field bus message exchange.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a virtualization layer, such as a microkernel or hypervisor, enables the partitioning of software domains and resource sharing, allowing for the exchange of CAN messages between real-time and non-real-time partitions, including AUTOSAR and infotainment systems like Linux or Android, through a hardware consolidation approach.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a virtualization layer is introduced to enable message exchange between real-time and non-real-time operating systems, then adaptability and functionality are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtualization layer as an intermediary component between real-time operating systems (like AUTOSAR) and non-real-time operating systems (like Linux or Android). This virtualization layer includes virtual field bus drivers that emulate hardware field bus controllers, enabling message exchange between different OS domains without direct hardware access. The intermediary handles message routing, filtering, and protocol conversion, thus improving adaptability while managing complexity through abstraction.
2Productivity
If hardware consolidation is implemented to share resources between multiple operating systems, then productivity and resource efficiency are improved, but reliability may worsen due to increased integration complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the software architecture into distinct virtual machines or partitions, each running a different operating system (real-time and non-real-time). The virtualization layer creates isolated execution environments with dedicated resource allocations. This segmentation allows hardware consolidation for productivity while maintaining reliability through isolation - failures in one partition cannot directly affect others, and real-time requirements are guaranteed through reserved resources.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple operating systems are integrated to provide sophisticated applications like multimedia, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to integration challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal virtualization layer that can host multiple types of operating systems (real-time AUTOSAR and non-real-time Linux/Android) on the same hardware platform. This universal approach allows the system to provide sophisticated applications like multimedia through non-real-time OS while maintaining real-time control functions. The virtual field bus drivers provide multi-functional access to hardware resources, reducing the need for separate hardware implementations for different OS types.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for accessing on a control unit for an automotive vehicle a field bus, the field bus being a dedicated automotive bus and being adapted to transport messages having a message identifier, the message identifier defining the content of the message, the control unit having at least one processor and a memory, comprising: assigning, by a virtualizing layer, resources of the at least one processor and the memory to a plurality of guest systems; enabling, by the virtualizing layer, a communication between at least two of the guest systems via an inter partition communication link; receiving one or more messages from the field bus by a hardware driver of first guest system running on the virtualizing layer, the first guest system being a real time operating system; providing, by the hardware driver, the one more messages to a message forwarding component of the first guest system; forwarding, by the message forwarding component, at least one of the received messages to a first virtual driver of a second guest system running on the virtualization layer via the inter partition communication link; and providing, by the first virtual driver, the messages received by the first virtual driver, to a component or application of the second guest system.