Relay Device State Signaling for Accurate ECU Failure Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In in-vehicle network systems, ECUs without a partial network function may erroneously determine that ECUs in a standby state have failed due to interrupted periodic message reception, leading to incorrect failure determinations.
Innovation Solution
A relay device relays messages between communication buses, acquires state information on ECUs, and transmits this information to ECUs with network management functions to prevent erroneous failure determinations by correcting the state of ECUs in standby or operation states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an ECU without a PN function becomes the operation state by receiving a PN message, then communication capability is improved, but erroneous failure determination occurs when the ECU is in standby state
Solution Approach 1:
The relay device acts as an intermediary between ECUs on different communication buses. It acquires state information from ECUs on the first communication bus and transmits this information to ECUs on the second communication bus, enabling accurate failure determination without requiring direct state information transmission from ECUs
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having the relay device continuously acquire and transmit state information about ECU operational status. This feedback mechanism allows ECUs to adjust their failure determination behavior based on current state information, preventing erroneous determinations when ECUs are in standby state
2Ease of operation
If the ECU shifts from standby state to operation state to respond to messages, then communication responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ECU dynamically transitions between standby state and operation state based on message reception. The ECU remains in standby state to conserve power and only shifts to operation state when a message is received, allowing it to respond to communication requests while minimizing power consumption during idle periods
Data Source
AI summary
The in-vehicle network system includes a first device, a second device, and a third device as ECU having a network management function. The second device performs failure determination to determine that the first device has failed when periodic reception of a message periodically transmitted by the first device is interrupted. The third device has a partial network function in addition to the network management function. The relay device relays messages exchanged between the first communication bus connected to the first device and the second communication bus connected to the second device and the third device. The relay device acquires state information including information indicating whether the first device is in a standby state or an operation state. Then, the relay device transmits the acquired state information to the second device.