Data Bus Transceiver Configuration Data Integrity Check
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data bus transceivers in low-power mode are prone to configuration data errors due to external or internal interference, leading to incorrect wake-up of electronic control units and reduced system availability, with errors often not being signaled.
Innovation Solution
A method that generates and stores a reference checksum of configuration data, repeatedly checking it and outputting a wake-up signal or error information if changes are detected, allowing for immediate recognition and handling of errors, thereby reducing safety-critical situations and increasing system availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the data bus transceiver operates in low-power mode for extended periods, then energy consumption is reduced, but the probability of configuration data errors increases due to external or internal interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating and storing a reference checksum of the configuration data before the transceiver enters low-power mode. This pre-computed checksum serves as a baseline for later verification, allowing the system to detect configuration errors that may occur during extended low-power operation without requiring continuous monitoring that would increase energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by repeatedly checking the stored reference checksum against the current configuration data upon wake-up or at intervals during low-power mode. When a mismatch is detected, the system generates error information and can trigger appropriate error handling routines, creating a closed-loop verification mechanism that maintains reliability while allowing extended low-power operation.
2Loss of energy
If the configuration data is not checked during low-power mode, then energy consumption remains low, but errors in configuration data go undetected and are not signaled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a checksum as an intermediary element that mediates between the configuration data and the verification process. Instead of directly monitoring configuration data changes (which would require continuous power), the system computes and stores a condensed checksum representation, then verifies this intermediary value upon wake-up. This allows error detection capability to be maintained with minimal energy expenditure during low-power mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-verification by automatically checking the configuration data integrity using the stored reference checksum without requiring external intervention or continuous monitoring. The transceiver autonomously detects configuration errors and generates error information, enabling the system to monitor itself with minimal energy consumption during low-power operation.
3Productivity
If a wake-up process is triggered by incorrect configuration data, then the electronic control unit wakes up, but it is woken up erroneously by data frames not intended for this purpose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing the reference checksum of the configuration data before low-power mode begins. This预先 prepared verification reference enables the system to accurately verify incoming data frames upon wake-up, ensuring that only legitimately intended wake-up requests trigger the wake-up process, thereby preventing erroneous wake-ups while maintaining responsiveness.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for protecting configuration data from a data bus transceiver (1) that can be operated in a subnetwork mode, wherein the configuration data are provided for comparison with data from data bus messages arriving via a data bus (CAN), wherein a reference checksum for the configuration data is generated and stored, this reference checksum is recurrently checked, and in the event of an alteration being identified, a wake-up signal (WUF) and/or a piece of error information (F) is output. During or after writing of the configuration data to configuration register 2 via data bus SPI or directly before the change to the low-power mode of the electronic control unit, checksum unit 3 is used to form a checksum that is stored in reference checksum register 4.1. In the low-power mode of the electronic control unit, the checksum for the configuration is repeatedly recomputed and compared with the checksum stored in reference checksum register 4.1. Checksum unit 3 stores the recomputed checksum value in checksum register 4.2, and comparison unit 5 then performs a comparison between the data stored in reference checksum register 4.1 and the recomputed checksum stored in reference checksum register 4.2. If the recomputed checksum does not match the stored checksum, then comparison unit 5 is used to trigger a wake-up process on the basis of a configuration error KF. The start of a check can be brought about by internal and/or external triggers.