FR3012898A1 - METHOD FOR RAPID PROTOTYPING OF A FUNCTION OF A VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rapid prototyping method of a function of a vehicle. To this end, it comprises the steps of: • a read request, made by a computer control program, of a first data item at a first address, • conversion of the first address into a second address of the second data item, • reading by the control computer program, the second data stored at the second address of a second area of a random access memory.

Description

The present invention relates generally to the prototyping of a control system of electronic equipment of a vehicle, particularly automobile, and more particularly relates to a method and a rapid prototyping system of such a system.

A vehicle comprises in known manner an electronic control unit of a number of its electronic equipment type calculator, hereinafter called ECU ("Electronic Control Unit" in English). It is known to use the information provided by this equipment to implement vehicle functions. Thus, for example, it is known to use the speed information provided by the speedometer to adapt it automatically or to trigger a door lock beyond a predetermined minimum speed. To do this, the ECU retrieves data from the electronic equipment or directly from the vehicle, and then executes a computer control program using this data. It then outputs a command determined by said computer control program to one of the electronic equipment or stores an output value in a memory called "live" that can be used later by said computer control program. To this end, the ECU comprises a control module in the form of a processor, a random access memory ("Random Access Memory" or RAM in English language) and a read-only memory (ROM). in the English language). The control computer program and the constant values it uses to operate are stored in binary form in the read only memory while the variable data used by said control computer program are stored in the RAM. The implementation of a new function by the ECU requires changing the control computer program stored in the ROM. Such a modification therefore involves writing a new computer control program 30 and then loading it into the read-only memory, which is long and costly, especially if several modifications have to be made to test the new version of the control computer program and load the program several times in ROM. It is therefore necessary to test this computer control program before loading it into the ROM. For this purpose, it is known to carry out prototyping called "fast" to retrieve the incoming data received by the ECU and then use them in an external simulation tool that simulates the function to be tested out of the ECU and returns a command or output value to the ECU so that the ECU can respectively execute or store it. Such an external simulation tool is typically in the form of a laptop-type tool that is just plugged into the ECU by means of a cable and which includes a software simulation computer programming tool. implement to simulate the function to be tested such as, for example, a graphical programming tool such as Matlab Simulink 0 or Labview 0. In order to recover the incoming data received by the ECU, it is necessary to modify the addressing of the RAM in which they are intended to be stored so as to redirect them to the simulation tool so that it can use them. Such a modification of the addressing requires modifying the computer control program by adding a patch ("patch" in English). Such an addition therefore requires a reloading of the program into the dead memory of the ECU, which is again long and tedious and therefore has drawbacks. The object of the invention is to remedy at least part of these disadvantages by proposing a simple, fast and efficient solution making it possible to test new functions implemented by an electronic control unit of a plurality of electronic equipments. a vehicle. To this end, the invention firstly relates to a method of rapid prototyping by a simulation tool of a function controlled by an electronic control unit of a plurality of electronic equipment of a vehicle, in particular an automobile, said electronic control unit comprising a control module, a random access memory and a read only memory, said read-only memory comprising at least one control computer program comprising instructions for controlling at least one electronic equipment of the vehicle from minus an incoming data from the vehicle, said random access memory being divided into at least a first area, comprising at least a first datum determined by the control computer program from said incoming datum and stored at at least a first address, and a second zone comprising at least one second data stored by the simulation tool with at least one second said address, said method being remarkable in that, the control module comprising an address conversion sub-module, it comprises the steps of: read request, carried out by the control computer program to the control module, from the first data item to the first address, - conversion, performed by the address conversion sub-module, from the first address of the first data item to the second address of the second data item, - reading, by the control computer program of the second data stored at the second address of the second RAM area.

In reading, the control computer program is only authorized to read the second data stored at the second address of the second RAM area when it requires the reading of the first data. This advantageously allows the simulation tool to write the second data item in the second memory area so that it can be used by the control computer program instead of the first data item without there being a need to recharge everything or part of said control computer program in the ROM since it is not necessary to change the first address in the second address in the control computer program. Preferably, the control computer program is further configured to write the first data to the first address of the first RAM area. Thus, in writing, the control computer program is only authorized to modify the first data at the first address of the first RAM area but it can not modify the second data at the second address of the second RAM area, which only the simulation tool can modify. The method according to the invention makes it possible to separate the memory into a first part reserved for writing by the computer control program and into a second part reserved for reading by the computer control program, this being made possible by the conversion of the first address of the first data in the second address of the second data. According to one aspect of the invention, the method comprises a preliminary step of reception by the address conversion sub-module of the second address of the second datum and a step of establishing a correspondence between the first address and the said address. second address received.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method comprises the preliminary steps performed by the simulation tool of: - obtaining, from the random access memory, the incoming data coming from the vehicle; writing a second datum to a second address in the second RAM area according to the value of said incoming datum; and - sending to the address conversion sub-module of the second address so that it converts the first address to the second address when the control computer program makes a request to read the first data at the first address. The invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular an automobile, comprising a plurality of electronic equipment and an electronic control unit of said plurality of electronic equipment, said electronic control unit comprising a control module, a random access memory and a read-only memory said read-only memory comprising at least one computer control program comprising instructions for controlling at least one electronic equipment of the vehicle from at least one incoming data from the vehicle, said random access memory being divided into at least a first zone, comprising at least a first datum determined by the computer control program from said incoming datum and stored at at least a first address, and a second zone, comprising at least a second datum stored by the simulation tool at least a second address, said vehicle being remarkable in that e the control module further comprises an address conversion sub-module configured for, following a request to read the first data at the first address made by the control computer program to the control module, converting the first address from the first data to the second address of the second data so that the control computer program reads the second data stored at the second address of the second RAM area. Preferably, the control module is configured to receive said second address and, the address conversion sub-module comprising a correspondence table, for storing in said correspondence table a conversion link between the first address and said second address. received.

The invention also relates to a system for the rapid prototyping by a simulation tool of at least one function controlled by an electronic control unit of a plurality of electronic equipment of a vehicle, said system comprising a vehicle as presented previously and a tool for simulating at least one function of said vehicle configured to: - obtain, from the random access memory, at least one incoming data coming from the vehicle; - writing a second data to a second address in the second RAM area according to the value of said incoming data; and - sending to the address conversion sub-module the second address so that it converts the first address to the second address when the control computer program makes a request to read the first data at the first address.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description given with reference to the appended figures given by way of non-limiting examples and in which identical references are given to similar objects. - Figure 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the system according to the invention. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary memory of the electronic control unit. FIG. 3 illustrates a mode of implementation of the method according to the invention. The system according to the invention allows rapid prototyping by a simulation tool of a function controlled by a control unit of a plurality of electronic equipment of a vehicle, in particular an automobile. The example described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 relates to the simulation of a vehicle door lock function beyond a predetermined speed of said vehicle. This example is of course not limited to the scope of the present invention which can be applied to the simulation of any function and any electronic equipment of any type of vehicle. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the system 1 comprises a vehicle 10, 20 in particular a vehicle, and a simulation tool 20 for at least one function of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 comprises a plurality of electronic equipment and a control unit electronic 14 of said plurality of electronic equipment. For purely illustrative purposes, the vehicle 10 comprises a first electronic equipment in the form of a door lock module 13 and a second electronic equipment in the form of a speedometer 12. The unit electronic memory 14 comprises a control module 140, a random access memory 144 and a read only memory 146. The read-only memory 146 comprises a computer program for controlling the electronic equipment comprising, in this example, instructions for the control of the locking module. doors 13 from at least one incoming data from the speedometer 12. In another embodiment of the system according to the invention, it will be noted that the incoming data does not necessarily originate from a second electronic equipment. For example, the incoming data may be a torque value of the vehicle engine 10 that can be calculated indirectly, for an internal combustion engine, from the amount of air admitted into the engine with the amount of gasoline injected. The vehicle 10 may further comprise other electronic equipment (not shown) controlled by the control computer program. With reference to FIG. 2, the RAM 144 is divided into at least a first zone Z1 and a second zone Z2. The first zone Z1 comprises a first datum D1 determined, for example, by the control computer program from said incoming datum 10 coming from the speedometer 12 and stored at a first address A1. The second zone Z2 comprises a second datum D2. written by the simulation tool 20 to a second address A2. According to the invention, the control module 140 comprises an address conversion sub-module 142 configured for, following a request to read the first data item D1 at the first address A1 produced by the control computer program, to convert the first address A1 of the first datum D1 at the second address A2 of the second datum D2 so that the control computer program reads the second datum D2 stored at the second address A2 of the second random access zone Z2. To this end, the control module 140 is configured to receive said second address A2 and the address conversion sub-module 142 comprising a look-up table 145 to store a conversion link between the first address Al and said second address A2 received in said correspondence table 145. The simulation tool 20 is first configured to obtain at least one incoming data from the vehicle 10 and stored in the random access memory 144. In the example of setting implemented below, the simulation tool 20 collects the velocity measurements sent to the electronic control unit 14 by the speed counter 12 and stored in the random access memory 144. Then, according to the invention, the simulation tool 20 is configured, on the one hand, to write a second data item D2 to the second address A2 in the second random access area Z2 as a function of the incoming data obtained and, on the other hand, to send to address conversion sub-module 142 the second address A2 of the second data D2 so that it converts the first address A1 to the second address A2 when the control computer program makes a request to read the first data D1 at the first address Al.

In order to perform these various actions, the simulation tool 20 includes a computer simulation program. The method according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 3 in its illustrative application to the simulation of a door locking function of a vehicle 10 beyond a predetermined speed of said vehicle 10. This function being simulated by the simulation tool 20. In this example, when the vehicle 10 rolls, the speedometer 12 periodically sends the speed measurements of the vehicle 10 to the electronic control unit 14 which stores them in the RAM 144. The simulation tool 20 then periodically obtains from the electronic control unit 14, in a step E1, the velocity measurements stored in the random access memory 144. The simulation tool 20 simulates, via its computer program of internal simulation, the lock function. To do this, the computer simulation program 15 compares, in a step E2, each speed measurement obtained from the electronic control unit 14 at the predetermined speed of locking the doors. A vehicle door lock command 10 is, for example, in the form of a Boolean value which is equal to "FALSE" when it is not necessary to lock the doors of the vehicle 10 and to "TRUE" when it is necessary to lock the doors of the vehicle 10. Thus, when the measured speed exceeds the predetermined locking speed, the simulation computer program writes, in a step E3, a door locking command of the vehicle 10 in the form of a second datum D2 equal to "TRUE" at an address A2 in the second zone Z2 of the high-speed memory 144. The simulation computer program then sends the second address A2 of the second datum D2 to the conversion sub-module of FIG. address 142 which receives it in a step E4 so that it establishes, in a step E5, a correspondence between a first address A1 and the second address A2 in its tab The correspondence program 145. The computer program for controlling the electronic equipment stored in the read only memory 146 of the electronic control unit 14 includes an instruction enabling it to periodically read the value of a first datum D1 at the first address A1. of the RAM 144, this first datum D1 corresponding in this example to a door lock control of the vehicle 10.

To do this, when it executes this instruction, the computer control program sends, in a step E6, a read request to the control module 140, the first data D1 to the first address Al. The conversion sub-module 142 of the control module 140 then converts in a step E7, using its correspondence table 145, this first address Al of the first data D1 in the second address A2 of the second data D2 so that the computer program reads in a step E8, the second data D2 stored at the second address A2 of the second zone Z2 of RAM 144 and then locks the doors of the vehicle 10.

The control computer program can only write the first datum D1 to the first address A1 of the first zone Z1 of RAM 144 but can not read it since, when it wishes to read it, it is routed to the second datum D2 stored at the second address A2 of the second zone Z2 of RAM 144. This advantageously allows the simulation tool 20 to write the second data D2 in the second memory zone Z2 so that it can be used by the computer control program to the place of the first data D1 without there being need to reload all or part of said control computer program in the read-only memory 146 since it is not necessary to modify the first address in the second address in the program computer control.

The method according to the invention thus advantageously makes it possible to separate the memory into a first part reserved for writing by the computer control program and into a second part reserved for reading by the computer control program, this being made possible by the converting the first address of the first data to the second address of the second data.

It should be noted, moreover, that the present invention is not limited to the examples described above and is capable of numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art. In particular, the nature of the function tested, the nature of the electronic equipment, the organization of the RAM and the ROM, etc. can not be interpreted as limiting.

Claims (7)

REVENDICATIONS1. A method for rapid prototyping by a simulation tool (20) of a function controlled by an electronic control unit (14) of a plurality of electronic equipment (12, 13) of a vehicle (10), said unit of electronic control (14) comprising a control module (140), a random access memory (144) and a read only memory (146), said read-only memory (146) comprising at least one control computer program comprising instructions for the control of at least one electronic equipment (13) of the vehicle (10) from at least one incoming data from the vehicle (10), said random access memory (144) being divided into at least a first zone (Z1), comprising at least a first datum (D1) determined by the computer control program from said incoming datum and stored at at least a first address (A1), and a second zone (Z2) comprising at least a second datum (D2) stored by the simulation tool (20) at least a second address (A2), said method being characterized in that, the control module (140) comprising an address conversion sub-module (142), it comprises the steps of: - query (E6) reading, performed by the control computer program to the control module (140), the first data (D1) to the first address (A1), - conversion (E7), performed by the conversion sub-module address (142), from the first address (A1) of the first data item (D1) to the second address (A2) of the second data item (D2), - read (E8), by the control computer program, the second datum (D2) stored at the second address (A2) of the second zone (Z2) of random access memory (144). 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the computer control program is further configured to write the first data (D1) to the first address (A1) of the first zone (Z1) of the random access memory (144). . 3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a preliminary step (E4) of reception by the address conversion sub-module (142) of the second address (A2) of the second data item (D2) and a step (E5) of establishing a correspondence between the first address (A1) at said second address (A2) received. 4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the preliminary steps performed by the simulation tool of: - obtaining, RAM (144), at least one incoming data from the vehicle (10); writing a second datum (D2) to a second address (A2) in the second zone (Z2) of random access memory (144); and sending to the address conversion sub-module (142) the second address (A2) so that it converts the first address (A1) to the second address (A2) when the control computer program makes a request. reading the first data (D1) to the first address (A1). A vehicle (10) comprising a plurality of electronic equipment (12, 13) and an electronic control unit (14) of said plurality of electronic equipment (12, 13), said electronic control unit (14) comprising a control module (140), a random access memory (144) and a read only memory (146), said read-only memory (146) comprising at least one control computer program including instructions for controlling at least one electronic equipment (13). ) of the vehicle (10) from at least one incoming data from the vehicle (10), said random access memory (144) being divided into at least a first zone (Z1), comprising at least a first datum (D1) determined by the control computer program from said incoming data and stored at at least a first address (A1), and a second zone (Z2), comprising at least a second data item (D2) stored by the simulation tool at at least least a second address (A2), said vehicle (10) being characterized in that the control module (140) further comprises an address conversion sub-module (142) configured for following a request to read the first data (D1) at the first address (A1) made by the control computer program to the control module (140), converting the first address (A1) of the first data item (D1) to the second address (A2) of the second data item (D2) so that the control computer program reads the second data item (D2) stored at the second address (A2) of the second area (Z2) of random access memory (144). 6. Vehicle according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control module (140) is configured to receive said second address (A2) and, the address conversion sub-module (142) comprising a correspondence table (145). ), for storing in said correspondence table (145) a conversion link between the first address (A1) and said second address (A2) received. 7. System (1) for the rapid prototyping by a simulation tool (20) of at least one function controlled by a control unit (14) of a plurality of electronic equipment (12, 13) of a vehicle (10), said system (1) comprising a vehicle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims 5 and 6, and a simulation tool (20) of at least one function of said vehicle (10) configured for: - obtaining, from the RAM (144), at least one incoming data from the vehicle (12); writing a second datum (D2) to a second address (A2) in the second zone (Z2) of random access memory (144); and - sending to the address conversion sub-module (142) the second address (A2) so that it converts the first address (A1) to the second address (A2) when the control computer program makes a request to reading the first data (D1) at the first address (A1).