EP1856583A1

EP1856583A1 - Method and system for the provision of sensor data

Info

Publication number: EP1856583A1
Application number: EP06724878A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vasco Vollmer; Alexander Weber
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2005-02-25
Filing date: 2006-02-24
Publication date: 2007-11-21
Also published as: DE102005008714A1; WO2006089941A1; US20090077048A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for the provision of data to a software application (700) of a controller (200), whereby data provided by a sensor (100) is processed in a data processing module (400, 500) and the software application (700) requests information required thereby from a central information provider (600), the above calling up the required data from a data processing module (400, 500).

Description

Method and system for providing sensor data

Technical area

The invention relates to a method and a system for providing data to a software application of a control device, in particular to software applications of existing in motor vehicles control units.

State of the art

In motor vehicles today highly integrated sensors are installed. They are either built as a full participant in the motor vehicle-wide, digital communication on dedicated bus systems and in addition to the actual sensor module usually have a signal amplification module, an analog / digital converter and a microcontroller unit which discontinuation of messages enabled on the bus system, or they are assigned as remote sensor modules directly to a control unit, which then performs the processing of the sensor values.

In addition to the highly integrated or remote sensors are also control devices to the bus system connected. In addition to the obligatory bus controller, these essentially contain a powerful processor, which enables the execution of complex algorithms and thus computer-intensive software.

On the control devices usually software (or software applications or in the following only applications) is brought to execution, which performs recourse to the generated or emitted by the sensors data calculations and makes the actuation of actuators depending on the result. Such control device arrangements are an elementary component of today's vehicle systems such as ESP (Electronic Stability Program) for slip control, TCS (Traction Control System) for traction control or ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) for brake control.

All sensors present in the motor vehicle must be known to the applications of the specific model and the position in order to be correctly queried. In the same way, this knowledge must also exist on the available actuators in order to enable their correct control.

As a rule, the read-in sensor data must be processed by the application before further processing. By combining similar data from different sensors, sensor failures and faulty values can be reliably detected. This combination of similar sensor data is also referred to in the professional world as "sensor fusion" or "sensor data fusion". In addition, a software application can use aging characteristics of the sensor in question through aging processes of the sensor Recognize and compensate evoked measured value deviations.

In the described prior art, the required maintenance and development requirements for software applications turns out to be complicated and thus costly. There is therefore a need for a restructuring of the described provision of sensor data and data from other data sources to software applications of a control device ,

Advantages of the invention

In the method according to the invention for providing data to a software application of a control device, data generated or delivered by a sensor or another data source is processed in a data preparation module, while the software application requests the information required by it from an information provider, wherein the Information provider for this purpose retrieves required data from one or more data preparation modules.

The core of the invention is consequently the decoupling of the preparation of data and the software applications. The data will be in one or more

Data preparation modules processed and conveniently cached. The information required by a software application is made available to this application by an information provider. For this purpose, the central or the respective application associated information provider communicates with one or more data processing modules and passes the collected information to the software application.

Thus, the inventive method abstracts the hardware conditions in the overall system and allowed

Applications by reading in particular non-specific data from sensors hardware non-specific. An advantage lies in the simplified - because of the hardware decoupled - application development and the resulting longer maintenance intervals. While so far the

Application in the control unit had to have intelligence on the processing and processing of sensor data, the entire complex sensor technology was therefore to be considered in the software development, can now by the present invention, the individual

Applications are relieved of this data processing, which significantly reduces the development effort. At the same time, this results in a saving of computing time, since the application now only has to execute the actual algorithm necessary for actuator activation. However, there is also a saving in computation time since the processing of the sensor data and other data from other data sources is only performed once more at a central point instead of every single application.

The method and system according to the invention reduces the maintenance and development requirements for applications and thus the development and lifecycle costs. For this purpose, the sensors installed in the motor vehicle and other data sources can be completely abstracted. This abstraction includes z. A) Manufacturer and model of the sensor, b) Type and representation of the information provided, c) Position of the sensor or data source in the Motor vehicle network and allows the modification of precisely these parameters, without the resulting need for modification of the application.

In an advantageous embodiment, one or more information providers are assigned to one or more information providers. For a particular software application then an associated (central) information provider can be defined, this central information provider can communicate with one or more of the other information providers. This has the advantage that the information provider responsible for the respective software application can not only retrieve data from one or more data preparation modules, but also data from one or more other information providers.

In the following, the term "sensor" is to be used to represent a sensor or another data source according to the invention Accordingly, terms such as "sensor data" or "sensor control module" not only based on sensors to read, but also with respect to other data sources.

It has proven particularly advantageous if the data generated or delivered by a sensor is first preprocessed in a sensor control module assigned to the sensor. This sensor control module is also referred to below as the sensor control module (SCM). The SCM preferably includes software provided by the manufacturer of the sensor. All knowledge about the response of the sensor, its specific aging characteristic, the interval of valid sensor data and other manufacturer- and model-specific sensor Information can be deposited here. The SCM is local and has direct or indirect access to the sensor.

In this preferred embodiment, it is furthermore expedient for data preprocessed by one or more sensor control modules to be stored in a data supply module, wherein advantageously the preprocessed sensor data can be further processed in this data provision module. The Data Provisioning Module is also referred to below as the Data Provision Module (DPM). The DPM contains one or more SCMs. It complements the low functionality of the SCMs with additional self-intelligence. Measurements sent by sensors or other data sources are buffered by the DPM and, depending on the logged-in demand of the downstream modules, forwarded to them or discarded when the current sequential measured values arrive.

While said sensor control modules (SCMs) are specifically associated with a particular sensor, a data delivery module (DPM) may further process the data from one or more sensor control modules. Sensor control module and data delivery module are then included in the above-mentioned data preparation module.

The information provider assigned to an application serves to provide data for a specific application. It proves to be advantageous, although the information provider about intelligence for

Further processing of data or information. In particular, data from various data preparation modules or data processing modules can then be used by the information provider. Data Provisioning Module (DPM) and / or several other information providers are processed to provide higher quality information.

An information provider, hereafter referred to as Information Broker (IB), serves to provide data for applications. Through targeted querying of DPMs, they deliver the data they have to the requesting IM. The IB provides all data obtained in this way in its unprocessed (raw) variant, but preferably also generates higher-quality data (information) from the incoming data. Such higher value data may be, for example, average or accumulated values. In addition, as already mentioned, a cross-communication of the IBs with each other is possible in order to obtain the values required for the calculation of high-order data.

The application uses the provided (sensor) data or processed from these (sensor) data

Information in the algorithms realized by the application. As a result, the application decides on the basis of the incoming (sensor) data on the way of controlling actuators.

The system according to the invention for providing (sensor) data to a software application of a control device has a data preparation module for processing data output by a sensor or another data source, wherein an information provider is provided, from which the software application receives the information required by it requests or retrieves, this information provider with a or communicates with several data preparation modules for data exchange.

According to the above-described method according to the invention düng arise in this system, the same advantages and embodiments in an analogous manner. Reference should be made to the above. In particular, reference will again be made below to sensors as data sources for the sake of simplicity.

If the system according to the invention is implemented in the particularly preferred embodiment with a sensor control module (SCM) and a data supply module (DPM), this sensor control module can either be part of its associated sensor or part of a sensor

Be controller, in which case the sensor control module with exactly one sensor directly or (via the data bus) is indirectly connected.

In principle, all mentioned modules, namely the data preparation modules, the sensor control modules, the data providing modules, as well as the

Be implemented information units on a control unit or sold separately as a single bus participants. Furthermore, said modules and units can be implemented as software or as hardware modules. It is advantageous if a data providing module (DPM) and the central information unit (IB) are assigned as a software module in a control unit of the corresponding application on this control unit.

characters In the following, the method and system according to the invention and their advantages will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in the form of exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows the section of a network topology of a motor vehicle-wide network in schematic form;

FIG. 2 shows the system according to the invention with its modules for providing sensor data to a software application in a control unit.

Preferred embodiments

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2. FIG. 1 shows a network topology, devices on the network being designated by the reference numerals 100, 200 and 300 (referred to below as network nodes). The network node 100 represents a highly integrated sensor, while the network nodes 200 and 300 each represent a control unit. Such networks are used in particular in motor vehicles, wherein generally the network nodes in the three categories, control units, sensors and actuators, can be divided. Actuators as network nodes are not shown in Figure 1 because they are not essential to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows schematically a particularly preferred

Embodiment of the system according to the invention with a sensor control module (SCM) 400, a data supply module (DPM) 500, an information unit (IB) 600, and a software application 700. A further information unit is denoted by 601, another data providing module with 501 and another sensor control module with 401. First, in a general form with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the invention is explained in a motor vehicle network.

The sensors (sensor 100) record information about their environment and convert this information into streams. This analog data is usually amplified in the sensor 100 and then digitized. The digitized data is then forwarded via a communication interface (here: bus) to the assigned control unit 200. The controller 200 receives this data and passes it to the sensor control module (SCM) 400. Thus, in this embodiment, the SCM 400 is

In any case, the sensor 100 is connected to its associated SCM 400 directly or via the data bus. In the SCM 400, the data is prepared in such a way that it can be used by other components. This can be the application of different characteristics, eg. B. for aging compensation and / or temperature compensation as well as a validity check of the measured values. The SCM 400 is not an independent software module in this embodiment, but is closely integrated into the data delivery module DPM 500. The DPM 500 receives the data processed by the SCM 400 and then decides on its further processing. Caching is particularly advantageous in this case, so that a request is answered by an information unit 600, 601, each with the most current data record. The DPM 500 has enough intrinsic intelligence to perform, for example, error corrections. Alternatively, the DPM 500 can also be named Data processing of the SCM 400, such as aging and / or temperature compensation, take over.

If there is a request from an information unit (IB) 600, 601 according to the data now available, these are forwarded to the IB 600, 601. If a request from an IB 600, 601 specifies that the data is to be transmitted periodically, the DPM 500 monitors the period length per timer and sends the stored data to the IB 600, 601 at the end of the period length. New sensor values overwrite those in the DPM 500 cached values.

An application 700 reports its need for sensor data, or processed information, to one

Information unit 600, which represents the central information unit 600 for the application 700. At one information unit 600, 601, no, exactly one or even several DPMs 500, 501 can be connected, which serve as the data source for the IB 600. In this case, the information unit 600 can both provide the data available for the application 700 by the DPMs 500, 501 connected to it, as well as generate and provide higher-value data, such as mean values, average values or summation values. Also, calculated values according to more complex formulas are conceivable.

If there is a need in an information unit 600, 601 during the application of such formulas for data which is present in other information units 601, 600 existing in parallel, these are obtained by means of IB-to-IB communication. On the basis of a more concrete example, the process illustrated above is to be illustrated in more detail: The network node 100 is intended to represent a highly integrated sensor 100 which measures the environmental parameter (such as ambient temperature) r ₀ and periodically sends it to the network node 200 every 10 ms. This network node 200 is intended to represent a control unit. The existing on the controller 200 software architecture is apparent from Figure 2. All modules according to the invention are designed in the present case as software modules, the

Part of the controller 200 are. The control unit 200 receives the sensor data directed to it and passes it on to the module 400 operated thereon, namely the sensor control module 400. Multiple sensor control modules may be used on the controller 200, but only a single sensor control module 400 is responsible for processing the parameter r ₀ from the sensor 100.

The sensor control module 400 refines the incoming sensor data r ₀ to ri by using, for example

Aging characteristic for the associated sensor 100 and by a validity check of the received data. The

Data ri are then sent to the

Data delivery module 500 passed. The DPM 500 stores ri and manages a directory with

Sensor data requirements different

Information units 600, 601, ... There are thus four possibilities: a) Information ri is not needed; b) Information ri is needed exactly once; c) Information ri is required periodically with period length Δt; d) the information is required in a selected number and at selected intervals. In this example case c) is assumed, ie there is a periodic need for the date ri. In addition, additional information is to be transmitted to the application 700. The DPM 500 waits for the expiration of an internal countdown timer with the start value Δt, and then sends the date r ₂ to the associated information unit (IB) 600. The IB 600 drops the information transmitted by the data providing module 500 into a formula k = r ₂ x Si flow. Si corresponds to information on the other

Information unit 601 is present. In order to obtain this information, the IB 600 addresses the IB 601 running on the second control device 300 and requests the information sl generated there. With the retrieved information r ₂ and Si, the self-intelligence equipped information unit 600 may calculate the result k and then export the information k, r ₂ , Si to the application 700.

The invention is particularly suitable in the context of complex new overall vehicle architectures and can reduce the maintenance and development requirements for ECU applications and lead to significant savings in computation time.

reference numeral

100 network nodes, sensor

200 network node, control unit 300 network node, control unit

400, 401 sensor control module (SCM)

500, 501 Data Provisioning Module (DPM)

600, 601 Information unit (IB) 700 Application

Claims

claims

A method for providing data to a software application (700) of a control device (200), wherein data output from a sensor (100) or another data source is stored in a data preparation module (400,

500) and the software application (700) requests information needed by it from an information provider (600), wherein the information provider (600) retrieves required data from a data preparation module (400, 500).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the information provider retrieves data from a plurality of data preparation modules (400, 500, 401, 501).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one or more

One or more information providers (600, 601), wherein an information provider (600) communicates with one or more other information providers (601).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that by a sensor (100) or a data supplied to another data source are first preprocessed in a sensor control module (400) or control module assigned to the sensor (100) or this data source.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that by one or more sensor control modules (400) or control modules preprocessed data in a data supply module (500) are stored.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the preprocessed data in the data supply module (500) are further processed.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the data transmitted to an information provider (600) data in the information provider (600) further processed and then the software application (700) are provided.

8. A system for providing data to a software application (700) of a control unit (200), wherein a data preparation module (400, 500) is provided for processing of output from a sensor (100) or other data source data, and that

Information provider (600) is provided, from which the software application (700) requests the information required by it, wherein the information provider (600) for data exchange with a data preparation module (400, 500) is in communication.

9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the information provider (600) for data communication with several data preparation modules (400, 500, 401, 501).

10. System according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that one or more data processing modules (400,

500; 401, 501) associated with one or more information providers (600, 601), wherein an information provider (600) communicates with one or more other information providers (601) for data communication.

11. System according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that a sensor (100) or another data source associated sensor control module (400) or control module for preprocessing of this sensor (100) or this data source output data is provided, wherein the sensor control module (400) or control module is part of the data preparation module (400, 500).

12. System according to claim 11, characterized in that as part of the data preparation module (400, 500) a

Data Provision Module (500) is provided in which pre-processed by one or more sensor control modules (400) or control module data are stored.

13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the data providing module (500) is designed for further processing of the preprocessed data.

14. System according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that the information provider (600) is designed for further processing of the data transmitted to this.

15. System according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that a sensor control module (400) is part of the relevant sensor (100).

16. System according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that a sensor control module (400) or control module is part of a control unit (200), wherein the sensor control module (400) or the control module with exactly one sensor (100) or a other data source.

17. System according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that a data supply module (500) with one or more sensor control modules (400, 401) or control modules for data communication is in communication.

18. System according to claim 17, characterized in that a data supply module (500) is part of a control device (200).

19. System according to any one of claims 8 to 18, characterized in that the information provider (600) is part of the control unit (200) on which the software application (700) is running.