Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
  • H04L12/40—Bus networks
  • H04L12/40169—Flexible bus arrangements
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F11/00—Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring
  • G06F11/07—Responding to the occurrence of a fault, e.g. fault tolerance
  • G06F11/16—Error detection or correction of the data by redundancy in hardware
  • G06F11/20—Error detection or correction of the data by redundancy in hardware using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
  • G06F11/202—Error detection or correction of the data by redundancy in hardware using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements where processing functionality is redundant
  • G06F11/2023—Failover techniques
  • G06F11/2033—Failover techniques switching over of hardware resources
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08C—TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS
  • G08C19/00—Electric signal transmission systems
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B3/00—Line transmission systems
  • H04B3/02—Details
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
  • H04L41/08—Configuration management of networks or network elements
  • H04L41/085—Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
  • H04L41/0853—Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
  • H04L41/12—Discovery or management of network topologies
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L61/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
  • H04L61/50—Address allocation
  • H04L61/5038—Address allocation for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
  • H04L67/01—Protocols
  • H04L67/12—Protocols specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
  • H04L67/125—Protocols specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks involving control of end-device applications over a network
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to error detection, to error correction, and to monitoring
  • G06F2201/85—Active fault masking without idle spares

Definitions

• the present invention is directed to a method for controlling execution units, and to a correspondingly set up system arrangement.
• a communication node is proposed which is suitable for use in the method or in the system arrangement.
• the present invention is also directed to a computer program with control commands which implement the proposed method or operate the proposed system arrangement.
• DE 10 2018 007141 A1 shows a system arrangement for fault-tolerant and electromagnetically compatible control of a large number of execution units.
• WO 2017/162323 A1 shows an efficient control arrangement and a control method, sequentially arranged execution units being controlled by means of a command unit.
• WO 2018/103 880 A1 shows a compact light-emitting diode arrangement which can be used generically, but is particularly advantageous for use in a vehicle due to the compact design.
• a large number of possibilities are known to address control units which are connected in series.
• There are generic approaches here which, however, can be disadvantageous in specific application scenarios, or also very special approaches which can no longer be used generically.
• the so-called CAN bus is known for example, which was developed with regard to cable harnesses and in particular is intended to implement a network of control units.
• network components can be provided that do not address the application scenario because individual components are too large and may implement logic that may not be used.
• network architecture structures or components that are particularly efficient and can also be manufactured with little technical effort.
• the failure safety is to be given, inter alia, by the fact that individual components can be segmented in such a way that if one individual segment fails, no further segments are affected.
• the components should be equipped as simply as possible in order to be able to work energy-efficiently and also to function error-resistant. Overall, as little energy as possible should be absorbed, since this not only costs the energy itself, but rather radiation is to be feared and, in addition, a temperature development is disadvantageous.
• Another problem with the prior art is that a certain network architecture often prevents an efficient implementation of a protocol. Segmentations of network topology are known from the prior art, with appropriate protocols being optimized for serial arrangements. A translation of protocols that are optimized with regard to serial arrangements is typically complex and prone to errors. Thus, it is advantageous to provide a method or a system arrangement which enables error-robust segmentation and also provides an efficient protocol such that the network architecture can work efficiently and error-resistant. Overall, it is always required that network protocols or network architectures are compatible with existing components.
• a method for controlling execution units comprising providing a physical network of serial sub-chains of execution units, the individual sub-chains being addressed serially and if one execution unit fails, only the further sub-chain fails, with each sub-chain initially exactly has upstream a communication node and the communication nodes of the partial chains are serially chained to one another in such a way that a communication chain of upstream communication nodes is present, individual communication nodes being switched to passive in such a way that the communication chain otherwise continues, the communication nodes each having at least one input interface and at least one Have output interface and the at least one input interface and the at least one output interface le can be explicitly blocked, a sequential checking j Either of the sub-chains by means of a request to the respective upstream communication node of the sub-chains, which each execution unit of the sub-chain assigns a unique identifier, such that each execution unit in the network is assigned a unique identifier and at least one execution unit is addressed by means of the upstream communication node by a
• the execution units can each be in the form of independent components, for example as light-emitting diodes or also in each case as sensors. This is only to be understood as an example and all possible components can be used, for example network components such as a switch.
• the execution units receive control commands from a control unit, which can be in the form of a microcontroller.
• the physical network is initiated in such a way that the individual execution units receive an identifier or an address.
• the network per se is initially unknown and the network is checked in preparatory process steps in such a way that components, namely execution units, are identified and these are given an identifier.
• the identifier is used to address the respective execution unit, so that the control unit can target each individual execution unit.
• a physical network made up of serial chains of execution units is provided.
• This partial chain initially has a communication node.
• a partial chain consists of at least one communication node.
• Preferred but optional are at this Communication nodes coupled to further execution units. Consequently, a first execution unit is communicatively coupled to a communication node. At least one further execution unit can be coupled to this first execution unit.
• An execution unit typically has at least two interfaces, one interface unit either being coupled to the communication node or to the preceding execution unit and a second interface unit to a subsequent execution unit. This creates a sequence from a communication node to which at least one further execution unit is connected serially. In an exceptional case, it is also possible that only the communication node is present.
• All execution units are therefore indirectly coupled to one another in such a way that a communication node is connected upstream of each partial chain of execution units and these upstream communication nodes are in turn coupled to one another in series.
• the individual units can be coupled in different ways. So it is preferably provided that the individual segments or the partial chains are arranged on a board with a corresponding bus and the communication Communication nodes can be linked to one another by means of a cable connection. This is only to be understood as an example and not conclusive.
• Communication takes place on the basis of a control unit, which is connected upstream of the communication chain.
• the communication nodes form a communication chain in their entirety, at the beginning of which is the control unit.
• the control unit can communicate indirectly with the execution units, each sub-chain being preceded by a communication node.
• the control unit thus primarily communicates with the communication nodes, which then pass the control commands on to the respective connected partial chain.
• each of the partial chains is checked sequentially by means of a request to the respective upstream communication node.
• the control unit issues a command which causes each communication node to check its partial chain and then corresponding identifiers are returned. It is therefore advantageous that the control unit communicates with a first communication node, which then checks how many or which execution units are arranged in the respective partial chain. Once this has been recorded, the identifiers are returned to the control unit, which can generally also be done at a later point in time.
• the first partial chain was consequently checked, it is provided that a command is sent to the second communication node to cause this communication node to check its partial chain and consequently generate identifiers which number the individual execution units, for example. This takes place sequentially and iteratively in such a way that all communication nodes check the arranged partial chains and assign a unique identifier for this.
• the unambiguous identifier is consequently available to the communication node, which then has information about which units are arranged in the partial chain. Since all communication nodes pass their identifications on to the control unit, the control unit then has information about all available communication nodes including the execution units attached.
• At least one execution unit can be addressed in such a way that it is addressed by the control unit indirectly via the communication node by means of the identifier.
• the control unit knows every identifier of the execution units and thus the control unit can instruct the corresponding communication node whose chain the execution unit to be controlled has to initiate this control.
• the control unit issues a command which is indirectly transmitted to the respective execution unit via the communication node.
• a command can be a command that carries out a read operation or a write operation.
• a sensor can be read out as a command, or a light-emitting diode can also receive a corresponding color value or a brightness intensity.
• the individual partial chains can be addressed serially and thus an efficient protocol will create.
• the individual execution units can be controlled sequentially or serially and nevertheless a segmentation can be present in terms of hardware.
• the individual communication nodes can be switched passively in such a way that these communication node signals are only switched through.
• a single sub-chain can fail and the functionality of the other sub-chains is not impaired.
• the response comprises a read operation and / or a write operation.
• This has the advantage that the command from the control unit can either cause a sensor value or a status to be read from the execution unit or a write operation takes place in such a way that the execution unit can be informed of a value.
• This value can be a color intensity or a brightness. In general, a combination of both operations is also possible.
• the unique identifier is present as an address, numbering and / or naming. This has the advantage that the individual execution units can be clearly identified and the control unit can then means a unique identifier can be communicated, based on which the control unit can trigger the execution unit in a targeted manner.
• the identifier can also be a general name such that, for example, a human-readable source code is created.
• the communication nodes each have at least one input interface and at least one output interface.
• the communication nodes typically have three interfaces, which are present as coupled interfaces and can process both input signals and output signals. A more detailed description of the respective interfaces is given using the attached figures.
• the interfaces are generally used for data communication, whereby it is also advantageous to block individual interfaces.
• the at least one input interface and the at least one output interface can be explicitly blocked. This has the advantage that the implementation is efficient and interfaces can be blocked in such a way that further communication is not possible. In this way it is ensured that execution units which are not addressed do not have to be further taken into account in the communication. Typically only that partial chain is addressed which has the addressed execution unit. Such switching off of further sub-chains takes place by blocking interfaces.
• the at least one input interface and the at least one output interface can be blocked by the control unit and / or the respective communication node. This has the advantage that different protocols can be implemented and it can be decided both locally and centrally which interfaces are to be blocked.
• the at least one input interface and the at least one output interface can be blocked as a function of an identifier provided. This has the advantage that the identifier can be used to determine which execution unit should be addressed, and then only that partial chain is activated which the execution unit has. Thus the foregoing communication nodes become passive, i.e.
• the unique identifiers are transmitted sequentially to the control unit.
• those identifiers from the partial chain are transmitted to each communication node, which the communication node is connected upstream. This has the advantage that the communication node has information on all execution units in its partial chain. Each communication node thus knows the execution units that it is connected to.
• individual communication nodes are switched to passive in such a way that the communication chain otherwise continues.
• This has the advantage that individual communication nodes and thus partial chains can be hidden in the communication.
• communication is only carried out with that sub-chain that has the addressed execution unit.
• signals are transmitted through previous communication onnodes only unchanged, ie unprocessed, switched through or looped through.
• the partial chains segment the entirety of the execution units. This has the advantage that not all execution units have to be connected in series, but rather individual segments can be created and efficient logging takes place based on the processing of individual partial chains. Overall, the reliability is consequently increased, since if one execution unit fails, not all other execution units connected in series fail, but rather the execution units are segmented in such a way that only all other execution units within the segment fail.
• the object is also achieved by a communication node which is set up for use in the proposed method or in the proposed system arrangement.
• the object is also achieved by a system arrangement for controlling execution units, having a physical network of serial sub-chains of execution units, the individual sub-chains being serially addressable and set up in such a way that if one execution unit fails, only the other sub-chain fails follows, each sub-chain initially having exactly one communication node upstream and the communication nodes of the sub-chains are serially chained to one another in such a way that a communication chain of upstream communication nodes is present, with individual communication nodes being passively switchable in such a way that the communication chain otherwise continues, with the communication nodes at least one single have input interface and at least one output interface and the at least one input interface and the at least one output interface can be explicitly blocked,
• the object is also achieved by a computer program product with control commands which execute the method or operate the proposed system arrangement when the control commands are executed on a computer.
• the system arrangement provides structural features which functionally correspond to the method steps. Furthermore, method steps are proposed which can also be structurally simulated by the system arrangement with regard to the corresponding functionality. So the method is used to operate the system arrangement and the system arrangement can carry out the proposed method.
• FIG. 12 in a schematic flow diagram, an aspect of the method according to the invention for controlling execution units.
• Figure 1 shows a communication node ICN and shows in particular the corresponding interfaces.
• a communication node typically has a master interface unit MA PORT, which is shown above, a client interface unit CL_PORT, which is shown to the right, and a slave interface unit SL_PORT, which is shown below.
• the alignment of the communication node corresponds to the alignment as it is in the other Figures is shown.
• the communication chain is arranged vertically and the sub-chains horizontally.
• the communication node shown thus communicates upwards either with further communication nodes or with the control unit.
• To the right the communication node communicates with a first execution unit.
• the execution unit optionally communicates with other execution units.
• the communication node shown communicates downwards optionally with further communication nodes. However, the end of the communication chain can also be reached, so that no further communication node is connected.
• Figure 2 shows a state transition diagram and shows in particular two states Weil above and below.
• the top left state is the state in which the network is not initialized.
• the arrows within the individual states show a direction of communication that is implied here.
• a control command or a command is transmitted from the control unit to the top to the right in the partial chains.
• the values are ultimately returned upwards, so that the identifiers are known in the control unit.
• the individual execution units communicate via the communication node.
• the upper arrow signals that write operations and read operations can be carried out iteratively, since ultimately all execution units are known.
• the initialization takes place in such a way that a request is sent to the individual components. Furthermore, there is a wait for a so-called ping, i.e. a request message, on the bottom left. If a component is requested, it responds back and if a time window is exceeded, a so-called timeout occurs. This means that all components can be queried iteratively.
• the bottom right-hand side shows that the vertical chain is to be read out until all communication nodes return the IDs that have been collected.
• FIG. 3 shows the physical network, the control unit being present as a microcontroller, which is shown above in the present case.
• the communication nodes ICN are on the left.
• ICN stands for ISELED Communication Network (registered trademark).
• the communication nodes are thus arranged vertically and the execution units are arranged horizontally.
• an execution unit is a light-emitting diode or a sensor.
• an execution unit can also be present as a switch.
• FIG. 3 uses the individual numbers to clarify how the identifiers are initialized.
• An identifier 1 is assigned to the first communication node and an identifier 2 is then assigned to the second communication node.
• the connected partial chain is then provided with identifiers in such a way that the first light-emitting diode receives an identifier 3, the second light-emitting diode receives an identifier 4 and the third light-emitting diode receives an identifier 5.
• These identifiers are then returned to the communication node 2.
• identifiers are assigned in the next partial chain, which is shown below it.
• the upstream communication node receives the identifier 6 and a sensor connected to it receives the identifier 7.
• This identifier is then returned and passed on to the control unit via the communication nodes 6, 2 and 1. This is followed by a further assignment of identifiers, so that the next partial chain with a Communication node 8 begins, to which a switch 9 is coupled, as well as a sensor 10 and a light-emitting diode 11.
• components relate to exemplary components.
• the switch 9 can be present as a switch, an actuator, an interrupter and / or a scanner.
• the arrow from components 9, 10 and 11 to ICN 8 can be implemented by means of an interruptor, or at least one interruptor can be used for communication.
• Arrows can always be understood as bidirectional, even if this is not shown, since the direction of communication can be inverted in the case of a communication or at least one further communication .
• FIG. 4 shows a so-called ping process, with a corresponding message being transmitted to the respective upper interface unit of the communication node. These messages are then transmitted to the partial chain and in turn returned by the partial chain to the communication node. This is then passed on to the communication node below, which then checks its partial chain again. Ultimately, the result is passed on to the control unit from bottom to top.
• o STATE "initialized"
• FIG. 5 shows a further course of the process and uses the arrows to illustrate the communication process.
• this waiting for a response is made clear and in particular error handling is shown.
• o STATE "wait for ping"
• FIG. 7 shows a registration being read out, a command being received from above in the respective communication node and then forwarded downwards and to the right. If an answer comes from the right, it is forwarded to the top and an answer from the bottom is also forwarded to the top.
• o STATE "initialized"
• FIG. 8 shows the communication chain, that is to say the individual communication nodes, being read out.
• the state of the network is initialized, although it is also possible that not all control units have yet been initialized and consequently one has to wait until the initialization process has been completed.
• FIG. 11 shows the further course of the interruption process and shows in particular that the interruption is ultimately canceled.
• o STATE "initialized"
• FIG. 12 shows a method for controlling execution units, having a provision 100 of a physical network made up of serial sub-chains of execution units, the individual sub-chains being addressed serially and, if one execution unit fails, only the further sub-chain fails, with each
• the partial chain initially has exactly one communication node ICN upstream and the communication nodes ICN of the partial chains are serially chained to one another in such a way that a communication chain of upstream communication nodes ICN is present, with one individual communication nodes ICN are switched passively in such a way that the communication chain otherwise continues, the communication nodes ICN each having at least one input interface and at least one output interface and the at least one input interface and the at least one output interface can be explicitly blocked, a sequential checking 101 each of the sub-chains by means of a request to the respective upstream communication node ICN of the sub-chains, which assigns a unique identifier 102 to each execution unit of the sub-chain, such that a unique identifier is assigned to each

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• 2019
  • 2019-03-25 DE DE102019002119.3A patent/DE102019002119B4/de active Active
• 2020
  • 2020-02-05 CA CA3125682A patent/CA3125682A1/en active Pending
  • 2020-02-05 JP JP2021552208A patent/JP7212413B2/ja active Active
  • 2020-02-05 SG SG11202107366Q patent/SG11202107366QA/en unknown
  • 2020-02-05 CN CN202080011123.9A patent/CN113348649B/zh active Active
  • 2020-02-05 KR KR1020217023012A patent/KR102365232B1/ko active IP Right Grant
  • 2020-02-05 WO PCT/EP2020/025052 patent/WO2020192962A1/de unknown
  • 2020-02-05 EP EP20706379.3A patent/EP3891940A1/de active Pending
• 2021
  • 2021-09-20 US US17/479,443 patent/US11556439B2/en active Active
• 2022
  • 2022-11-22 US US17/992,517 patent/US11874750B2/en active Active

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