EP4623552A1 - A method and an arrangement for transporting ip packets over spi - Google Patents

A method and an arrangement for transporting ip packets over spi

Info

Publication number
EP4623552A1
EP4623552A1 EP23809635.8A EP23809635A EP4623552A1 EP 4623552 A1 EP4623552 A1 EP 4623552A1 EP 23809635 A EP23809635 A EP 23809635A EP 4623552 A1 EP4623552 A1 EP 4623552A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
spi
ethernet
driver
frames
interface
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP23809635.8A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Bogdan Claudiu Rus
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aumovio Germany GmbH
Original Assignee
Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH filed Critical Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
Publication of EP4623552A1 publication Critical patent/EP4623552A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • 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]
    • H04L12/46—Interconnection of networks
    • H04L12/4641—Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN]
    • H04L12/4645—Details on frame tagging
    • 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
    • H04L2012/40267—Bus for use in transportation systems
    • H04L2012/40273—Bus for use in transportation systems the transportation system being a vehicle

Definitions

  • a synchronous serial communication interface bus such as a Serial Peripheral Interface or SPI bus
  • SPI Serial Peripheral Interface
  • a synchronous serial communication interface bus is typically used with a very thin software layer on top, that provides little functionality.
  • many frameworks have been designed to add functionality like framing, custom application headers or even things like custom flow control, custom error handling.
  • these frameworks being custom made, are not portable or reusable to other projects. These vary from lightweight to convoluted ones that cover more layers in OSI model (Open Systems Interconnection model).
  • ethernet frames that have a predetermined ID header (being VLAN ID or connection ID) will be transported from the first to the second peer.
  • An advantage of this may that it may increase the data security in the network, e.g. it would be harder to attack one of the peer devices.
  • the ethernet frames are transported over the SPI connection without changing the ethernet frames. Since the ethernet frames are not changed, the requirements for processing power are limited.
  • the adaptation code in the second peer device is arranged for (i) receiving the ethernet frames, (ii) for validating a CRC (cyclic redundancy check), (iii) adding source/destination MAC addresses and/or (iv) pushing the frames to the TCP/IP for decapsulation.
  • CRC cyclic redundancy check
  • a single mac address is shared between the first and second peer device, such that the first and second peer devices are exposed together as a single device to other entities in the network connected to the first peer device using the ethernet interface.
  • each of the first and second peer device may comprise a microcontroller unit (MCU) or a central processing unit (CPU) and are optionally part of an ECU (electronic control unit) of a vehicle.
  • MCU microcontroller unit
  • CPU central processing unit
  • ECU electronic control unit
  • a MH (Media-Independent Interface) status register structure is flagged as fully up and indicates full duplex with speed closest to said SPI connection.
  • an arrangement for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI comprising:
  • the first SPI driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the second SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header,
  • the second SPI driver is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface and for sending of the ethernet frames to the second virtual ethernet driver
  • the second virtual ethernet driver is arranged for pushing the ethernet frames to the TCP/IP layer for decapsulation, wherein - the second virtual ethernet driver is arranged for receiving ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets and for sending of the ethernet frames to the second SPI driver;
  • the second SPI driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the first SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header,
  • the first SPI driver is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface and sending the ethernet frames to the first virtual ethernet driver
  • the first virtual ethernet driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames over the ethernet interface.
  • said first and second peer device are each one of a group comprising an MCU and a CPU.
  • a vehicle comprising an arrangement as described in this document.
  • a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of any embodiment of the method as described in this document.
  • a computer-readable medium is provided having stored thereon said computer program.
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic overview of an arrangement of a first and second peer device for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI according to one or more embodiments of the invention
  • Figure 2 shows a schematic overview of a method for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI according to one or more embodiments of the invention
  • Figure 3 shows a vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the invention.
  • Figure 4 shows a model of a deployment of the invention according to one or more embodiments of the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic overview of an arrangement 100 of a first peer device 110 and second peer device 120 for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI according to one or more embodiments of the invention.
  • First peer device 110 has an ethernet interface 130 and a first SPI-interface 120. Frist peer device 110 further comprises a first virtual ethernet driver 140 and a first SPI driver 150. Second peer device 160 has a second SPI interface 170 and comprises a second virtual ethernet driver 180 and a second SPI driver 190. First SPI interface 120 and second SPI interface 170 are connected via SPI connection 125. Ethernet interface 130 is connected with external devices or network entities via ethernet connection 135.
  • First virtual ethernet driver 140 is arranged for receiving ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets over the ethernet interface 130 and for analyzing of an IEEE 802.1q VLAN header of the ethernet frames.
  • first virtual ethernet driver 140 is arranged for sending of the ethernet frames to the first SPI driver 150.
  • Second SPI driver 190 is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface 170 over SPI connection 125 in SPI frames to first SPI interface 120, again without changing the ethernet frames.
  • the SPI frame size equals again the size of the ethernet MTU plus an SPI header.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Small-Scale Networks (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)

Abstract

A method and an arrangement for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI is provided. A first virtual ethernet driver is arranged for receiving ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets an ethernet interface and for sending of the ethernet frames to a first SPI driver. The first SPI driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the second SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header. The second SPI driver is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface and for sending of the ethernet frames to the second virtual ethernet driver, which is arranged for pushing the ethernet frames to the TCP/IP layer for decapsulation.

Description

A METHOD AND AN ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSPORTING IP PACKETS OVER SPI
BACKGROUND
A synchronous serial communication interface bus, such as a Serial Peripheral Interface or SPI bus, is typically used with a very thin software layer on top, that provides little functionality. To overcome this, many frameworks have been designed to add functionality like framing, custom application headers or even things like custom flow control, custom error handling. However, these frameworks, being custom made, are not portable or reusable to other projects. These vary from lightweight to convoluted ones that cover more layers in OSI model (Open Systems Interconnection model).
When SPI is used in a complex project, complexity of the project translates in complexity of the networking layer. Features like flow control, traffic prioritization, forwarding traffic from one network over SPI, complex error handling, QoS become mandatory especially in use cases with combining non-real-time with real-time, high performance with low performance CPU/MCUs. Redesigning a complete, complex communication stack is usually time consuming, error prone and very costly.
Mixing an ethernet infrastructure with an SPI physical layer yields a very good compromise of low-cost low-level SPI infrastructure (datagram, no reliability, no flow control, no prioritization) with complex Ethernet and IP stacks. Therefore, there is a need for a cost-effective integration of IP stack over SPI physical layer, in a peer-to-peer communication. The objective of the invention is to provide a method and an IP adapter for transporting IP packets over SPI.
SUMMARY
The objective of the invention is met by method according to claim 1 and an arrangement according to claim 8. According to a first aspect, a method for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI is provided, the method comprising of the steps of: providing a first and second peer device, the first peer device having an ethernet interface and a first S Pl-interface and the second peer device having a second SPI interface, wherein the first SPI interface and the second SPI interface are connected via an SPI connection; wherein the first peer device comprises a first virtual ethernet driver and a first SPI driver and the second peer device comprises a second virtual ethernet driver and a second SPI driver, in a first transport direction:
- receiving, by the first virtual ethernet driver, ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets over the ethernet interface;
- analyzing, by the first virtual ethernet driver, an IEEE 802.1 q VLAN header of the ethernet frames and, when VLAN ID or connection ID in the header of the ethernet frames corresponds to a predetermined ID, sending of the ethernet frames to the first SPI driver,
- transferring, by the first SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the second SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header,
- receiving, by the second SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface and sending of the ethernet frames to the second virtual ethernet driver, and,
- pushing, by the second virtual ethernet driver, the ethernet frames to the TCP/IP layer for decapsulation; in a second transport direction: receiving, by the second virtual ethernet driver, ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets and sending of the ethernet frames to the second SPI driver; transferring, by the second SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the first SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header receiving, by the first SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface and sending the ethernet frames to the first virtual ethernet driver, and, transferring, by the first virtual ethernet driver, the ethernet frames over the ethernet interface.
The first and second peer devices are two entities in a communication network, that are connected to each other over an SPI connection. The first peer device is also connected to another entity in a communication network. Each peer device may be a microcontroller unit (MCU) or a central processing unit (CPU). In one or more embodiments, each peer device may be part of an ECU (electronic control unit) of a vehicle.
According to the invention only ethernet frames that have a predetermined ID header (being VLAN ID or connection ID) will be transported from the first to the second peer. An advantage of this may that it may increase the data security in the network, e.g. it would be harder to attack one of the peer devices.
According to the invention, the ethernet frames are transported over the SPI connection without changing the ethernet frames. Since the ethernet frames are not changed, the requirements for processing power are limited.
In one or more embodiments, the first and second virtual ethernet driver each comprise adaptation code arranged for exposing a virtual ethernet device to a networking stack of operating systems on the first and second peer device, based on the SPI connection. An advantage of this embodiment may be that the SPI layer remains hidden for the higher OSI layers.
In one or more embodiments, the method comprises the step of switching, by the first virtual ethernet driver, a specific VLAN ID or connection-ID in order to provide a network interface card to the second peer device.
In one or more embodiments, the adaptation code in the first peer device is arranged for (i) receiving SYN packets generated by an API using an ARP table, (ii) preparing the ethernet frames and/or (iii) sending the ethernet frames over the SPI connection.
In one or more embodiments, the adaptation code in the second peer device is arranged for (i) receiving the ethernet frames, (ii) for validating a CRC (cyclic redundancy check), (iii) adding source/destination MAC addresses and/or (iv) pushing the frames to the TCP/IP for decapsulation.
In one or more embodiments, a single mac address is shared between the first and second peer device, such that the first and second peer devices are exposed together as a single device to other entities in the network connected to the first peer device using the ethernet interface.
In one or more embodiments, each of the first and second peer device may comprise a microcontroller unit (MCU) or a central processing unit (CPU) and are optionally part of an ECU (electronic control unit) of a vehicle.
In one or more embodiments, a source and a destination ethernet MAC (Media Access Control) address are hardcoded in the driver of the ethernet interface. In that case the MAC addresses need not to be transported over the SPI connection.
In one or more embodiments, a MH (Media-Independent Interface) status register structure is flagged as fully up and indicates full duplex with speed closest to said SPI connection. An advantage of this method is that it provides for reliability, flow control, and connection management for streaming data. Furthermore, it may provide an efficient use of memory and an integration with existing operating systems and frameworks.
According to second aspect an arrangement for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI is provided, where the arrangement comprises:
- a first peer device having an ethernet interface and a first SPI-interface, wherein the first peer device comprises a first virtual ethernet driver and a first SPI driver.
- a second peer device having a second SPI interface, wherein the second peer device comprises a second virtual ethernet driver and a second SPI driver, wherein the first SPI interface and the second SPI interface are connected via an SPI connection; wherein
- the first virtual ethernet driver is arranged for receiving ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets over the ethernet interface and for analyzing of an IEEE 802.1 q VLAN header of the ethernet frames and, when VLAN ID or connection ID in the header of the ethernet frames corresponds to a predetermined ID, for sending of the ethernet frames to the first SPI driver,
- the first SPI driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the second SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header,
- the second SPI driver is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface and for sending of the ethernet frames to the second virtual ethernet driver,
- the second virtual ethernet driver is arranged for pushing the ethernet frames to the TCP/IP layer for decapsulation, wherein - the second virtual ethernet driver is arranged for receiving ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets and for sending of the ethernet frames to the second SPI driver;
- the second SPI driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the first SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header,
- the first SPI driver is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface and sending the ethernet frames to the first virtual ethernet driver,
- the first virtual ethernet driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames over the ethernet interface.
In one or more embodiments, said first and second peer device are each one of a group comprising an MCU and a CPU.
According to a third aspect, a vehicle is provided, comprising an arrangement as described in this document. According to a fourth aspect, a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of any embodiment of the method as described in this document. Also, a computer-readable medium is provided having stored thereon said computer program.
The working, advantages and embodiments of the arrangement and the vehicle as well as the working, advantages, and embodiments of the computer program and computer-readable medium, correspond with the working, advantages and embodiments of the method as described in this document, mutatis mutandis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference in the following description is made to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a schematic overview of an arrangement of a first and second peer device for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI according to one or more embodiments of the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic overview of a method for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI according to one or more embodiments of the invention;
Figure 3 shows a vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the invention; and,
Figure 4 shows a model of a deployment of the invention according to one or more embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 shows a schematic overview of an arrangement 100 of a first peer device 110 and second peer device 120 for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI according to one or more embodiments of the invention.
First peer device 110 has an ethernet interface 130 and a first SPI-interface 120. Frist peer device 110 further comprises a first virtual ethernet driver 140 and a first SPI driver 150. Second peer device 160 has a second SPI interface 170 and comprises a second virtual ethernet driver 180 and a second SPI driver 190. First SPI interface 120 and second SPI interface 170 are connected via SPI connection 125. Ethernet interface 130 is connected with external devices or network entities via ethernet connection 135.
In one or more embodiments, a source and a destination ethernet MAC address are hardcoded in virtual ethernet driver 140. In one or more embodiments, a single mac address is shared between first peer device 110 and second peer device 160, such that first peer device 110 and second peer device 160 are exposed together as a single device to other network entities that are connected to the first peer device 110 via ethernet connection 135.
When ethernet frames are transported from the first peer device 110 to the second peer device 160 the following applies:
First virtual ethernet driver 140 is arranged for receiving ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets over the ethernet interface 130 and for analyzing of an IEEE 802.1q VLAN header of the ethernet frames. When a VLAN ID or connection ID in the header of the ethernet frames corresponds to a predetermined ID, first virtual ethernet driver 140 is arranged for sending of the ethernet frames to the first SPI driver 150.
First SPI driver 150 is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from first SPI interface 120 over SPI connection 125 in SPI frames to second SPI interface 170 without changing the ethernet frames. In this, a SPI frame size of a SPI frame comprising the ethernet frame is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header.
Second SPI driver 190 is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface 170 and for sending the ethernet frames to the second virtual ethernet driver 180. Second virtual ethernet driver 180 is arranged for pushing the ethernet frames to a TCP/IP layer for decapsulation. The decapsulated IP packets may be processed by applications run on the second peer device 160.
When ethernet frames are transported from the second peer device 160 to the first peer device 110 the following applies:
Second virtual ethernet driver 180 is arranged for receiving ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets from the TCP/IP layer and for sending of the ethernet frames to the second SPI driver 190.
Second SPI driver 190 is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface 170 over SPI connection 125 in SPI frames to first SPI interface 120, again without changing the ethernet frames. The SPI frame size equals again the size of the ethernet MTU plus an SPI header.
First SPI driver 150 is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface 120 and for sending the ethernet frames to the first virtual ethernet driver 140. In turn, first virtual ethernet driver 140 is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames over the ethernet interface 130 using ethernet connection 135 to other entities in the network. In one or more embodiments, the ethernet interface 130 comprises a MH status register structure 133 in which the connection is flagged as fully up and full duplex status is set with a transmission speed closest to said SPI connection. Example of this ethernet speed are 10 Mb/s and 100 Mb/s.
In one or more embodiments, a conversion of ethernet frames and control information into SPI frames in the first peer device 110 is executed by AUTOSAR routines, and a conversion of the received SPI frames into ethernet frames and control information in the second peer device 160 is executed by Linux routines.
In one or more embodiments, first virtual ethernet driver 140 is arranged for replying to power-down and reset requests from other entities that communicate over ethernet connection 135 with the first peer device 110.
In one or more embodiments, first virtual ethernet driver 140 is arranged for switching of a specific VLAN ID or connection-ID in order to provide a network interface card to network device connected to the first peer device 110 over ethernet connection 135.
In one or more embodiments, first peer device 110 comprises adaptation code which enables first peer device 110 for being arranged for (i) receiving SYN packets generated by an API using an ARP table, (ii) preparing the ethernet frames and/or (iii) sending the ethernet frames over the SPI connection.
In one or more embodiments, second peer device 160 comprises adaptation code which enables second peer device 110 for being arranged for (i) receiving the ethernet frames, (ii) for validating the CRC, (iii) adding source/destination MAC addresses and/or (iv) pushing the frames to the TCP/IP for decapsulation.
In one or more embodiments, each of the first and second peer device may comprise a microcontroller unit (MCU) or a central processing unit (CPU) and may optionally be part of an ECU (electronic control unit) of a vehicle. Figure 2 shows a schematic overview of a method for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI according to one or more embodiments of the invention.
The method 200 of figure 2 comprises the following steps:
Step 210: providing a first and second peer device, the first peer device having an ethernet interface and a first SPI-interface and the second peer device having a second SPI interface, wherein the first SPI interface and the second SPI interface are connected via an SPI connection; wherein the first peer device comprises a first virtual ethernet driver and a first SPI driver and the second peer device comprises a second virtual ethernet driver and a second SPI driver,
In a first transport direction from the first peer device 110 to the second peer device 160 the following applies:
Step 220: receiving, by the first virtual ethernet driver, ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets over the ethernet interface;
Step 225: analyzing, by the first virtual ethernet driver, an IEEE 802.1 q VLAN header of the ethernet frames and, when VLAN ID or connection ID in the header of the ethernet frames corresponds to a predetermined ID, sending of the ethernet frames to the first SPI driver,
Step 230: transferring, by the first SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the second SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header, Step 235: receiving, by the second SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface, and sending the ethernet frames to the second virtual ethernet driver, and,
Step 240: pushing, by the second virtual ethernet driver, the ethernet frames to the TCP/IP layer for decapsulation.
In a second transport direction from the second peer device 160 to the first peer device 110 the following applies:
Step 250: receiving, by the second virtual ethernet driver, ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets and sending the ethernet frames to the second SPI driver;
Step 255: transferring, by the second SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the first SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header;
Step 260: receiving, by the first SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface and sending the ethernet frames to the first virtual ethernet driver, and,
Step 265: transferring, by the first virtual ethernet driver, the ethernet frames over the ethernet interface.
Figure 3 shows a vehicle 300 according to one or more embodiments of the invention. Vehicle 300 comprises arrangement 100 with first peer device 120 and second peer device 160 as described in this embodiment.
A computer program may be provided comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of one or more embodiments of the method as described in this document. A computer-readable medium may be provided, having stored thereon this computer program. Figure 4 shows a model of a deployment of the invention according to one or more embodiments of the invention. In figure 4, a first system node 410 is connected over a wireless or cellular connection 470 with the cloud I internet 430 and over an ethernet connection 460 with a second system node 420.
Second system node 420 comprises a CPU 425. First system node 410 comprises a CPU 415, a first MCU 411 , a second MCU 412 and a third MCU 413. The second MCU 412 and the third MCU 413 are directly connected to the CPU 415 over a respective SPI connection 450, over which ethernet frames are transferred. The first MCU 411 is indirectly connection to the CPU 415, using the second MCU 412, to which MCU 411 is connection over a respective SPI connection 450, over which ethernet frames are transferred.
In general, an MCU is a generic Micro Controller Unit. An MCU may be used to connect to the vehicle network, run some peripherals, while a CPU may be used to run most of the software features and also backend connectivity. An MCU may be comprised in a sensor, a CAN/LIN/ethernet vehicle network connectivity device, a watchdog, a power master, or peripherals like buttons, LEDs, etc.
Figure 4 shows how to interconnect nodes with heterogeneous physical layers with the specific focus on retaining IP capabilities but extending the network with inexpensive, general interconnect physical layers. According to the invention low-cost microcontrollers (such as MCUs 411 , 412 and 413) are enabled to generate/consume IP (and ethernet traffic) without having an ethernet IEEE 802.3 MAC layer. Without the ethernet MAC and thus without an ethernet switch, it is easier to scale more microcontroller classes in the system design.
These microcontrollers will be cheaper and consume less power compared to fill fledged MAC switches. It will allow scalability to low/very low bitrates and a reduced number of IO lines (general purpose interconnects like UART (Universal Async Receiver/Transmitter), or SPI, have fewer physical lines compared to 802.3 MACs). Furthermore, it allows scalability to multiple parallel networks with physical separation between them which increases the system security. Other advantages are that ethernet/SPI based ethernet networks can co-exist through a single linux and autosar ethernet stack, in which between multiple networks, ethernet or ethernet of SPI through a network software stack can be switched.
According to the invention, existing network software stacks (linux, autosar) are used and integrated with customized drivers to manage the transport of ethernet frames (ingress/egress) over SPI. Effectively, the SPI physical layer with some adaption code becomes an ethernet MAC from the perspective of the network stack.
The SPI higher level protocol and adaptation code enable the following:
- transfer of ethernet MTUs, (thereby changing from a serial to packet orientation)
- basic link management; and, optionally,
- the usage of a checksum equivalent to FCS to support transmission over a noisy and/or long SPI line.
In one or more embodiments, switching of ethernet frames can be implemented in the software of an MCU. For example, in Figure 4, second MCU 412 may be arranged for switching the frames from first MCU 41 1 to CPU 415.
In one or more embodiments, transferring ethernet frames over an SPI connection is done in microcontrollers or CPUs with the use of DMA, wherein the transfer may be implemented as bidirectional fixed size transfer.
In order to obtain an SPI protocol which enables bidirectional transfer of fixed payload from an MCU to a CPU, MCU to MCU or CPU to CPU, the communication protocol may be extended with the following features: at least an SPI high level protocol header, which may be integrated as a header to each fixed size transfer or as a standalone on demand transfer, a protocol header comprising a link up bit (bidirectional) and, optionally, an ethernet frame checksum; and, a protocol footer checksum. In these cases, the SPI payload to be transferred is the protocol header (as described above) + actual ethernet frame + protocol footer checksum.
SPI high level drivers may be arranged for managing the ethernet frames MAC addresses, especially if switching of the frames is required. The ethernet header preamble, the start of frame delimiter, and the interframe gap may no longer be needed in an SPI based ethernet frame transfer and may there be replaced by the low-level SPI protocol. The functions CRC/FCS may be implemented in the software, when for example hardware acceleration support is available. The remainder of the ethernet frame may then be transferred.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, device, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a "unit", "module", "system", “device” or "element".
Functions or steps described in this document may be implemented as an algorithm executed by a microprocessor of a computer. Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied, e.g., stored, thereon.
It is to be understood that the above description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1 . Method for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI, comprises of the steps of: providing a first and second peer device, the first peer device having an ethernet interface and a first S Pl-interface and the second peer device having a second SPI interface, wherein the first SPI interface and the second SPI interface are connected via an SPI connection; wherein the first peer device comprises a first virtual ethernet driver and a first SPI driver and the second peer device comprises a second virtual ethernet driver and a second SPI driver, in a first transport direction:
- receiving, by the first virtual ethernet driver, ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets over the ethernet interface;
- analyzing, by the first virtual ethernet driver, an IEEE 802.1 q VLAN header of the ethernet frames and, when VLAN ID or connection ID in the header of the ethernet frames corresponds to a predetermined ID, sending the ethernet frames to the first SPI driver,
- transferring, by the first SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the second SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header
- receiving, by the second SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface, and sending the ethernet frames to the second virtual ethernet driver, and,
- pushing, by the second virtual ethernet driver, the ethernet frames to the TCP/IP layer for decapsulation; in a second transport direction: receiving, by the second virtual ethernet driver, ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets and sending the ethernet frames to the second SPI driver; transferring, by the second SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the first SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header receiving, by the first SPI driver, the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface and sending the ethernet frames to the first virtual ethernet driver, and, transferring, by the first virtual ethernet driver, the ethernet frames over the ethernet interface
2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second virtual ethernet driver each comprise adaptation code arranged for exposing a virtual ethernet device to a networking stack of operating systems on the first and second peer device, based on the SPI connection.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising the step of
- switching, by the first virtual ethernet driver, a specific VLAN ID or connection-ID in order to provide a network interface card to the second peer device.
4. Method according to any of claims 1 -3, wherein adaptation code in the first peer device is arranged for (i) receiving SYN packets generated by an API using an ARP table, (ii) preparing the ethernet frames and/or (iii) sending the ethernet frames over the SPI connection.
5. Method according to claim 4, wherein adaptation code in the second peer device is arranged for (i) receiving the ethernet frames, (ii) for validating a CRC, (iii) adding source/destination MAC addresses and/or (iv) pushing the frames to the TCP/IP for decapsulation
6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a single mac address is shared between the first and second peer device and the first and second peer device are exposed together as a single device.
7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the first and second peer device may comprise a microcontroller unit, MCU, or a central processing unit, CPU, and are optionally part of an ECU, electronic control unit of a vehicle.
8. An arrangement for bidirectionally transporting ethernet frames with IP packets over SPI, comprising:
- a first peer device having an ethernet interface and a first SPI-interface, wherein the first peer device comprises a first virtual ethernet driver and a first SPI driver.
- a second peer device having a second SPI interface, wherein the second peer device comprises a second virtual ethernet driver and a second SPI driver, wherein the first SPI interface and the second SPI interface are connected via an SPI connection; wherein
- the first virtual ethernet driver is arranged for receiving, the ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets over the ethernet interface and for analyzing of an IEEE 802.1 q VLAN header of the ethernet frames and, when VLAN ID or connection ID in the header of the ethernet frames corresponds to a predetermined ID, for sending of the ethernet frames to the first SPI driver,
- the first SPI driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the second SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header,
- the second SPI driver is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface and for sending of the ethernet frames to the second virtual ethernet driver,
- the second virtual ethernet driver is arranged for pushing the ethernet frames to the TCP/IP layer for decapsulation, wherein
- the second virtual ethernet driver is arranged for receiving ethernet frames comprising encapsulated IP packets and for sending of the ethernet frames to the second SPI driver;
- the second SPI driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames from the second SPI interface over the SPI connection in SPI frames to the first SPI interface without changing the ethernet frames, wherein a SPI frame size is an ethernet MTU plus an SPI header,
- the first SPI driver is arranged for receiving the ethernet frames from the first SPI interface and sending the ethernet frames to the first virtual ethernet driver,
- the first virtual ethernet driver is arranged for transferring the ethernet frames over the ethernet interface.
9. Arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said first and second peer device are each one of a group comprising an MCU and a CPU.
10. A vehicle comprising an arrangement according to claims 8 or 9.
11. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the method of any of claims 1 -7.
12. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon the computer program of claim 11.
EP23809635.8A 2022-11-22 2023-11-22 A method and an arrangement for transporting ip packets over spi Pending EP4623552A1 (en)

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PCT/EP2023/082727 WO2024110545A1 (en) 2022-11-22 2023-11-22 A method and an arrangement for transporting ip packets over spi

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KR101206894B1 (en) * 2009-11-24 2012-11-30 한국전자통신연구원 Method and apparatus for transmission and conversion of ethernet-can frame
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