FR3064866A1 - MANAGEMENT DEVICE FOR MANAGING AN ETHERNET / IP NETWORK VIA AN ETHERNET BODY - Google Patents

Abstract

A management device (DG) equips an Ethernet device (O1) of an Ethernet / IP type communication network (TCP) structured in layers of the TCP / IP model. This device (DG) uses in the application layer a management protocol for transmitting to the transport layer of the Ethernet device (01) a management data frame comprising a message generated by a service provided by the Ethernet device. (O1) and intended for another Ethernet element (O2), having a type and preceded by a header comprising first, second and third fields respectively identifying this service, this type and the length of the management data frame, and for transmitting to a service of the application layer of the Ethernet element (O1) a message generated by another Ethernet element (O3), having a type and preceded by a second field identifying this type.

Description

Holder (s): PEUGEOT CITROEN AUTOMOBILES SA Société anonyme.

Extension request (s)

Agent (s): PEUGEOT CITROEN AUTOMOBILES SA Public limited company.

ÇO42 MANAGEMENT DEVICE FOR MANAGING AN ETHERNET / IP NETWORK VIA AN ETHERNET BODY.

FR 3 064 866 - A1 _ A management device (DG) equips an Ethernet unit (01) of a communication network (RC) of Ethernet / IP type and structured in layers of the TCP / IP model. This device (DG) uses a management protocol in the application layer to transmit to the transport layer of the Ethernet unit (01) a management data frame comprising a message generated by a service provided by the Ethernet unit. (01) and intended for another Ethernet unit (02), having a type and preceded by a header comprising first, second and third fields identifying respectively this service, this type and the length of the management data frame, and for transmitting to a service of the application layer of the Ethernet unit (01) a message generated by another Ethernet unit (03), having a type and preceded by a second field identifying this type.

DG

i

MANAGEMENT DEVICE FOR MANAGING AN ETHERNET / IP NETWORK VIA AN ETHERNET BODY

The invention relates to type communication networks

Ethernet / IP ("Internet Protocol") and structured in layers of the TCP / IP ("Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol") model, and more precisely the management of such networks via Ethernet bodies (or nodes) that they understand.

îo As one skilled in the art knows, the layered structure of the model

TCP / IP includes a first network access layer using the MAC 802.3 protocol, a second network layer using the IP, ARP, ICMP and IGMP protocols, a third transport layer using the TCP and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) protocols ”), And a fourth i5 application layer allowing services provided by Ethernet bodies (or nodes) to access their communication network.

The protocols used in the application layer depend essentially on the services which are offered by the Ethernet bodies (or nodes). For example, an audio and / or video service may require a

0 protocol of the RTP family or a protocol such as AVB or TSN, a man / machine interface service (or HMI) and a control command service may require a protocol such as HTTP (HTML5) or MQTT or even SOME / IP, a synchronization service may require a protocol such as NTP or PTP or even 802.1 AS, a connection service may require a protocol such as Telnet or SSH, a file transfer service may require a protocol such as FTP or TFTP, an email service may require a protocol such as IMAP or POP3 or even SMTP, and a system service may require a protocol such as DNS or DHCP or SNMP or even DolP.

0 In some systems including a (communication) network

Ethernet / IP, like for example certain vehicles, services need to carry out certain management functions, like for example piloting the different phases of network life, supervising the Ethernet organs (or nodes) to determine their state of connection to the network, test the different protocols used in the protocol stack of the TCP / IP model, and perform generic functional services (such as ensuring a message gateway between different network technologies).

To achieve all these management functions, it would be necessary to implement the same management protocol in all the Ethernet organs (or nodes) of the network. For this purpose, one could use the SOME / IP protocol or the MQTT protocol of the application layer. However, these protocols are not systematically implemented in all Ethernet organs (or nodes) because they do not have the same functional needs because of their great diversity, particularly in terms of insured services. In addition, these protocols are difficult to implement in all Ethernet organs (or nodes) because their weight (in terms of bytes of their data frames) and complexity are high due to the high number of functions they manage.

The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation.

To this end, it proposes in particular a management device intended to equip an Ethernet device to be coupled to a communication network of the Ethernet / IP type, suitable for the bidirectional transmission of data frames between Ethernet devices and structured in layers of a TCP / IP model, including a transport layer and an application layer placed above the transport layer and allowing services provided by the Ethernet members to access the communication network.

This management device is characterized by the fact that it uses a management protocol in the application layer for:

- transmit to the transport layer of its Ethernet device a so-called management data frame and comprising a message having been generated by a service provided by this Ethernet device and intended for at least one other Ethernet device, having a type and preceded by a header comprising first, second and third fields identifying respectively this service, this type and a length of the management data frame, and

- transmit to a service of the application layer of its Ethernet unit a message having been generated by another Ethernet unit, having a type and preceded by a second field identifying this type.

Thanks to the invention, each network management function can now be managed by each of the Ethernet organs (or nodes), and can even be distributed among several Ethernet organs.

The management device according to the invention may include other characteristics which can be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

- it can use the management protocol in the application layer to transmit to the transport layer of its Ethernet device a concatenated frame comprising at least two management data frames each comprising a message having been generated by a service provided by its Ethernet device, intended for at least one and the same other Ethernet device, placed one after the other, and encapsulated between a UDP header of a UDP protocol of the transport layer and a checksum field of a d layer 'access to the TCP / IP model network;

- The first field of the management protocol can, for example, include two bytes;

- the third field of the management protocol can, for example, include two bytes;

- the third field of the management protocol can, for example, include a number of bytes between three and five;

- each service can, for example, be chosen from piloting the life phase (s) of the communication network, supervising at least one Ethernet device to determine a state of connection to the communication network, testing the at least one protocol used in a stack of protocols of the TCP / IP model, and an embodiment of at least one generic functional service.

The invention also provides an Ethernet device, on the one hand, intended to be coupled to a communication network of the Ethernet / IP type, suitable for the bidirectional transmission of data frames between Ethernet devices and structured in layers of a model. TCP / IP, and, on the other hand, comprising a management device of the type of that presented above.

The invention also proposes a communication network of the Ethernet / IP type, structured in layers of a TCP / IP model, and comprising at least two Ethernet bodies of the type presented above and suitable for exchanging frames of bidirectionally.

The invention also provides a vehicle, possibly of the automotive type, and comprising at least one communication network of the type presented above.

îo Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically and functionally illustrates a vehicle comprising an example of an Ethernet / IP communication network comprising four Ethernet bodies (or nodes) each equipped with a management device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a management data frame in accordance with the management protocol of the invention, and

- Figure 3 illustrates schematically an example of concatenated frame

0 comprising three frames of management data conforming to the management protocol of the invention and encapsulated.

The object of the invention is in particular to propose a management device

DG intended to equip an Ethernet unit Oj to be coupled to a RC communication network of Ethernet / IP type and structured in layers of the model

TCP / IP.

It is recalled that the layered structure of the TCP / IP model comprises a first network access layer using the MAC 802.3 protocol, a second network layer using the IP, ARP, ICMP and IGMP protocols, a third transport layer using TCP protocols and

0 UDP (User Datagram Protocol), and a fourth application layer allowing services provided by Ethernet Oj bodies (or nodes) to access the RC communication network. The protocols used in this application layer depend essentially on the services that are offered by the Ethernet Oj bodies (or nodes).

In what follows, it is considered, by way of nonlimiting example, that the RC communication network is intended to be installed in a motor vehicle V, such as for example a car. But the invention is not limited to this application. It relates in fact to any system, installation or apparatus which may comprise at least one Ethernet / IP communication network suitable for the bidirectional transmission of data frames between Ethernet bodies (or nodes). It therefore relates in particular to vehicles, whether land, sea (or river) or air, installations, possibly industrial, and buildings.

There is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1 a non-limiting example of an RC / Ethernet network (communication) of the Ethernet / IP type. In this example, the RC network comprises a bus to which four Ethernet organs (or nodes) 01 to 04 are connected (j = 1 to 4). However, the number of Ethernet Oj units can take any value greater than or equal to two (2).

The Ethernet Oj bodies (or nodes) can be of any type. For example, in the case of a car it could be a computer

0 (possibly multimedia), a smart antenna of an infotainment module, a device for merging acquired images, or a screen.

The invention proposes to equip each Ethernet Oj organ (or node) of the RC network with a DG management device using in the application layer a new management protocol allowing the transmission and reception of Ethernet / IP frames used (or generated) by any of the services provided by the various Ethernet Oj bodies (or nodes). These transmissions and receptions are intended to allow the realization of certain functions of management of the RC network, such as for example the piloting of the different life phases of the RC network, the supervision of organs (or

0 nodes) Ethernet Oj to determine their connection status to the RC network, testing the different protocols used in the protocol stack of the TCP / IP model, and providing generic functional services (such as ensuring a message gateway between different network technologies).

More specifically, the management device DG of an Ethernet organ Oj uses the new management protocol to transmit to the transport layer of this Ethernet organ Oj, on a dedicated management port, a data frame called management tg. The latter (tg) comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a message (or “payload” - useful data) which has been generated by a service provided by this Ethernet unit Oj and which is intended for at least one other Ethernet body Oj '(j' + j), having a type and preceded by a header etg comprising first C1, second C2 and third C3 fields îo respectively identifying this service, this type and the length of the management data frame tg.

It will be understood that the management device DG receives from the service of its Ethernet organ Oj the message and the type of this message, and generates the management data frame tg by adding to this message a header comprising the first field C1 identifying this service, the second field C2 identifying the type of the message, and the third field C3 defining the length of the management data frame tg.

In addition, the DG management device of an Ethernet Oj unit also uses the new management protocol to transmit to a service of

0 the application layer of this Ethernet body Oj a message (or payload) which was generated by another Ethernet body Oj ’(j’ + j), having a type and preceded by a second C2 field identifying this type.

It will be understood that this transmission takes place after extraction by the management device DG in a frame of management data tg, received from another Ethernet unit Oj 'and communicated by the transport layer via the dedicated management port, of its message. and of the second field C2 of its etg header, and determination of the service recipient of this message and identified by the first field C1 of its etg header.

Thus, each of the aforementioned RC network management functions can

0 be managed by each of the Ethernet Oj organs (or nodes), or can be distributed among several Ethernet Oj organs.

It will be noted that the management device DG can also use the management protocol in the application layer to transmit to the transport layer of its Ethernet organ Oj, via the dedicated management port, a concatenated frame te. The latter (te), which is generated by the management device DG, comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 3, at least two frames of management data tgk each comprising a message generated by a service provided by the Ethernet unit Oj, intended for at least one and the same other Ethernet unit Oj '(j' + j), placed one after the other, and encapsulated between a UDP header of the UDP protocol of the transport layer and a CRCmac checksum field of the first network access layer of the TCP / IP model.

ίο It is recalled that the checksum field (CRC or "CHECKSUM") is intended to allow an Ethernet device to verify that the frame it has received has not been altered during transmission.

In the example illustrated without limitation in FIG. 3, the concatenated frame te comprises three frames of management data tg1 to tg3 (k = 1 to 3). But it could include any number of tgk management data frames, as long as this number is greater than or equal to two (2).

For example, the first field C1 of the management protocol can comprise two bytes (or "bytes"). But he could understand only one

0 bytes or three bytes. This number of bytes is a function of the number of services provided by the various Ethernet Oj organs (or nodes) of the RC network.

Also for example, the second field C2 of the management protocol can comprise two bytes (or bytes). But it could include a single byte or three bytes. This number of bytes is a function of the number of message types used by the services provided by the various Ethernet Oj organs (or nodes) of the RC network, to perform the various management functions of the RC network.

It will be understood that the service here designates a function for managing the

0 RC network. Consequently, a service can, for example, be chosen from the piloting of the life phase (s) of the communication network RC, the supervision of at least one Ethernet member Oj, Oj 'to determine a state of connection to the network of RC communication, testing at least one protocol used in a protocol stack of the TCP / IP model, and carrying out at least one generic functional service (such as ensuring a message gateway between different network technologies).

The type of a message characterizes a message in a service. For example, one can have a wake-up frame for the service for controlling the life phases of the RC communication network, or a configuration frame for carrying out a test for the testability service for protocol (s).

Also for example, the third field C3 of the management protocol can include a number of bytes between three and five. For example, this number of bytes can be equal to four (4). This number of bytes is a function of the maximum length that can be presented by a tg management data frame (header etg + message) generated by a DG management device.

i5 Note that the dedicated management port can, for example, be at address 1120 (in decimal).

It will also be noted that the management device DG can be installed at the level of the application software of an Ethernet unit Oj. Therefore, it (DG) can, for example, be realized in the form of a

0 combination of software modules (or "software").

The invention requires the use of a small amount of computing resources (or CPU) and reduced memory. Consequently, management devices can be easily installed in all Ethernet organs (or nodes) of an Ethernet / IP communication network, without penalizing them.

Claims (10)

1. Management device (DG) for an Ethernet unit (Oj) intended for 5 be coupled to a communication network (RC) of the Ethernet / IP type, suitable for the bidirectional transmission of data frames between Ethernet devices (Oj, Oj ') and structured in layers of a TCP / IP model (Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol), including a transport layer and an application layer placed above said transport layer and allowing services provided by said Ethernet bodies (Oj, Oj ') to access said network. communication (RC), characterized in that it uses in said application layer a management protocol to transmit to said transport layer of said Ethernet unit (Oj) a data frame called management and comprising a message having been generated by a service 15 provided by said Ethernet unit (Oj) and intended for at least one other Ethernet unit (Oj '), having a type and preceded by a header comprising first, second and third fields identifying respectively said service, said type and a length of said management data frame, and for transmitting to a service of the application layer of said member 2 0 Ethernet (Oj) a message having been generated by another Ethernet body (Oj ’), having a type and preceded by a second field identifying this type. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it uses in said application layer said management protocol to transmit to said transport layer of said Ethernet member (Oj) a concatenated frame 25 comprising at least two frames of management data each comprising a message having been generated by a service provided by said Ethernet unit (Oj), intended for at least one and the same other Ethernet unit (Oj '), placed one after the other, and encapsulated between a UDP header (User Datagram Protocol) of a UDP protocol of said transport layer and a 3 0 checksum field of a network access layer of said model TCP / IP. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said first field of the management protocol comprises two bytes. ίο 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said third field of the management protocol comprises two bytes. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said third field of the management protocol comprises a number of bytes 5 between three and five. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each service is chosen from piloting phase (s) of life of said communication network (RC), supervision of at least one Ethernet device (Oj , Oj ') to determine a state of connection to said communication network îo (RC), a test of at least one protocol used in a protocol stack of said TCP / IP model, and an embodiment of at least one generic functional service . 7. Ethernet unit (Oj, Oj ') intended to be coupled to a communication network (RC) of Ethernet / IP type, suitable for transmission 15 bidirectional of data frames between Ethernet bodies (Oj, Oj ') and structured in layers of a TCP / IP model (Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol), characterized in that it comprises a management device (DG) according to one of the preceding claims. 8. Ethernet / IP type communication network (RC) structured in 20 layers of a TCP / IP model (Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol), characterized in that it comprises at least two Ethernet organs (Oj, Oj ') according to claim 7 and suitable for exchanging data frames bidirectionally. 9. Vehicle (V), characterized in that it comprises at least one network 25 communication (RC) according to claim 8. 10. Vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that it is of the automobile type. 1/1