JP2008148151A - Data repeater - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data repeater which is made common so as to be used in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems without further worsening the worst delay time. <P>SOLUTION: A data repeater, in a multiplex communication system, temporarily buffers data received via one communication line in a memory region that is different at each data kind before transmitting the data to the other communication line. In such a data repeater, memory regions different at each data kind used in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems are secured and when they are searched at each region whether data to be transmitted are temporarily buffered for each of the memory regions in order to select one of the data items and transmit it to the other communication line, the order of data kinds to be searched is determined so as not to search two or more non-used data kinds continuously in accordance with the kinds of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or to the other communication line. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention generally relates to a data relay apparatus used in a multiplex communication system, and more particularly to a data relay that is made common so that it can be used in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems without deteriorating the worst delay time. Relates to the device.

  Conventionally, a data relay device (or gateway / gateway device) used in a multiplex communication system is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  In Patent Document 1, data received through one communication line (bus) is temporarily buffered in a different memory area for each data type before being transmitted (transferred) to another communication line. The data to be transferred in the buffer is overwritten only by the same type of data, so that at least the latest information is always buffered for each data type, and the specific type of data is completely lost There has been disclosed a data relay apparatus that is configured to prevent this.

  The schematic configuration and function of such a conventional data relay apparatus will be described below with reference to FIG.

  The data relay apparatus 101 shown in FIG. 1 is a multiplex communication system in which multiplex communication is performed in units of frames, and data received from one communication line (source bus) 102 is transmitted to the other communication line (destination bus). ) Is an example of a conventional data relay apparatus configured and arranged to forward to 103.

  When the frame data transmitted from the communication node 104 connected to the transmission source bus 102 is taken into the data relay apparatus 101, first, it is temporarily stored in the reception side buffer 105 of the FIFO (First In First Out) system.

  Here, each frame data includes an identifier (ID) indicating a data type.

  The frame data temporarily stored in the receiving buffer 105 is sent to the ID buffer 106 in the order of input when the buffer is full.

  In each ID buffer 106, the same number of IDs (here, N from ID = 1 to N) are provided, and each of them is composed of a plurality of independent memory areas. One ID is assigned to one memory area.

  The frame data transmitted from the input buffer 105 is identified in its ID, and stored in any one memory area corresponding to the ID of the frame data in the ID buffer 106.

  Each memory area is configured to temporarily store frame data of a predetermined number of frames (for example, one frame). In each memory area, frame data exceeding the predetermined number of frames is discarded in order from the oldest. In other words, the ID-specific buffer 106 temporarily stores the latest frame data for each ID for a predetermined number of frames.

  The transmission side buffer 107 is a FIFO buffer that temporarily stores frame data sent from the data relay apparatus 101 to the transmission destination bus 103 before transmission. The transmission side buffer 107 sends out the temporarily stored frame data to the transmission destination bus 103 as appropriate while monitoring and taking into account the degree of congestion on the transmission destination bus 103.

  The communication node 108 connected to the transmission destination bus 103 monitors the ID of the frame data flowing through the transmission destination bus 103, determines whether or not it should be received, and takes in the frame data necessary for its own node.

  When the frame data is sent out, the transmission side buffer 107 takes in frame data waiting to be transmitted from any memory area in the ID buffer 106. At this time, transmission-waiting frame data is sequentially searched in a predetermined order for each memory area in the ID buffer 106.

  Here, for example, the search is performed from top to bottom in FIG. 1, that is, from ID = 1 to ID = N in order. If ID = N is reached during the search and no frame data waiting to be transmitted is found, the process returns to ID = 1.

  Further, such a search for transmission-waiting frame data is performed as a continuation from the previous end so that only frame data having a specific ID (for example, ID = 1) is not preferentially transmitted. . That is, for example, when transmission-waiting frame data is found in the memory area assigned ID = N−1 in the previous search, and the found frame data is sent to the transmission-side buffer 107, the next transmission-waiting frame data Is started from a memory area corresponding to ID = N located next to ID = N−1 in the search order.

In this way, by providing a buffer for each ID in the data relay device, a certain amount of the latest frame data is temporarily stored for each data type, so the degree of discard between each ID becomes substantially equal, Even if the data type has a short cycle, there is a situation in which the processing between IDs is biased such that only a specific data type is discarded or delayed, such as being easily discarded compared to a data type having a long cycle Properly avoided.
JP 2000-244548 A

  However, the conventional data relay apparatus as described above with reference to FIG. 1 is common to a plurality of different multiplex communication systems so that a single apparatus can be used in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems. Inconvenience may occur when the specified specifications are used. Hereinafter, an example will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Now, there is an ID buffer 106 for the multiplex communication system A as shown in FIG. 2A and an ID buffer 106 for the multiplex communication system B as shown in FIG. 2B, which are integrated. Thus, it is assumed that a single data relay apparatus 101 that can be employed in any of the multiple communication systems A and B is made.

  Here, in the multiplex communication system A, the data types corresponding to ID = 1 to 4 may pass through the data relay device, and in the multiplex communication system B, the data types corresponding to ID = 3 to 6 are data relays. Suppose there is a possibility of passing through the device.

  Therefore, four memory areas corresponding to ID = 1 to 4 are prepared in the per-ID buffer 106 for the multiplex communication system A shown in FIG. 2A, and the multiplex communication system shown in FIG. In the ID buffer 106 for B, four memory areas corresponding to ID = 3 to 6 are prepared.

  Further, in the per-ID buffer 106 for the multiplex communication system A shown in FIG. 2A, the transmission waiting frame data is searched in the order shown by the arrows in the figure, and after ID = 4 Returning to the beginning, it is assumed that ID = 1 is searched, and in the per-ID buffer 106 for the multiplex communication system B shown in FIG. Then, after ID = 6, the process returns to the beginning to search for ID = 3.

  When these two buffers for each ID 106 are shared with a single buffer having a specification that can be used in both of the multiplex communication systems A and B, as shown in FIG. One memory area becomes a buffer 106 for each ID.

  FIG. 3A shows the case where the integrated ID buffer 106 is applied to the multiplex communication system A, and FIG. 3B shows the case where it is applied to the multiplex communication system B.

  Based on the above assumption, in the multiplex communication system A, since frame data having ID = 5 and 6 does not pass through the data relay apparatus 101, the memory area reserved for ID = 5 and 6 is It is treated as a reserved area (or free area) and is not used. Similarly, here, in the multiplex communication system B, since frame data having ID = 1 and 2 does not pass through the data relay apparatus 101, the memory area reserved for ID = 1 and 2 is reserved. It is treated as an area (or a free area) and is not used.

  As shown in an example in FIG. 3, when the ID-based buffer 106 that is shared by a plurality of different multiplex communication systems is prepared, the reserved areas are contiguous in the specific multiplex communication system. If this occurs, the processing delay will be caused by the time required to pass through (or skip) these reserved areas.

  For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3A, after searching for a memory area corresponding to ID = 4, ID = 1, compared to the case shown in FIG. Until the memory area corresponding to is searched, the processing is delayed for the time to pass through or skip the memory areas corresponding to two IDs corresponding to ID = 5 and 6.

  Similarly, for example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 3B, after searching for a memory area corresponding to ID = 6, compared to the case illustrated in FIG. Until the memory area corresponding to ID = 3 is searched, the processing is delayed for the time to pass through or skip the memory areas corresponding to two IDs corresponding to ID = 1 and 2.

  As described above, in the conventional data relay device including the ID buffer, if the specification is made common to a plurality of different multiplex communication systems, the transmission wait frame data search order in a specific multiplex communication system is considered. There may occur a situation in which two or more reserved areas are continuously present in the frame, and there is a possibility that only frame data transfer of a specific ID is particularly delayed. In other words, the time of the largest delay that can occur (hereinafter referred to as “worst delay time”) may be deteriorated (become longer).

  As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the number of multiple communication systems to be supported by sharing (strictly speaking, the number of types of communication nodes connected to the transmission source bus and / or the transmission destination bus, more strictly, As the number of data types (or IDs) that can pass through the data relay device increases, the worsening of the worst delay time due to common use as described above tends to occur, and the degree of deterioration at the time of occurrence increases. obtain.

  The present invention is for solving such problems, and provides a data relay apparatus that is shared so that it can be used in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems without deteriorating the worst delay time. The main purpose.

  One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is to provide a memory area that is different for each data type before transmitting data received through one communication line (bus) to another communication line in a multiplex communication system. A data relay apparatus (for example, a gateway) that temporarily buffers each of the data types, and for each of the data types that can be used in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems, a different memory area is secured. When searching for one area at a time whether data to be transmitted is temporarily buffered for each of the memory areas in order to select any of the buffered data and transmit it to the other communication line, The order of data types to be searched is determined according to the type of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or the other communication line. It is a data relay apparatus.

  In the above aspect, the data type search order is: A) The search order of the memory area is not changed according to the type of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or the other communication line, It may be changed by changing the allocation of the data type to the memory area, or B) the memory depending on the type of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or the other communication line It may be changed by changing the search order of the memory area without changing the data type assignment to the area.

  According to the above aspect, in the data relay apparatus shared by a plurality of different multiplex communication systems, the order of searching for transmission waiting data for each memory area for buffering data for each ID is determined by the transmission source bus. Or a memory through which search is to be bypassed or skipped in any corresponding multiplex communication system because it is determined by the type of communication node connected to the destination bus (in other words, the type of data that can be transferred by the data relay device) By setting the search order so that the areas do not continue, it is possible to appropriately prevent the occurrence of a situation in which only the processing of data having a specific ID is greatly delayed (that is, the worst delay time is deteriorated) in a specific multiplex communication system. Can be avoided.

  In the above aspect, the data type search order is such that two or more data types that are not used are continuously used according to the type of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or the other communication line. Preferably, it is determined not to be searched.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a data relay apparatus that is made common so that it can be used in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems without deteriorating the worst delay time.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The basic concept of the multiplex communication system and the gateway device, the main hardware configuration, the operation principle, the basic control method, and the like are known to those skilled in the art, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a data relay apparatus 401 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The data relay apparatus 401 according to the present embodiment is a data relay apparatus that is shared so that it can be used in any of a plurality of different multiplex communication systems. Here, as an example, in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems supported by the data relay apparatus 401, it is assumed that N types of frame data having ID = 1 to N may pass through the data relay apparatus 401.

  Accordingly, the ID buffer 402 of the data relay apparatus 401 is provided with N memory areas corresponding to ID = 1 to N in order to realize temporary storage of frame data by data type (ID). It is done.

  In addition, in the data relay apparatus 401 according to the present embodiment, as shown in the figure, the arrangement of the memory areas in the ID buffer 402 is not necessarily in the ID order.

  Instead, in the data relay apparatus 401 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 as an example, the arrangement of the memory area in the ID buffer 402 is the communication node 104 connected to the transmission source bus 102. Depending on the type and type of the communication node 108 connected to the destination bus 103, a memory area corresponding to an ID that is not used in a specific multiplex communication system (in other words, through or skip when searching transmission frame data) Reserved area) is determined so that two or more consecutive areas are not consecutive in the search order of the frame data to be transmitted. That is, in any multiplex communication system, the ID area buffer 402 has a memory area to which IDs to be reserved areas allocated in the multiplex communication system are evenly distributed in the ID buffer 402. ID allocation to each memory area is determined.

  An example of ID assignment is shown in FIG. FIG. 5 shows an example of a buffer for each ID 402 shared by the multiplex communication systems A and B already described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. ID = 1, ID = 3, ID = 5, ID = 2, ID = 4, and ID = 6 are assigned in order.

  By defining the memory area corresponding to each ID in this way, the reserved area can be dispersed on average in any multiplex communication system.

  FIG. 5A shows a case where the frame data having ID = 1 to 4 is applied to the above-described multiplex communication system A that can be transferred by the data relay apparatus. In this case, the memory areas corresponding to ID = 5 and 6 are reserved areas, but the positions of the reserved areas are not continuous in the search order as shown in FIG. Unlike the case shown in a), the occurrence of a situation in which a particularly large delay occurs only in the processing of frame data having a specific ID is avoided.

  Similarly, FIG. 5B shows a case where the frame data having ID = 3 to 6 is applied to the above-described multiplex communication system B that can be transferred by the data relay apparatus. In this case, the memory areas corresponding to ID = 1 and 2 are reserved areas, but the positions of the reserved areas are not continuous in the search order as shown in FIG. Unlike the case shown in b), the occurrence of a situation in which a particularly large delay occurs only in the processing of frame data having a specific ID is avoided.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a data relay apparatus having a buffer for each ID is used as a single apparatus common to a plurality of different multiplex communication systems, IDs for the memory areas so that the reserved memory areas are appropriately distributed in the search order in any of the multiple communication systems. Occurrence of a situation in which the worst delay time deteriorates such that a particularly large delay occurs only when searching for frame data having a specific ID when searching for transmission-waiting frame data for each ID buffer. Is avoided.

  In the above-described embodiment, as an example, the search for transmission waiting frame data for each ID buffer is fixed in that it is performed from top to bottom in the figure in any multiplex communication system. The order of IDs to be searched for is changed by changing the assignment of IDs to each memory area in the memory. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. The ID order searched is changed by changing the search order of each memory area in the ID buffer, assuming that the correspondence between the ID and the memory area in the ID buffer is fixed. It may be a thing.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is used in any data relay device provided between a communication line (bus) and a communication line in a multiplex communication system, enabling data transmission / reception between both communication lines and having a buffer for each ID. it can. The type and number of communication nodes connected to the communication line or the information content of the type of data flowing through the communication line are not questioned.

  As a more specific application, the present invention can be applied to an in-vehicle LAN of an automobile. In recent in-vehicle LANs, a plurality of buses are prepared, and a gateway is generally provided to exchange data between the buses.

  In an in-vehicle LAN, the number of mounted buses and the number / type of communication nodes (for example, ECUs) connected to each bus may vary depending on the vehicle equipment / functions. When employed as a LAN gateway, the gateway device can be made into a common component without deteriorating the worst delay time for a plurality of vehicle types having different vehicle equipment and functions.

It is a schematic block diagram of the conventional data relay apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the buffer for every ID used in the conventional data relay apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example at the time of sharing the buffer for every ID used in the conventional data relay apparatus with respect to several different multiple communication systems. It is a schematic block diagram of the data relay apparatus based on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the buffer for every ID used in the data relay apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

102 Transmission source bus 103 Transmission destination bus 105 Reception side buffer 107 Transmission side buffer 401 Data relay device 402 Buffer for each ID

Claims (4)

In a multiplex communication system, a data relay device that temporarily buffers data received through one communication line in a different memory area for each data type before transmitting to another communication line,
A different memory area is reserved for each of the data types that can be used in a plurality of different multiplex communication systems,
Whether data to be transmitted for each of the memory areas is temporarily buffered in order to select any of the temporarily buffered data for each data type and transmit to the other communication line When searching one area at a time, the order of data types to be searched is determined according to the type of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or the other communication line. Data relay device. The data relay device according to claim 1,
The data type search order is determined according to the type of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or the other communication line without changing the search order of the memory area. A data relay device characterized by being changed by changing the allocation. The data relay device according to claim 1,
The data type search order is the search for the memory area without changing the data type assignment to the memory area according to the type of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or the other communication line. A data relay device, wherein the data relay device is changed by changing the order. A data relay device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The data type search order is determined so that two or more unused data types are not continuously searched according to the type of one or more communication nodes connected to the one communication line or the other communication line. A data relay device characterized by that.

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