JP2009296280A - Communication network system, and communication control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate a transition shift to a sleep state among a plurality of networks through a gateway device, in relation to a communication network system and a communication control method thereof. <P>SOLUTION: This communication network system is provided with a gateway device carrying out a relay of data transmitted and received among a plurality of networks, causes terminal apparatuses and the gateway device to transmit NM frames showing sleep possibilities on a network basis, and makes at least the terminal apparatuses sleep when all of the terminal apparatuses and the gateway device come into sleeping states. The communication network system causes the terminal apparatuses and the gateway device to transmit NM frames in a predetermined order on a network basis, and causes the gate way device to transmit the NM frames before timing in accordance with the predetermined order at which the gateway device transmits the NM frames comes in the other networks when all of the terminal apparatuses in one of the networks and the gateway device come into the sleeping state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication network system and a communication control method therefor, and more particularly, a communication apparatus that includes a gateway device that relays data exchanged between a plurality of networks, and is suitable for synchronizing the sleep start timing of each network. The present invention relates to a network system and a communication control method thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a communication network system is known that includes a gateway device that is connected to a plurality of networks and relays data exchanged between the networks (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this communication network system, when the condition for shifting to the low power consumption mode is satisfied, each terminal device and gateway device of the network enter a sleep state in order to reduce power consumption. For this reason, according to such a system, it is possible to suppress power consumption in the battery that supplies power to the network as much as possible.
JP 2007-30714 A

  By the way, as a standard for controlling in-vehicle devices, there is an OSEK / VDX (Offene System and und deren schnittstellen fur die Elektronik im Kraftfahrzeug / Vehicle Distributed eX ecutive) specification. In this specification technique, each on-vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) provided in one network determines whether or not the ECU can sleep, and transmits an NM (Network Management) frame indicating whether or not the sleep is possible to the network bus. In addition, the gateway device that relays data between a plurality of networks determines whether or not it can sleep, including whether or not to sleep in other networks, for each connected network in order to coordinate the entire network system. An NM frame indicating availability is transmitted to the network bus. The transmission of the NM frame of each ECU and gateway device for each network is performed according to a predetermined order defined in advance for each network.

  In addition, when all of the ECUs and gateway devices in the network are in the sleep enabled state, the ECU or gateway device to which the NM frame is to be transmitted next in accordance with a predetermined order in the network is transmitted within the network at the transmission timing. The sleep request is made so that the ECU and the gateway device of the ECU sleep. Then, the ECU and the gateway device in the network receive a sleep request from another and transition to the sleep state.

  As described above, transmission of the NM frame to each network of the gateway device is performed according to a predetermined order prescribed for each network, and therefore, the transmission timing to each network by the gateway device is generally different. . For this reason, when all of the ECUs in one network are in a sleep-enabled state, the gateway device transmits an NM frame indicating that sleep is possible in a predetermined order in the other network, but with the transmission of the NM frame, The timing at which the gateway device still transmits an NM frame indicating that sleep is possible in one network even when all the ECUs and gateway devices in the other network are in a sleep enabled state and a sleep request is made in the other network. May not reach.

  When such a state transition error between networks occurs, when data is transmitted from a non-sleeping network side to a sleeping network side, the gateway device may restore the sleeping network. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the delay time of the relay frame is increased, and the delay time is increased as the number of networks through which the relay frame is increased.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication network system and a communication control method thereof capable of eliminating a state transition deviation between a plurality of networks via a gateway device. And

  The object is to connect to a plurality of networks each having at least one terminal device and relay data exchanged between the plurality of networks, a terminal device in the network for each network, and A sleep control means for transmitting an NM frame indicating whether sleep is possible from the gateway device, and for causing at least the terminal device in the network to sleep when all of the terminal devices in the network and the gateway device are in a sleep-enabled state; The sleep control means includes, for each network, a periodic frame transmission means for transmitting the NM frame in a predetermined order from a terminal device in the network and the gateway device, and one network. When all of the terminal devices and the gateway device of the gateway device are in the sleep enabled state, the gateway device transmits the NM frame in the other network before the timing according to the predetermined order arrives. And GW special frame transmission means for transmitting the NM frame from the gateway device.

  In addition, the object is to connect a gateway device connected to a plurality of networks each having at least one terminal device and relay data exchanged between the plurality of networks, and a terminal in the network for each network. Sleep control for transmitting an NM frame indicating whether sleep is possible from the device and the gateway device, and causing at least the terminal device in the network to sleep when all of the terminal device and the gateway device in the network are in a sleep-enabled state A periodic frame transmission step of transmitting the NM frame in a predetermined order from a terminal device and the gateway device in the network for each network, and a network When all of the terminal devices and the gateway device of the gateway device are in the sleep enabled state, the gateway device transmits the NM frame in the other network before the timing according to the predetermined order arrives. And a GW special frame transmission step of transmitting the NM frame from the gateway device.

  In the inventions of these aspects, for each network, the terminal device and the gateway device in each network transmit NM frames indicating whether sleep is possible or not in a predetermined order. Further, when all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in one network are in the sleep enabled state, the gateway device transmits the NM frame in a predetermined order as usual in another network different from the one network. Before the time comes, the NM frame is transmitted. According to such a configuration, the fact that all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in one network are in the sleep enabled state immediately follows the other network regardless of the predetermined transmission order of the gateway device on the other network side. I can tell the side. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate a shift in transition to the sleep state between networks via the gateway device.

  In the communication network system described above, the periodic frame transmission means transmits the NM frame from the terminal device and the gateway device in the network in the predetermined order and at a predetermined cycle, and the GW special frame. The transmission means transmits the NM frame from the gateway device in another network in the other network when all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in one network are in the sleep enabled state. It may be performed after one terminal device or the gateway device transmits the NM frame until the next terminal device or the gateway device according to the predetermined order transmits the NM frame.

  Further, in the communication network system described above, the sleep control unit may be configured so that, for each network, when all of the terminal device and the gateway device are in a sleep enabled state, It is good also as having a sleep request | requirement means which makes a sleep request | requirement toward the other terminal device or the said gateway apparatus from one node.

  In the above-described communication network system, the gateway device includes first sleep enable / disable determining means for determining whether or not all terminal devices in the network are in a sleep enable state for each network to be connected. For each connected network, connected to normal NM frame transmitting means for transmitting information indicating the determination result by the first sleep enable / disable determining means in another network as the NM frame according to the predetermined order of the network. A second sleep enable / disable determining unit that determines whether or not all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in the network are in a sleep enabled state for each network; and the second sleep enable / disable determined in one network. The terminal device in the one network and the front When it is determined that all of the gateway devices are in a sleep-enabled state, in the other network, one terminal device or gateway device in the other network transmits the NM frame and then follows the predetermined order. Special NM frame transmitting means for transmitting, as the NM frame, information indicating a determination result by the second sleep enable / disable determining means in the one network until the next terminal device or gateway device transmits the NM frame. It is good also as having.

  In this case, the terminal device belongs to the all sleep enable / disable determining unit for determining whether or not all the terminal devices in the network to which the terminal device belongs and the gateway device are in a sleep enabled state, and the all sleep enable / disable determining unit belongs to the terminal device. When it is determined that all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in the network are in a sleep enabled state, the other terminal devices and the gateway at the timing when the terminal device should transmit the NM frame next in the network to which the device belongs. A terminal sleep request transmission means for making a sleep request to the apparatus, and a terminal sleep request reception presence / absence determination for determining whether a sleep request has been received from another terminal device in the network to which the terminal belongs or the gateway apparatus And a sleep request is transmitted by the terminal sleep request transmitting means. And a sleep execution unit that sleeps itself after it is determined by the terminal sleep request reception presence / absence determination unit that a sleep request is received from another terminal device in the network to which the terminal belongs or the gateway device. It is good also as having.

  Furthermore, in this case, when the gateway device determines that all of the terminal devices in the one network and the gateway device are in the sleep enabled state by the second sleep enable / disable determining unit in one network, GW sleep request transmission means for making a sleep request to the terminal device at a timing when the NM frame should next transmit the NM frame in the one network, and for each connected network, from the terminal device in the network GW sleep request reception presence / absence determining means for determining whether or not a sleep request has been received, and the GW sleep request transmitting means is configured to make a sleep request in all of the connected networks, or for the GW The sleep request from the terminal device in the network is received by the sleep request reception presence / absence judging means. There after being judged to have been received, and a sleep execution unit for sleeping self, it is also possible to have a.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the shift | offset | difference to the sleep state between the some networks via a gateway apparatus can be eliminated.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a communication network system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This communication network system connects a plurality of different communication buses via a gateway device and relays data to be transmitted from the node connected to one communication bus to the node connected to the other communication bus. For example, it is mounted on a vehicle.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the communication network system according to the present embodiment includes two communication buses 10 and 12 and a gateway device 14 that connects the two communication buses 10 and 12. Each of the communication buses 10 and 12 is a time division multiplexing communication line used for bidirectional communication in which data is transmitted through a pair of communication lines such as CAN, for example. A data frame corresponding to a predetermined communication protocol flows through each communication bus 10 and 12. In addition, the communication protocol in each communication bus | bath 10 and 12 may be the same, and may differ. Hereinafter, the communication bus 10 is referred to as a first communication bus 10, and the communication bus 12 is referred to as a second communication bus 12.

  Each of the first and second communication buses 10 and 12 is connected to a plurality of body-type electronic control units (hereinafter simply referred to as ECUs) 20 of a vehicle, which are mainly composed of a microcomputer. Each ECU 20 includes a controller unit that is an arithmetic processing unit, an internal memory that stores various programs, an I / O interface that is connected to various in-vehicle sensors and switches, and the first communication bus 10 or the second communication. A communication interface connected to the bus 12.

  Hereinafter, m (for example, “2”) ECUs 20 connected to the network on the first communication bus 10 side are provided, and ECUs 20A-1, 20A-2,. Further, n (for example, “9”) ECUs 20 connected to the network on the second communication bus 12 side are provided, which are ECUs 20B-1, 20B-2,... 20B-n.

  The ECU 20 is a + B system node that can be operated both when the vehicle is turned off and when the ignition is turned on. The ECU 20 is wireless with a door ECU, body ECU, and portable device carried by the vehicle user. It is a verification ECU that performs code verification in communication. The ECU 20 performs a process for reducing power consumption when the occurrence of an event such as ignition on, door opening, reception of a radio wave signal, reception of a bus edge from another ECU or the like is not detected for a long time when the vehicle is turned off. When the occurrence of an event is detected in the sleep mode when the ignition is turned off, the sleep mode is canceled, the power is supplied, initialization is performed, and the communication bus 10 is activated after the initialization is completed. , 12 enables communication via the wake-up mode.

  The ECU 20 detects an IG node that cannot operate when the vehicle is turned off, but can operate when the ignition is turned on, such as an engine ECU that performs engine control, a brake ECU that performs brake control, and a steering angle. A steering sensor or the like may be included.

  The gateway device 14 receives a data frame sent from the ECU 20 to one communication bus 10, 12 and transmits the received data frame to the other communication bus 12, 10, that is, a different communication bus 10, 12. It is a repeater that relays data frames between them. The gateway device 14 includes a controller, which is an arithmetic processing unit mainly composed of a microcomputer, a buffer capable of holding received data frames from the communication buses 10 and 12, an internal memory for storing various programs, and a communication bus. 10 and 12 and a communication interface to be connected.

  The controller of the gateway device 14 enters a sleep mode in which processing for reducing power consumption is performed when an event such as ignition on or frame reception from the communication buses 10 and 12 is not detected for a long period of time when the vehicle is turned off. Become. When the occurrence of an event is detected in the sleep mode when the ignition is off, the sleep mode is canceled, power is supplied, initialization is performed, and the communication buses 10 and 12 are activated after the initialization is completed. Is permitted, and transmission of the received data frame to the communication buses 10 and 12 is permitted at a predetermined timing after the reception is permitted.

  In the gateway device 14, when the controller receives a data frame actually sent from the ECU 20 to the first communication bus 10 in a state where reception from the first communication bus 10 is permitted, the controller holds the data frame in a buffer. To do. In a state where transmission to the second communication bus 12 is permitted, the second communication bus is used to provide the data frame held in the buffer to the ECU 20 that is the transmission destination of the second communication bus 12. 12 to send. Similarly, when a data frame actually sent from the ECU 20 to the second communication bus 12 is received in a state where reception from the second communication bus 12 is permitted, the data frame is held in a buffer. Then, in a state where transmission to the first communication bus 10 is permitted, the first communication bus is provided to provide the data frame held in the buffer to the ECU 20 that is the transmission destination of the first communication bus 10. 10 to send.

  Next, the sleep operation of the communication network system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 2 shows a time chart of an example of frame transmission of each of the communication buses 10 and 12 realized during a sleep operation in a system (hereinafter referred to as a comparison network system) compared with the communication network system of the present embodiment. FIG. 3 shows a time chart of an example of frame transmission of each of the communication buses 10 and 12 realized during the sleep operation in the communication network system of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an example of a reception interrupt process executed by each ECU 20 in the communication network system of the present embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of an example of transmission processing executed by each ECU 20 in the communication network system of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of an example of a reception interrupt process executed by the gateway device 14 in the communication network system of this embodiment. FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of an example of transmission processing executed by the gateway device 14 in the communication network system of the present embodiment.

  2 and 3, the ECU 20 sleeps and the ECU 20 </ b> A- 2 does not sleep in the end when the power state of the vehicle transitions from ignition on to ignition off (on-vehicle battery is on). NM frame transmission sequence operation from each ECU 20 until the sleep state is shown. 2 and 3, the upper part in the frame indicating the NM frame indicates the node name, and the lower part indicates the state of the node. At this time, “NG” indicates that the ECU 20 is in a state where it cannot sleep (sleep not possible state), “OK” indicates that the ECU 20 can sleep (sleeping enabled state), and “→ OK” indicates that the ECU 20 The change from the sleep disable state to the sleep enable state from the previous process to the current process is indicated, and “→ SL” indicates that the ECU 20 makes a sleep request to the communication buses 10 and 12.

  In the present embodiment, each ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 can operate with the power from the on-board battery or the alternator when the vehicle power state is in the ignition on state, while the vehicle power state is changed from the ignition on to the ignition off state. When it becomes possible to operate with the electric power stored in the in-vehicle battery by making a transition to, the sleep mode in which processing for reducing power consumption is performed when an event occurrence for the ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 is not detected for a long time. become.

  Each ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 each perform an operation in conformity with specifications such as OSEK / VDX. Specifically, an NM (Network Management) frame indicating whether or not the own ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 can sleep is connected so as to notify other ECUs 20 and gateway devices 14 connected to the same communication bus 10 or 12 of whether or not the sleep is possible. Transmit to the communication bus 10 or 12. When the own ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 is in a sleep impossible state, an NM frame indicating that sleep is not possible is transmitted. When the own ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 is in a sleep enabled state, an NM frame indicating that sleep is possible is transmitted.

  The transmission of the NM frame from each ECU 20 or gateway device 14 to the communication buses 10 and 12 is performed in a predetermined node order in the same communication buses 10 and 12 (for example, in the first communication bus 10, ECU 20A-1 → ECU 20A -2 → gateway device 14 and in the second communication bus 12, the order is ECU 20B-1, ECU 20B-2,..., ECU 20B-9, gateway device 14, and the transmission thereof. The interval is performed at a predetermined time interval (for example, 100 ms). Therefore, each ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 respectively transmit to the communication bus 10 or 12 that connects the NM frame at a timing at which the ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 should transmit the NM frame. The gateway device 14 transmits an NM frame for each of the communication buses 10 and 12 to be connected.

  Each ECU 20 receives the NM frame transmitted from the other ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 in the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the own ECU 20 belongs (that is, to which the own ECU 20 is connected) via the communication buses 10 and 12. It is determined whether or not (step 100). Each ECU 20 has a storage device in which a flag (sleep enable / disable flag) indicating whether sleep is possible is stored for every other ECU 20 and gateway device 14 in the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the ECU 20 belongs. .

  When each ECU 20 determines that the NM frame from the other ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 is not received as a result of the processing in step 100 described above, the routine is terminated without proceeding with any processing. When it is determined that an NM frame from another ECU 20 or gateway device 14 has been received, the sleep enable / disable flag corresponding to the ECU 20 or gateway device 14 that transmitted the NM frame is set to the sleep disabled state or sleep indicated by the received NM frame. It is set to a ready state (step 102). If the received NM frame indicates a sleep disable state, the sleep enable / disable flag corresponding to the ECU 20 or gateway device 14 that transmitted the NM frame is set to a sleep disable state, while the received NM frame indicates a sleep enable state. If it is, the sleep enable / disable flag corresponding to the ECU 20 or gateway device 14 that transmitted the NM frame is set to the sleep enable state.

  Further, for each communication bus 10, 12 connected to the gateway device 14, whether or not the NM frame transmitted from the ECU 20 in the communication bus 10, 12 is received by the gateway device 14 through the communication bus 10, 12. Is determined. The gateway device 14 has a storage device that stores a sleep propriety flag indicating whether or not each ECU 20 in the communication buses 10 and 12 to be connected is capable of sleep. If it is determined that the NM frame from the ECU 20 is not received, the gateway device 14 ends the current routine without proceeding with any processing. If it is determined that the NM frame from the ECU 20 is received, The sleep enable / disable flag corresponding to the ECU 20 that transmitted the NM frame is set to the sleep disabled state or sleep enabled state indicated by the received NM frame (step 200).

  When the gateway device 14 executes the process of step 200 described above, all the ECUs 20 on the side of the communication buses 10 and 12 connected to the ECU 20 that has transmitted the received NM frame are set to the sleep enabled state. Is determined based on the state of the sleep enable / disable flag of the storage device (step 202). The storage device of the gateway device 14 also stores a sleep propriety flag for each communication bus 10 and 12 to be connected, which indicates whether or not the communication buses 10 and 12 can sleep.

  When the gateway device 14 does not determine that all the ECUs 20 in the communication buses 10 and 12 connected to the ECU 20 that has transmitted the received NM frame are set to the sleep enabled state as a result of the process of step 202 described above. That is, if it is determined that any of the ECUs 20 is set in the sleep disabled state, the current routine is terminated without any further processing, but all the ECUs 20 in the communication buses 10 and 12 are in the sleep state. If it is determined that the sleep state is set, the sleep enable / disable flag corresponding to the communication buses 10 and 12 is set to the sleep enable state (step 204).

  Each ECU 20 determines whether or not the present time has reached the timing at which the ECU 20 should transmit the NM frame according to a predetermined node order and transmission interval in the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the ECU 20 belongs (step 150). ). As a result, when it is determined that it is not at the transmission timing of the NM frame, the current routine is terminated without any further processing. However, when it is determined that it is at the transmission timing of the NM frame, the ECU 20 It is determined whether or not all the other ECUs 20 and gateway devices 14 on the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the device belongs are set to the sleep enable state based on the state of the sleep enable / disable flag of the storage device (step 152).

  Each ECU 20 does not determine that all the other ECUs 20 and the gateway device 14 on the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the ECU 20 belongs are set to the sleep enabled state as a result of the process of step 152 described above. When it is determined that one or more nodes of the ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 are set in the sleep disabled state, the NM frame indicating whether the ECU 20 can sleep is transmitted to the communication bus 10 or 12 to be connected. (Step 154).

  On the other hand, if it is determined as a result of the processing in step 152 that all the other ECUs 20 and the gateway device 14 on the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the own ECU 20 belongs are set in the sleep enabled state, the communication bus 10 , 12, a sleep request for causing all the other ECUs 20 and gateway devices 14 on the communication buses 10, 12 to sleep is transmitted (step 156).

  In addition, the gateway device 14 determines that the current gateway device 14 is NM according to the node order and transmission interval predetermined in the communication buses 10 and 12 with respect to the own gateway device 14 for each communication bus 10 and 12 to be connected. It is determined whether or not it is time to transmit a frame (normal timing) (step 250). As a result, if it is determined that the normal transmission timing of the NM frame is reached, next, the communication bus 10 or 12 on the other communication bus 12 or 10 that has become the normal transmission timing to transmit the NM frame is used. Based on the state of the sleep enable / disable flag of the storage device, it is determined whether or not all the ECUs 20 are set to the sleep enable state, that is, whether or not the sleep enable / disable flag of the communication buses 12 and 10 is set to the sleep enable state. (Step 252).

  As a result of the processing in step 252 above, one of the ECUs 20 on the other communication buses 12 and 10 different from the communication buses 10 and 12 that have reached the normal transmission timing for transmitting the NM frame is set to the sleep disabled state. If it is determined that the sleep enable / disable flag of the other communication buses 12 and 10 is set to the sleep disable state, it indicates that the gateway device 14 cannot sleep to the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the NM frame should be transmitted. An NM frame is transmitted (step 254). For example, when the ECU 20A-2 on the first communication bus 10 is set in the sleep disabled state at the normal transmission timing at which the NM frame should be transmitted to the second communication bus 12, to the second communication bus 12 An NM frame indicating that the own gateway device 14 cannot sleep is transmitted.

  On the other hand, all the ECUs 20 on the other communication buses 12 and 10 different from the communication buses 10 and 12 at the normal transmission timing at which the NM frame should be transmitted are set in the sleep enabled state, and the other communication bus If it is determined that the sleep enable / disable flag of 12 or 10 is set to the sleep enable state, then all ECUs 20 on the communication buses 10 and 12 that have reached the normal transmission timing to transmit the NM frame are set to sleep. It is determined whether or not it is set to the enable state based on the state of the sleep enable / disable flag of the storage device (step 256).

  As a result of the process of step 256, when it is not determined that all the ECUs 20 on the communication buses 10 and 12 are set to the sleep enabled state, that is, any one or more nodes of the ECU 20 are set to the sleep disabled state. If it is determined that it is set, an NM frame indicating that the gateway device 14 can sleep is transmitted to the communication buses 10 and 12 (step 258). For example, when all the ECUs 20 on the first communication bus 10 are set in the sleep enabled state at the normal transmission timing at which the NM frame should be transmitted to the second communication bus 12, the second communication bus 12 The NM frame indicating that the own gateway device 14 is allowed to sleep is transmitted.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that all the ECUs 20 on the communication buses 10 and 12 are set in the sleep enabled state, all the ECUs 20 on the communication buses 10 and 12 are set to sleep with respect to the communication buses 10 and 12. The sleep request to be transmitted is transmitted (step 260).

  When each ECU 20 of each communication bus 10, 12 receives an NM frame transmitted from another ECU 20 or gateway device 14 on the same communication bus 10, 12, a sleep propriety flag corresponding to the node that transmitted the NM frame. Is set to a sleep disable state or a sleep enable state. Further, when the gateway device 14 receives the NM frame transmitted from the ECU 20 for each of the communication buses 10 and 12, the gateway device 14 sets the sleep enable / disable flag corresponding to the node that transmitted the NM frame to the sleep disabled state or the sleep enabled state. . Further, when each ECU 20 of each communication bus 10, 12 receives a sleep request transmitted from another ECU 20 or gateway device 14 on the same communication bus 10, 12, a predetermined time X (for example, 200 ms) is received after the reception. When elapses, the device transits to the sleep state.

  As described above, in the communication network system according to the present embodiment, when the power state of the vehicle transits from ignition on to ignition off, the ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 are usually arranged in a predetermined node order for each of the communication buses 10 and 12. In addition, NM frames indicating whether or not to sleep are transmitted one by one at a predetermined transmission interval. When the ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 receive an NM frame from another node, the ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 set a sleep enable / disable flag for each of the other nodes stored in the storage device in the content of the received NM frame, and the communication buses 10 and 12 When all the nodes enter the sleep enabled state every time, a sleep request for causing each node to sleep is transmitted to the communication buses 10 and 12 at the normal transmission timing at which the NM frame should be transmitted next. The ECU 20 sleeps according to a sleep request from another ECU 20 or the gateway device 14. At this time, the ECUs 20 of the same communication buses 10 and 12 sleep almost simultaneously according to a sleep request from a specific node.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the ignition is off, it is possible to sleep all the ECUs 20 simultaneously for each of the communication buses 10 and 12. For this reason, when the ignition is off, the power consumption of the vehicle-mounted battery can be suppressed by the sleep of the ECU 20.

  In the communication network system according to the present embodiment, each ECU 20 is in a state in which the ECU 20 may sleep because the occurrence of an event related to the ECU 20 is not detected for a long time when the ignition is off. Is transmitted as its own NM frame. Further, the gateway device 14 determines whether or not all the ECUs 20 on the other communication buses 12 and 10 are set in a sleep enabled state for each communication bus 10 and 12 to be connected when the ignition is off, that is, the communication bus 12 , 10 is transmitted as its own NM frame whether or not the sleep enable / disable flag is set to the sleep enable state.

  That is, in the NM frame transmitted by the gateway device 14, whether the other communication buses 12, 10 can sleep is treated as the sleep permission condition of one communication bus 10, 12. For example, when only the ECU 20A-2 on the first communication bus 10 is in a sleep-disabled state and all the other ECUs 20 are in a sleep-enabled state, the gateway device 14 is connected to all the ECUs 20 on the second communication bus 12. Since it is in the sleep enabled state, at the normal transmission timing of the NM frame to the first communication bus 10, the NM frame indicating sleep enabled (OK) is transmitted to the first communication bus 10, while the first communication Since the ECU 20A-2 on the bus 10 is in the sleep disabled state, the NM frame indicating the sleep disabled (NG) is transmitted to the second communication bus 12 at the normal transmission timing of the NM frame to the second communication bus 12. .

  The gateway device 14 transmits NM frames separately for each of the communication buses 10 and 12 to be connected. The transmission of the NM frame for each of the communication buses 10 and 12 by the gateway device 14 is normally performed in accordance with a predetermined node order for each of the communication buses 10 and 12, and the number of nodes connected to the communication buses 10 and 12. Since it is performed at a rate of once (the number of all the ECUs 20 plus one of the gateway devices 14), the normal transmission timing to the communication buses 10 and 12 by the gateway device 14 is generally different from each other. is there.

  For this reason, at the normal transmission timing alone, when all of the ECUs 20 on the other communication buses 12 and 10 enter the sleep enabled state, the gateway device 14 transmits an NM frame indicating that sleep is possible to the one communication bus 10 and 12. However, when all of the ECU 20 and the gateway device 14 on the one communication bus 10 and 12 become sleep-capable with the transmission of the NM frame, a sleep request is made on the one communication bus 10 and 12. However, the gateway device 14 may not yet reach the timing for transmitting the NM frame indicating that sleep is possible to the other communication buses 12 and 10. In this case, even if one of the communication buses 10 and 12 sleeps as a whole, a state transition error occurs in which the other communication buses 12 and 10 do not sleep (see FIG. 2).

  When such a transition in state transition between the communication buses 10 and 12 occurs, when data is transmitted from the non-sleeping communication buses 12 and 10 to the sleeping communication buses 10 and 12, the gateway device 14 has to wake up the sleeping communication buses 10 and 12 to return to the normal state, which causes a disadvantage that the delay time of the relay frame increases, and the number of network buses through the relay bus. As the number increases, the inconvenience of increasing the delay time arises.

  Therefore, in the communication network system of the present embodiment, in order to avoid such inconvenience, the ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 transmits the normal NM frame as the timing at which the gateway device 14 transmits the NM frame to the communication buses 10 and 12. In addition to the normal transmission timing according to the node order for each of the communication buses 10 and 12 defined as the power timing, a timing (special transmission timing) different from that timing is used.

  That is, in the present embodiment, when it is determined that the gateway device 14 is not at the normal transmission timing of the NM frame in the processing of step 250 described above, next, it is determined that the current time is not at the normal transmission timing of the NM frame. It is determined whether or not the gateway device 14 has reached a special transmission timing for transmitting the NM frame on the communication buses 10 and 12 (step 262). This special transmission timing is assumed to be deviated from the normal transmission timing at which each ECU 20 or gateway device 14 normally transmits an NM frame. For example, the special transmission timing is deviated by 1/2 of a normal transmission interval (half cycle; for example, 50 ms). Shall be. In this case, at the special transmission timing for each of the communication buses 10 and 12, the ECU 20 does not transmit the NM frame, and only the gateway device 14 can transmit the NM frame.

  If it is determined as a result of the processing in step 262 that there is no NM frame special transmission timing, the current routine is terminated without any further processing, but it is determined that it is at the NM frame special transmission timing. Next, as in the processing of step 252 above, all ECUs 20 on the other communication buses 12 and 10 different from the communication buses 10 and 12 that have reached the special transmission timing for transmitting the NM frame can sleep. Whether or not the sleep enable / disable flag of the communication buses 12 and 10 is set to the sleep enable state is determined based on the state of the sleep enable / disable flag of the storage device (step 264).

  If it is determined that the sleep enable / disable flag of the other communication buses 12 and 10 is set to the sleep disable state, the current routine is terminated without any further processing. If it is determined that the sleep enable / disable flag of 12 or 10 is set to the sleep enable state, the sleep of the gateway device 14 is then transferred to the communication buses 10 and 12 at the special transmission timing at which the NM frame should be transmitted. An NM frame indicating permission is transmitted (step 258). For example, when all the ECUs 20 on the first communication bus 10 are set in the sleep enabled state at the special transmission timing at which the NM frame should be transmitted to the second communication bus 12, the second communication bus 12 is entered. The NM frame indicating that the own gateway device 14 is allowed to sleep is transmitted.

  As described above, in the communication network system of the present embodiment, when the ignition is off, the gateway device 14 indicates that it can sleep at a dedicated special transmission timing different from the normal transmission timing for each of the communication buses 10 and 12 to be connected. NM frames can be transmitted.

  In such a configuration, when the other communication bus 12, 10 enters a sleep enabled state, the gateway device 14 transmits the NM frame to the one communication bus 10, 12, and the gateway device 14 transmits the one communication bus 10. , 12 separately from the normal transmission timing for normal transmission according to the node order on the communication bus 10, 12 at the special transmission timing between the two transmissions of the normal NM frame by each ECU 20 or gateway device 14 It can be carried out.

  In this respect, the transmission of the NM frame indicating that sleep is possible by the gateway device 14 is realized before the normal transmission timing according to the node order arrives, so that all the ECUs 20 on one of the communication buses 10 and 12 are in the sleep-enabled state. This is immediately transmitted to the other communication buses 12 and 10 regardless of the predetermined node order of the gateway device 14 on the other communication buses 12 and 10.

  Therefore, according to the communication network system of the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress and eliminate as much as possible the shift in the sleep state between the communication buses 10 and 12 via the gateway device 14. For this reason, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the delay time of the relay frame from being increased by the gateway device 14 due to the state transition deviation between the one communication bus 10 and the other communication bus 12, and The increase in the number of relay frame buffers in the gateway device 14 can be prevented.

  Note that the communication network system according to the present embodiment can make the above-described operation more effective as the number of ECUs 20 connected to the first or second communication buses 10 and 12 increases.

  By the way, in the above embodiment, the ECU 20 corresponds to the “terminal device” described in the claims, and the communication buses 10 and 12 correspond to the “network” described in the claims. And the gateway device 14 executes the processing of Steps 254 and 258 after the affirmative determination of Step 154 or Step 250, so that “sleep control means”, “periodic frame transmission means”, and “ In the “periodic frame transmission step”, the gateway device 14 executes the process of step 258 after the affirmative determination in step 262, whereby “sleep control unit”, “GW special frame transmission unit”, and “ GW special frame transmission step "is performed by the ECU 20 and the gateway device 14. Set forth in the appended claims by executing the process of step 156 or 260 "sleep control means" and "sleep request means" are realized respectively.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the gateway device 14 executes the processing of step 252 for each of the communication buses 10 and 12 to be connected, so that “first sleep enable / disable discriminating means” is described in the claims. However, by executing the processing of steps 254 and 258, the “normal NM frame transmitting means” described in the claims executes the processing of step 264 to execute the “second sleep” described in the claims. The “special determination means” executes the process of step 258, and the “special NM frame transmission means” described in the claims executes the process of step 260. For each communication bus 10 and 12 to be connected, the “sleep request transmission means” requires a sleep request from the ECU 20 on the communication bus 10 and 12. The “GW sleep request reception presence / absence determination means” described in the claims is made by all the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the sleep request is made or the communication is performed. After it is determined that the sleep request from the ECU 20 on the buses 10 and 12 has been received, the “sleep execution means” described in the claims is realized by causing itself to sleep.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the ECU 20 executes the process of step 152, and the “all sleep enable / disable determining unit” described in the claims executes the process of step 156. The “terminal sleep request transmitting means” described in the above is determined by determining whether or not a sleep request is received from another ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 on the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the terminal belongs. The described “terminal sleep request reception presence / absence determination means” determines that a sleep request has been received from the other ECU 20 or the gateway device 14 on the communication buses 10 and 12 to which the terminal belongs. "Sleep execution means" described in the claims by making self sleep after being It has been revealed.

  In the above embodiment, the communication network system is mounted on the vehicle, but may be applied to other devices.

It is a block diagram of the communication network system which is one Example of this invention. It is a time chart of an example of the frame transmission of each communication bus | bath implement | achieved at the time of sleep operation in the comparison network system compared with the communication network system of a present Example. It is a time chart of an example of the frame transmission of each communication bus implement | achieved at the time of sleep operation | movement in the communication network system of a present Example. It is a flowchart of an example of the reception interruption process which each terminal device performs in the communication network system of a present Example. It is a flowchart of an example of the transmission process which each terminal device performs in the communication network system of a present Example. It is a flowchart of an example of the reception interruption process which a gateway apparatus performs in the communication network system of a present Example. It is a flowchart of an example of the transmission process which a gateway apparatus performs in the communication network system of a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 1st communication bus 12 2nd communication bus 14 Gateway apparatus 20 ECU (electronic control unit)

Claims (7)

A gateway device connected to a plurality of networks each having at least one terminal device and relaying data exchanged between the plurality of networks, and a sleep device from the terminal device in the network and the gateway device for each network A communication network comprising: an NM frame that indicates whether or not the terminal device and the gateway device in the network are in a sleep-enabled state; A system,
The sleep control means includes
Periodic frame transmission means for transmitting the NM frame in a predetermined order from the terminal device and the gateway device in the network for each network;
When all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in one network are in a sleep enabled state, the gateway device transmits the NM frame in another network before the timing according to the predetermined order comes. GW special frame transmission means for transmitting the NM frame from the gateway device in another network;
A communication network system comprising: The periodic frame transmission means performs transmission of the NM frame from the terminal device and the gateway device in the network in the predetermined order and in a predetermined cycle,
The GW special frame transmission means transmits the NM frame from the gateway device in another network when the terminal device and the gateway device in one network all enter a sleep enabled state. This is performed between the time when one terminal device or the gateway device transmits the NM frame in the network, and the time when the next terminal device or the gateway device according to the predetermined order transmits the NM frame. The communication network system according to claim 1.   The sleep control unit may be configured such that, for each network, when all of the terminal devices and the gateway device are in a sleep-enabled state, all the terminal devices and one of the gateway devices from another node device or The communication network system according to claim 1, further comprising a sleep request unit configured to make a sleep request to the gateway device. The gateway device is
First sleep enable determination means for determining whether or not all of the terminal devices in the network are in a sleep enable state for each of the connected networks;
A normal NM frame transmitting means for transmitting information indicating a determination result by the first sleep enable / disable determining means in another network as the NM frame according to the predetermined order of the network for each network to be connected;
Second sleep enablement determining means for determining whether or not all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in the network are in a sleep enabled state for each of the connected networks;
When it is determined by the second sleep enable / disable determining unit in one network that all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in the one network are in the sleep enabled state, in the other network, in the other network The second terminal in the one network between the time when one terminal device or gateway device transmits the NM frame and the time when the next terminal device or gateway device according to the predetermined order transmits the NM frame. Special NM frame transmitting means for transmitting information indicating the determination result by the sleep enable / disable determining means as the NM frame;
The communication network system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: Terminal equipment
All sleep enablement determining means for determining whether all of the terminal devices in the network to which the device belongs and the gateway device are in a sleep enabled state;
When it is determined by the all sleep enable / disable determining means that all of the terminal devices in the network to which the device belongs and the gateway device are in a sleep enabled state, the next device transmits the NM frame in the network to which the device belongs. A sleep request transmission means for a terminal that makes a sleep request to another terminal device and the gateway device at a timing,
A terminal sleep request reception presence / absence determining means for determining whether or not a sleep request has been received from another terminal device in the network to which the device belongs or the gateway device;
After a sleep request is made by the terminal sleep request transmission means, and a sleep request is received from another terminal device in the network to which the terminal belongs or the gateway device by the terminal sleep request reception presence / absence judging means. A sleep execution means for sleeping itself after being determined;
5. The communication network system according to claim 4, further comprising: The gateway device is
When it is determined in the one network that all of the terminal devices in the one network and the gateway device are in the sleep enabled state by the second sleep enable / disable determining means, GW sleep request transmitting means for making a sleep request to the terminal device at a timing at which the NM frame should be transmitted;
GW sleep request reception presence / absence determining means for determining whether or not a sleep request from a terminal device in the network is received for each connected network;
In all of the connected networks, it is determined that a sleep request is made by the GW sleep request transmission unit, or a sleep request is received from a terminal device in the network by the GW sleep request reception presence determination unit And a sleep execution means for sleeping itself after being
The communication network system according to claim 5, further comprising: A gateway device connected to a plurality of networks each having at least one terminal device and relaying data exchanged between the plurality of networks, and a sleep device from the terminal device in the network and the gateway device for each network A communication network comprising: an NM frame that indicates whether or not the terminal device and the gateway device in the network are in a sleep-enabled state; A communication control method for a system,
A periodic frame transmission step for transmitting the NM frame in a predetermined order from the terminal device and the gateway device in the network for each network;
When all of the terminal devices and the gateway device in one network are in a sleep enabled state, the gateway device transmits the NM frame in another network before the timing according to the predetermined order comes. A GW special frame transmission step for transmitting the NM frame from the gateway device in another network;
A communication control method for a communication network system, comprising:

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