JP2012049884A - Communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress an increase in a bus load while enabling allocation of the same identification code to a plurality of communication apparatuses.SOLUTION: A communication apparatus allows an error interruption when setting a wake-up instruction frame in a transmission message box (S11:YES, S13), and cancels the transmission of the wake-up instruction frame set in the transmission message box by the error interruption when an error occurs (S21). Thus, the same transmission source ID can be allocated to a plurality of ECUs 10 as a transmission source ID of the wake-up instruction frame. Even if an error occurs due to the allocation, the wake-up instruction frame is not re-transmitted, thereby suppressing the increase in a bus load.

Description

  The present invention is used in a communication system in which a plurality of communication devices communicate via a common bus and, when a frame collision occurs on the bus, arbitration processing is performed using an identification code included in the frame. The present invention relates to a communication device.

  Conventionally, a CSMA / CD CAN (Controller Area Network) protocol is known as a communication protocol widely used for a local area network (LAN), particularly an in-vehicle LAN (see Patent Document 1).

  An identification code (ID) for identifying what kind of message is assigned to the subsequent data area is included in the head part of the frame defined by the CAN protocol, and constitutes a communication system. The communication device that performs identification identifies the type of the received frame based on the ID included in the frame. The ID is defined to be uniquely assigned so that the communication device does not have the same value.

  In addition, since a plurality of communication devices communicate via a common bus, a communication device having a frame to be transmitted starts frame transmission immediately if the bus is not in use, and if the bus is in use. Frame transmission starts after the bus is released (frame transmission is completed). For this reason, if there are a plurality of communication devices having a frame to be transmitted, the plurality of communication devices may start transmitting frames at the same time. In this case, a frame collision occurs on the bus.

  When such a frame collision occurs, the CAN protocol stipulates that an arbitration process for determining which frame is preferentially processed is performed using the above-described ID. That is, in the CAN protocol, dominant (dominant) and recessive (inferior) are defined as signal levels on the bus. When multiple dominant and recessive signals are transmitted simultaneously from multiple communication devices, the signal level on the bus is Become dominant. In general, the dominant logic value is “0” and the recessive logic value is “1”.

  Then, the communication device compares the signal level of the transmitted frame with the signal level on the bus for each bit during the transmission of the frame, and the signal level of the transmitted frame and the bus during the transmission of the bits constituting the ID. If the signal level is different from the upper level, it is determined that the arbitration has been lost, the frame transmission is stopped, and a transition is made to the reception state. Even if a plurality of communication devices start transmitting frames at the same time, the IDs of the transmission frames are different from each other. Therefore, the communication device that has transmitted recessive “1” at the timing of transmitting a bit having a different value causes the arbitration loss. Become. As a result, the frame is transmitted by one communication device when the ID has been transmitted, and the frame transmission is continued by this communication device (the communication device that has won the arbitration).

  On the other hand, if the signal level of the transmitted frame is different from the signal level on the bus during transmission of bits after the ID, it is determined that an error has occurred. In this case, the communication device stops the frame transmission and performs error processing for notifying other communication devices of the occurrence of the error by transmitting the error frame. After this error processing, the communication apparatus retransmits a frame whose transmission has not been completed due to the occurrence of an error.

JP 2006-287738 A

  By the way, in a communication system or the like in which a communication device having a configuration in which the operation mode can be switched between a normal mode in which communication can be performed and a sleep mode in which communication is stopped to reduce power consumption is used, a frame transmitted by the communication device is used. In addition to a general control frame, a network management frame (NM frame) is used. The NM frame is for exchanging data for network management, and is less important than a control frame for exchanging data for vehicle control. As the NM frame, for example, a device for transitioning (wake-up) the communication device in the sleep mode to the normal mode, a device for transitioning the communication device in the normal mode to the sleep mode, or information on the life or death of the communication device ( For checking alive information).

  In the communication system defined by the CAN protocol (ISO11898) or the like, an ID is uniquely assigned to each communication device. Therefore, when there are a large number of communication devices constituting the communication system, even in an NM frame not used for general control. Many IDs must be assigned. For this reason, there is a problem that an ID area to be allocated to a general control frame is compressed.

  Although it is possible to assign the same ID to a plurality of communication devices, in this case, if frames with the same ID are simultaneously transmitted from a plurality of communication devices and collide on the bus, a plurality of IDs are transmitted even at the stage where the transmission of the ID is finished. The transmission of the frame is continued by the communication device. For this reason, it is determined that an error has occurred due to a difference in data after the ID, and frame retransmission is repeated according to the protocol stipulation, resulting in frequent error frames on the bus, which increases the bus load and is normal. Frame transmission is interrupted.

  The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication device capable of suppressing an increase in bus load while enabling the same identification code to be assigned to a plurality of communication devices. It is said.

The communication apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention made to achieve the above object is used in a communication system in which a plurality of communication apparatuses communicate via a common bus.
During transmission of a frame including an identification code, this communication device compares the signal level of the transmitted frame with the signal level on the bus for each bit. If the signal level of the bits constituting the identification code is different, it is determined that the arbitration has been lost, and transmission of the frame is stopped. On the other hand, if the signal level of the bit after the identification code is different, an error occurs. It is determined that the frame has been transmitted, the frame transmission is stopped, the error frame is transmitted, and the frame whose transmission has not been completed is retransmitted.

  However, this communication device completes transmission when it is determined that an error has occurred due to a difference in signal level during transmission of a network management frame, which is one of the types of frames to be transmitted, and transmission is stopped. The network management frame that has not been received is configured not to be retransmitted.

  According to a communication system using such a communication device, the same identification code is assigned to a plurality of communication devices as the identification code of the network management frame, and even if an error occurs due to this, the network management frame An increase in bus load due to retransmission can be suppressed.

  In other words, when the same identification code is assigned to a plurality of communication devices as the identification code of the network management frame, when the network management frame is simultaneously transmitted by the plurality of communication devices, the transmission of the identification code is completed. Frame transmission is continued by a plurality of communication devices. For this reason, it is determined that an error has occurred due to a difference in data after the identification code, and transmission of the frame is stopped and an error frame is transmitted. Therefore, in the process of retransmitting a frame whose transmission has not been completed, there is a problem that an error repeatedly occurs and the bus load increases.

  In this regard, the communication device of the present invention does not retransmit the network management frame even if an error occurs due to the collision of the network management frame, so that an increase in bus load can be suppressed. Therefore, an increase in bus load can be suppressed while enabling the same identification code to be assigned to a plurality of communication devices.

  Here, for example, as described in claim 2, when the communication device can switch the operation mode between a normal mode in which communication can be performed and a sleep mode in which communication is stopped to reduce power consumption, The management frame includes a wake-up instruction frame for switching another communication apparatus whose operation mode is the sleep mode to the normal mode. Such a wake-up instruction frame is less important than a control frame for exchanging control data and the like. Therefore, the influence of not retransmitting due to the occurrence of an error is small.

  In particular, as described in claim 3, for example, the communication device operates by receiving a signal until the transmission of the wake-up instruction frame is stopped due to the occurrence of an error when the operation mode is the sleep mode. If the mode is switched to the normal mode, the communication device in the sleep mode can be switched to the normal mode without retransmitting the wakeup instruction frame.

  Specifically, for example, the communication apparatus according to claim 4 includes a transmission message box for temporarily storing data to be transmitted. When a network management frame is temporarily stored in the transmission message box, an error interrupt is permitted. When an error occurs, the network management frame stored in the transmission message box is transmitted by the error interrupt. to erase. In this way, it is possible to prevent the network management frame from being retransmitted as an exceptional process, while being based on the process of retransmitting a frame whose transmission has not been completed due to the occurrence of an error.

It is a block diagram showing the structure of the communication system of embodiment. It is explanatory drawing showing an example of the frame format of a CAN protocol. (A) is a flowchart of a transmission process, (b) is a flowchart of an error interruption process. (A) is a timing chart of the structure which does not carry out an error interruption, (b) is a timing chart of the structure which carries out an error interruption.

Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[1. overall structure]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an in-vehicle communication system in which a CAN (Controller Area Network) protocol is used as a communication protocol.

  In this communication system, a plurality of electronic control units (hereinafter referred to as “ECUs”) 10, 10,... Mounted in a vehicle are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other via a common bus 90. Yes, each ECU 10 functions as a communication device (node). As the ECUs 10, 10,... Mounted on the vehicle, there are various ECUs such as an engine ECU that performs engine control, a brake ECU that performs brake control, a steering ECU that performs steering control, and a suspension ECU that performs suspension control. Can be mentioned.

  Moreover, ECU10,10, ... used for this communication system is comprised so that operation mode can be switched to the normal mode which can perform communication, and the sleep mode which stops communication and reduces power consumption.

[2. Configuration of ECU 10]
Next, the structure of ECU10 used for this communication system is demonstrated.
The ECU 10 is a transceiver 50 that is an interface IC that mediates between the microcomputer 20 (hereinafter referred to as “microcomputer”) 20 that executes control processing of each part of the vehicle and communication processing with other ECUs 10, and the microcomputer 20 and the bus 90. And.

  The microcomputer 20 exchanges messages between the communication controller 30 that executes communication processing (frame transmission / reception, arbitration processing, error processing, etc.) according to the CAN protocol, and another ECU 10 via the communication controller 30. And a processing unit 40 that executes various processes in cooperation with other ECUs 10. Note that the arbitration processing and error processing defined by the CAN protocol are as described in the background art.

  The microcomputer 20 includes a clock circuit (not shown) that generates an operation clock, and is configured to stop the operation of the clock circuit by stopping the power supply to the clock circuit. Yes. Note that the state in which the clock circuit of the microcomputer 20 is operating corresponds to the state in which the operation mode of the ECU 10 is in the normal mode, and the state in which the clock circuit of the microcomputer 20 is stopped in the operation mode is the sleep mode. Corresponds to the state of Then, the ECU 10 transitions (wakes up) to the normal mode when a dominant pulse is detected on the bus 90 in a state where the operation mode is the sleep mode.

  The transceiver 50 converts the frame generated by the communication controller 30 into a communication signal that satisfies a predetermined electrical condition of the bus 90 and transmits the communication signal via the bus 90. Specifically, the communication controller 30 includes a transmission message box 31 for storing (temporarily storing) transmission data such as a message to be transmitted via the bus 90. Is set (stored) in the transmission message box 31, the transmission data is transmitted in a state where the bus 90 is released.

[3. Frame format]
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a frame format of the CAN protocol. The head portion of the frame generated by the communication controller 30 includes an 11-bit identification code (source ID) for identifying what message is assigned to the subsequent data area. The ECU 10 that has received the frame identifies the type of the frame based on the transmission source ID.

  The type of frame generated by the communication controller 30 includes a network control frame (NM frame) in addition to a general control frame. In the communication system according to this embodiment, the sleep mode ECU 10 is switched to the normal mode. A wake-up instruction frame for (wake-up) is transmitted as an NM frame.

  The transmission source ID is uniquely assigned so that different ECUs 10 do not have the same value, and different IDs are assigned depending on the frame type even for the same ECU 10. However, in the communication system of the present embodiment, a common transmission source ID is assigned to all the ECUs 10 for the transmission source ID of the wake-up instruction frame. For this reason, if a wake-up instruction frame is simultaneously transmitted from a plurality of ECUs 10 and collides on the bus 90, the arbitration process is not performed correctly, and an error occurs. Therefore, as described in detail below, the ECU 10 used in the communication system of the present embodiment did not complete the transmission when an error occurred during transmission of the wake-up instruction frame and the transmission was stopped. The wake-up instruction frame is not retransmitted.

[4. Processing executed by the microcomputer 20]
Next, processing executed by the microcomputer 20 (processing unit 40) of the ECU 10 will be described. The microcomputer 20 executes the transmission process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3A when data to be transmitted occurs, and when the error occurs and the error interrupt is permitted, the flowchart of FIG. Execute the indicated error interrupt processing.

  As the transmission process shown in FIG. 3A, the microcomputer 20 first determines whether or not the transmission data is a wake-up instruction frame (S11). If it is determined that the transmission data is not a wake-up instruction frame, an error occurs. While interrupting is prohibited (S12), if it is determined that the frame is a wake-up instruction frame, an error interrupt is permitted (S13). Thereafter, the microcomputer 20 sets the transmission data in the transmission message box 31 (S14), and ends the transmission process.

  If an error occurs during the transmission of the wake-up instruction frame, the microcomputer 20 executes the error interrupt process shown in FIG. 3B and erases the transmission data set in the transmission message box 31. The transmission is canceled (S21).

  In other words, the communication system of this embodiment is provided with a mechanism that does not retransmit the wakeup instruction frame even if an error due to a collision of frames occurs during the transmission of the wakeup instruction frame. Thus, a plurality of ECUs 10 can transmit wake-up instruction frames with the same transmission source ID.

  According to the CAN protocol (ISO11898-5), in order to cause the ECU 10 in the sleep mode to transition (wake up) to the normal mode, it is only necessary to generate a dominant pulse on the bus. Can be waked up even if the error is canceled due to the occurrence of an error. Note that, when transmitting a general control frame, an error interrupt is not permitted, so that a control frame that could not be transmitted due to the occurrence of an error is retransmitted according to the CAN protocol.

[5. effect]
As described above, the ECU 10 used in the communication system according to the present embodiment determines the signal level of the transmitted frame and the signal level on the bus 90 during transmission of the bit after the transmission source ID in the wake-up instruction frame. When the transmission is canceled because it is determined that an error has occurred due to the difference between the wake-up instruction frame and the wake-up instruction frame that has not been transmitted, the wake-up instruction frame is not retransmitted.

  Specifically, the ECU 10 permits an error interrupt when setting a wake-up instruction frame in the transmission message box 31 (S11: YES, S13), and transmits an error interrupt when an error occurs. The transmission of the wake-up instruction frame set in the message box 31 is canceled (S21).

  In other words, by allowing an error interrupt only when transmitting a wakeup instruction frame, even if the wakeup instruction frame collides, the error interrupt process prohibits retransmission of the wakeup instruction frame. I have to. As described above, the wake-up instruction frame is not retransmitted as an exceptional process while the process of retransmitting a frame whose transmission has not been completed due to the occurrence of an error is used as a base.

  According to such a communication system using the ECU 10, the same transmission source ID can be assigned to a plurality of ECUs 10 as the transmission source ID of the wake-up instruction frame, and even if an error occurs due to this, the wake-up is performed. Since the instruction frame is not retransmitted, an increase in bus load can be suppressed. Therefore, an increase in bus load can be suppressed while enabling the same transmission source ID to be assigned to a plurality of ECUs 10.

  Here, the effect compared with the structure which does not permit an error interruption like the past is demonstrated. FIG. 4A is a timing chart of a configuration that does not permit error interrupts, and FIG. 4B is a timing chart of a configuration that permits error interrupts (configuration of the present embodiment).

  As common to FIGS. 4A and 4B, triggered by the occurrence of an event for transmitting a wake-up instruction frame, a plurality of ECUs 10 (referred to herein as “nodes A to D” for convenience of explanation). ), The error frame is transmitted by the node that has determined that an error has occurred due to the difference in data after the transmission source ID, and the frames are transmitted by all the nodes A to D. Is canceled.

  Here, in the configuration in which the error interrupt is not permitted, the transmission of the wake-up instruction frame is not completed in any of the nodes A to D as shown in FIG. ˜D retransmits the wakeup instruction frame. As a result, there is a problem that an error repeatedly occurs and the bus load increases.

  On the other hand, in the configuration in which the error interrupt is permitted as in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4B, even if an error occurs due to collision of the wakeup instruction frame, the wakeup instruction frame is retransmitted. Therefore, useless loads on the bus can be eliminated.

  In particular, the ECU 10 used in the communication system of the present embodiment transitions (wakes up) to the normal mode when a dominant pulse is detected on the bus 90 when the operation mode is the sleep mode. Therefore, the ECU 10 in the sleep mode can be switched to the normal mode by a signal until the transmission of the wakeup instruction frame is stopped due to the occurrence of an error without retransmitting the wakeup instruction frame.

[6. Other Embodiments]
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention can take a various form, without being limited to the said embodiment.

  For example, in the above embodiment, it has been described that the sleep mode ECU 10 can be woken up by detecting a dominant pulse even if transmission of a wakeup instruction frame is stopped due to an error. However, the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which all ECUs 10 connected to the bus 90 are woken up by transmission of a wake-up instruction frame. The ECU 10 can also be applied to a communication system configured to be in a sleep mode. In the communication system having such a configuration, for example, when the dominant pulse is detected, the ECU 10 in the sleep mode temporarily enters the temporary wakeup state, and the ECU 10 itself in the temporary wakeup state determines whether or not the situation is to be waked up. Can be realized. Further, for example, the ECU 10 that wakes up by detecting the dominant pulse and the ECU 10 that does not wake up only by detecting the dominant pulse can be realized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the wake-up instruction frame is exemplified as the NM frame. However, the wake-up instruction frame is not limited to this. For example, a frame for shifting the communication device in the normal mode to the sleep mode, It may be a frame for confirming information on life and death (alive information).

  In the above embodiment, the in-vehicle communication system of the CAN protocol is exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is applied to other CSMA / CD communication protocols (for example, J1850). be able to.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... ECU, 20 ... Microcomputer, 30 ... Communication controller, 31 ... Message box for transmission, 40 ... Processing part, 50 ... Transceiver, 90 ... Bus

Claims (4)

Used in a communication system in which a plurality of communication devices communicate via a common bus. During transmission of a frame including an identification code, the signal level of the transmitted frame and the signal level on the bus are changed bit by bit. In comparison, if the signal levels of the bits constituting the identification code are different, it is determined that the arbitration has been lost and the frame transmission is stopped. On the other hand, if the signal levels of the bits after the identification code are different, A communication device configured to determine that an error has occurred, stop transmitting the frame and transmit the error frame, and then retransmit the frame that has not been transmitted,
When it is determined that the error has occurred during transmission of a network management frame, which is one of the types of frames to be transmitted, and transmission is stopped, the network management frame that has not been transmitted is not retransmitted. It is comprised in these. The communication apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The operation mode can be switched between a normal mode in which communication can be performed and a sleep mode in which communication is stopped to reduce power consumption.
The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network management frame is a wake-up instruction frame for switching another communication apparatus whose operation mode is the sleep mode to the normal mode. When the operation mode is the sleep mode, the operation mode is switched to the normal mode by receiving a signal until transmission of the wake-up instruction frame is stopped due to the occurrence of the error. The communication device according to claim 2. A message box for transmission to temporarily store data to be transmitted;
When the network management frame is temporarily stored in the transmission message box, an error interrupt is permitted. When the error occurs, the network management frame stored in the transmission message box by the error interrupt is allowed. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the frame is erased.