JP3916446B2 - Communication system for device controller development - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a communication system for developing an apparatus control controller.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Development of many microcomputer-type device control controllers used as automotive electronic control units (ECUs) that are installed in vehicles and control engines and various devices, especially the operation verification work (device control controllers) In this case, the device control controller and the development support device that supplies the necessary data to the input / output port and causes the device control controller to perform a test operation are communicated with each other. The control operation of the controller for control is verified.
[0003]
In this conventional device control controller development method, the update (transmission) frequency of various input data to be input from the development support device to the device control controller is the same, and is output from the device control controller to the development support device. The update (transmission) frequency of various output data is the same.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional device control controller development system described above, most of the calculation capability, that is, the data processing capability of the device control controller is naturally to be allocated for the original device control. There is a large restriction on the hardware resources of the device control controller that can be used for communication with the device, so the maximum amount of data that can be communicated per unit time, that is, the communication bandwidth between the two has a large restriction. .
[0005]
For this reason, for example, when trying to substitute (emulate) a control program that requires frequent input data collection or frequent output state changes on the development support device side, high-speed communication between the two is required. The communication bandwidth between the two has become a bottleneck and cannot be realized.
[0006]
This problem can be solved if a new controller for device control with improved communication performance is manufactured, but such hardware development is expensive because it requires a large amount of cost, and it is also difficult for various developments. Since the hardware side device also needs to change the communication usage accordingly, it has been difficult to realize it including the new development of the communication protocol.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problem, and effective data communication performance between the device control controller and the development support device while reducing the burden of hardware changes and the accompanying work changes. The object is to provide a communication method for developing a controller for device control that can be improved.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the communication system for developing a controller for controlling an apparatus according to claim 1, a predetermined control calculation is performed by a predetermined control program built in based on a plurality of types of input data externally input to the input port, and the calculation result is obtained. A device control controller that includes a microcomputer device including an input / output interface for output to an output port, a CPU, and a memory, and communicates with the outside at a predetermined communication timing according to a predetermined communication procedure; and the device control controller; While communicating at the predetermined communication timing in the predetermined communication procedure, the device control controller is controlled under a predetermined condition by performing an emulation operation that substitutes a part or all of the device control program of the device control controller. Device control performed with a development support device for test operation In the communication system for controller development,
A predetermined exchange between the device control controller and the development support device through one or more serial communication channels connecting the input / output interface of the device control controller and the input / output interface of the development support device. Among the types of data, the communication frequency of the predetermined data that requires high frequency update in the test operation is set larger than the communication frequency of the remaining data that does not require high frequency update in the test operation, and the development support The apparatus has a communication frequency setting means for individually setting the communication frequency of each data exchanged between the two .
[0009]
To further illustrate, the present inventors have found that the various data to be communicated with the development support device and the device control controller for error Myuresho down using the development support device, what is needed is frequently updated We focused on the fact that there are some cases where there is no practical problem with low-frequency updates. In other words, regardless of whether a serial transmission method or a parallel transmission method is adopted, in a device development controller development support device communication system having a predetermined communication band, data that can be used practically with low frequency updates is low. Be patient with frequency updates and earn as much communication bandwidth as possible, and divert it to data communications that require high-frequency updates, while avoiding various disadvantages associated with new development and operation of hardware resources. It was also enables substantial speed communication in the communication band, high communication load by aid device it is possible to realize the Rue Myuresho emissions may arise from.
[0010]
The communication band mentioned above is not only the pure communication capability between the two devices, but also the capability of processing the communication data of both devices, particularly the device control controller, for example, the write operation to the internal memory of the received data, the transmission data It also includes the ability to attend to prepare.
[0011]
Further, the communication data is seen containing a predetermined control program rewriting data for device control controller, development support device, acting for some or all of the device control program of the apparatus control controller (emulation).
[0012]
In the present invention , the development support apparatus further includes communication frequency setting means for individually setting the communication frequency of the data exchanged between the two.
[0013]
The development support device, and a data communication control apparatus for communicating with a predetermined timing device control controller with a predetermined protocol (predetermined procedure), Rue Myuresho down operation industry to communicate with device control controller through the data communication control device Computer for use . The data communication control device includes the communication protocol to be used and the necessary data communication with the device control controller in accordance with a communication program stored by itself or based on an external command, that is, data exchange, and development support device. Control necessary data communication, ie data exchange. This type of data communication control device which essentially functions as a communication repeater is well known. In addition to the data communication channel for data communication, the data communication control device can have or not have a command communication channel for exchanging necessary operation commands with the development support device and the device control controller. In short, various known communication protocols and communication techniques may be employed.
[0014]
When such a data communication control device is used, it is easy to store the update frequency (update cycle) of each data to be communicated as a table in the data communication control device. Of course, a similar communication function may be built in the development support apparatus. This data communication device can individually control the communication frequency of each data between both devices by changing the frequency of data access requests to both devices for each data to be communicated or for each data group. .
[0015]
In a preferred aspect, the development support apparatus includes a communication frequency storage unit that rewriteably holds a communication frequency of each data exchanged between the two, and the communication frequency setting unit includes the communication frequency storage unit The communication frequency is set based on the stored result. According to this configuration, since the communication frequency of each data can be changed according to the situation, usability can be improved.
[0016]
In a preferred embodiment, one of the input data is transmitted with high frequency, and the other one of the input data is transmitted with low frequency. In a preferred embodiment, one of the output data is transmitted with high frequency, and the other one of the output data is transmitted with low frequency.
In a preferred aspect, the device control controller and the development support device are exchanged through a plurality of serial communication channels connecting the input / output interface of the device control controller and the input / output interface of the development support device. Among the predetermined types of data, the predetermined data requiring high frequency update in the test operation is communicated through a serial communication channel different from the remaining data not requiring high frequency update in the test operation.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the above-described apparatus control controller of the present invention will be described below .
[0018]
【Example】
FIG. 1 shows a development system for improving the program of an automotive ECU.
[0019]
Reference numeral 1 denotes an automobile ECU, which is simply illustrated as a microcomputer device including an input / output interface 11, a CPU 12, and a memory 13. Reference numeral 2 denotes a development support device having a microcomputer device configuration, which includes at least an input / output interface 21, a CPU 22, and a memory 23. Reference numeral 3 denotes a communication auxiliary device (data communication control device, repeater) that is arranged between the vehicle ECU 1 and the development support device 2 and relays communication between the two.
[0020]
The communication auxiliary device 3 is also composed of a microcomputer device, and controls communication between the automotive ECU 1 and the development support device 2 in accordance with a communication protocol stored in an internal memory and a communication frequency table for each communication data described later, so that a suitable timing is obtained. The necessary input data is sent from the vehicle ECU 1 which is a device control controller to the development support device 2, and the necessary output data is sent from the development support device 2 to the vehicle ECU 1 at a suitable timing.
[0021]
Since the configuration and operation of each of the devices 1, 2, and 3 are essentially the same except for the communication frequency table, detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0022]
FIG. 2 shows a communication frequency table of communication data 100 to 106 as serial data, and an example of communication control performed by the communication auxiliary device 3 with the vehicle ECU 1 based on the communication frequency table is shown in FIG. Shown in the chart. T is a data communication period for data communication executed at a fixed timing for each channel, the first channel X performs communication of data 100 requiring high frequency update, and the second channel Y performs intermediate frequency update. The third channel Z sequentially communicates data 102 to 105 that may be updated infrequently.
[0023]
In this embodiment, a method is adopted in which the determination of the type of data to be communicated next and the designation of the channel through which the data is transmitted are notified to the automotive ECU 1 and the development support device 2 before each data communication period T. However, when the communication auxiliary device 3 starts data communication, the control information indicating the communication order of each data is notified to the vehicle ECU 1 and the development support device 2, respectively, and the vehicle ECU 1 and the development support device 2 transmit according to this control information. Transmission of data to be performed and determination of received data may be performed. In FIG. 3, data communication is periodically performed. However, the automotive ECU 1 and the development support device 2 may transmit data every time there is a request from the communication auxiliary device 3. Further, in FIG. 3, each data communication period T may be sequentially performed in sequence.
[0024]
FIG. 4 shows an example of communication control performed by the communication auxiliary device 3.
[0025]
This control is started when the power is turned on, and after the initial setting and execution of the test communication routine to determine whether communication is possible, the contents of the communication frequency table including the communication frequency values for each data stored in advance are read (S100), According to the content of the read communication frequency table, control of data communication between the automotive ECU 1 and the development support apparatus 2 is performed (S102), and upon receipt of a communication end command from the outside or the development support apparatus 2 (S104), End control.
[0026]
(Modification)
In FIG. 3, the communication is performed in parallel on three channels. However, the specific method of communication is free, for example, it may be performed on one channel, and communication between the vehicle ECU 1 and the communication auxiliary device 3 is possible. The method and the communication method between the development support device 2 and the communication auxiliary device 3 may be different from each other.
[0027]
(Modification)
In the above embodiment, since effective communication performance improvement of predetermined data can be realized in a narrow total communication band, a part or all of the device control program of the automotive ECU 1 is used by the development support device 2 by using it. It is also possible to perform substitution (emulation).
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an automotive ECU development system that implements an apparatus control controller development communication system according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a communication frequency table used in the system of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing an example of communication control performed based on the communication frequency table of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of communication control performed by a communication auxiliary device.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Automotive ECU (controller for device control)
2 Development support device 3 Communication support device (Development support device, communication frequency storage means, communication frequency setting means)

Claims (3)

An input / output interface, a CPU, and a memory for performing a predetermined control calculation by a built-in predetermined control program based on a plurality of types of input data input from the outside to the input port and outputting the calculation result to the output port together comprising a microcomputer device comprising, a device control controller to communicate with the outside at a predetermined communication timing in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure, to communicate with the predetermined communication timing with the device control controller in said predetermined communication procedure In addition, for device control performed with a development support device that performs a test operation of the device control controller under predetermined conditions by performing an emulation operation that represents part or all of the device control program of the device control controller In the communication system for controller development,
A predetermined exchange between the device control controller and the development support device through one or more serial communication channels connecting the input / output interface of the device control controller and the input / output interface of the development support device. Among the types of data, the communication frequency of the predetermined data that requires high frequency update in the test operation is set to be greater than the communication frequency of the remaining data that does not require high frequency update in the test operation ,
The development support apparatus has a communication frequency setting means for individually setting the communication frequency of each data exchanged between the two . In the communication system for developing a controller for controlling an apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The development support apparatus includes a communication frequency storage unit that holds the communication frequency of each data exchanged between the two in a rewritable manner for each data, and the communication frequency setting unit includes the communication frequency storage unit line USo置制patronage controller development communication method setting of the communication frequency based on the stored results of the.   In the communication system for developing a controller for controlling an apparatus according to claim 2,
  A predetermined type of exchange between the device control controller and the development support device through a plurality of serial communication channels connecting the input / output interface of the device control controller and the input / output interface of the development support device. Among the data, the predetermined data requiring high frequency update in the test operation is used for developing a controller for device control communicated through the serial communication channel different from the remaining data not requiring high frequency update in the test operation. Communication method.

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