WO2022207707A1 - Electronic control units and communication in an electronic control arrangement - Google Patents

Electronic control units and communication in an electronic control arrangement Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022207707A1
WO2022207707A1 PCT/EP2022/058414 EP2022058414W WO2022207707A1 WO 2022207707 A1 WO2022207707 A1 WO 2022207707A1 EP 2022058414 W EP2022058414 W EP 2022058414W WO 2022207707 A1 WO2022207707 A1 WO 2022207707A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
ecu
interface
processing unit
data
ethernet
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2022/058414
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Chup-Chung Wong
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Connaught Electronics Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Connaught Electronics Ltd. filed Critical Connaught Electronics Ltd.
Publication of WO2022207707A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022207707A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/40—Bus networks
    • H04L12/40006—Architecture of a communication node
    • H04L12/40013—Details regarding a bus controller

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electronic control units for a vehicle, to an electronic control arrangement for a vehicle and to a method for communication in an electronic control arrangement.
  • ECUs In automobiles or other vehicles there are multiple electronic control units, ECUs, which are interconnected via communication networks.
  • the communication networks may, for example, be based on CAN, LIN, FlexRay or ethernet. While CAN, LIN and FlexRay can only provide data transfer rates up to 1 Mbps, 250 kbps and 10 Mbps, respectively, ethernet may allow for a data throughput ranging from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps.
  • the invention is based on the idea to provide a serializer or deserializer for exchanging video data between two different ECUs with an ethernet interface for communication between the ECUs.
  • a first electronic control unit, ECU, for a vehicle comprises a first connector interface for connecting a data cable to the first ECU via the first connector interface.
  • the first ECU comprises a serializer connected to the first connector interface for data transfer via the data cable, in particular when the data cable is connected to the first connector interface.
  • the first ECU comprises a first processing unit which is connected to the serializer via a first digital video interface of the first ECU and via a first ethernet interface of the first ECU.
  • the first processing unit is configured to transmit video data via the first digital video interface, the serializer and the first connector interface.
  • the first processing unit is configured to transmit and/or receive communication data via the first ethernet interface, the serializer and the first connector interface.
  • the video data may for example be received by the first processing unit from a memory unit of the first ECU or may be generated by the first processing unit based on raw video data received from the memory unit.
  • the video data may be transmitted from the serializer via the data cable to a second ECU, when the second ECU is connected to the first ECU via the data cable.
  • the communication data may be transmitted from the serializer via the data cable to the second ECU or may be received by the serializer via the data cable from the second ECU, in case the second ECU is connected to the first ECU via the data cable
  • uncompressed video data and, for example, other binary files may be transmitted by the first processing unit via the serializer and the first digital video interface to the second ECU via the data cable.
  • the serializer is configured to receive the video data from the first processing unit and serialize the video data and transmit the serialized video data via the first connector interface to the data cable.
  • a second ECU for a vehicle comprises a second connector interface for connecting the data cable to the second ECU and, consequently, for connecting the second ECU via the data cable to the first ECU.
  • the second ECU comprises a deserializer connected to the second connector interface for data transfer via the data cable, when the data cable is connected to the second ECU.
  • the second ECU comprises a second processing unit, which is connected to the deserializer via a second digital video interface of the second ECU and via a second ethernet interface of the second ECU.
  • the second processing unit is configured to receive video data via the second digital video interface, the deserializer and the second connector interface, in particular via the data cable from the first ECU.
  • the second processing unit is configured to transmit and/or receive communication data via the second ethernet interface the deserializer and the second connector interface, in particular via the data cable from the first ECU.
  • the serializer of the first ECU transmits the serialized video data via the data cable and the second connector interface to the deserializer, which reconstructs the video data by deserializing the serialized video data and provides the reconstructed video data to the second processing unit via the second digital video interface.
  • first ECU and/or a second ECU By means of a first ECU and/or a second ECU according to the invention, uncompressed video data transfer between ECUs as well as ethernet communication, in particular bidirectional ethernet communication, is enabled via a single data cable. Therefore, the topology of the communication network is less complex than for other arrangements, which might use, for example, a data cable between serializer and deserializer for uncompressed video transfer and a further data cable for ethernet communication.
  • the ethernet communication allows for a high data transfer rate
  • the ethernet communication may also be denoted as high bandwidth communication and the communication data may be denoted as high bandwidth data.
  • the high bandwidth data between the first and the second ECU may be separated from the rest of the communication network in the vehicle, which may potentially reduce the processing load of other ECUs and maximize the available bandwidth in the total vehicle network.
  • the first processing unit is implemented as a first system-on-a-chip, SoC, and/or the second processing unit is implemented as a second SoC.
  • the first and/or the second ethernet interface may, for example, be implemented as interfaces according to Mil, RGMII, SGMII, HSGMII, PCIe or XFI.
  • the first ECU may be designed as an ECU for the preparation of video contents, which may, for example, be stored on a memory unit of the first ECU.
  • the second ECU may, for example, be implemented as an ECU for receiving the prepared video contents from the first ECU and for processing the received video data, for example for sending it to a display unit of the vehicle.
  • the second ECU may, in some implementations, comprise a display connection interface for connecting the display unit to the second ECU, and the second processing unit is configured to process the received video data and to transmit the processed video data to the display unit via the display connection interface.
  • the first ECU is implemented as a surround-view ECU.
  • the first processing unit may generate surround view images from camera images received from one or more cameras of the vehicle.
  • the first ECU may be designed as a bird-eye view ECU.
  • the first processing unit is configured to project one or more camera images received from the one or more cameras into a top view perspective.
  • the first ECU may be designed as a rear-view ECU, as a parking visualization ECU or as an automated parking and visualization ECU.
  • the second ECU may be designed as an infotainment ECU, a human-machine-interface ECU or an integrated display head unit ECU.
  • these examples for the first and the second ECU do in general not limit the applicability of the invention.
  • the first processing unit and/or the second processing unit as well as the first ethernet interface and/or the second ethernet interface are configured for bidirectional communication of the communication data.
  • the first digital video interface and/or the second digital video interface is configured for handling uncompressed video data.
  • the video data comprises uncompressed video data.
  • the first digital video interface and/or second digital video interface may be designed as digital parallel video interfaces.
  • the first and/or second digital video interfaces may, for example, be implemented according to MiPi CSI-2, MiPi DSI, oLDI, LVDS, HDMI or DP.
  • the first ethernet interface comprises an ethernet switch.
  • the first ECU comprises a further connector interface for connecting a further data cable to the first ECU.
  • the first ECU further comprises an ethernet physical transceiver chip connected between the ethernet switch and the further connector interface.
  • the first ECU may be connected to a third ECU. Consequently, the first processing unit may communicate via an ethernet communication connection with the third ECU.
  • the second ECU may, if connected to the first ECU via the data cable, communicate via ethernet via the data cable, the deserializer and the serializer, the first processing unit and the ethernet switch and finally the further connector interface and the further data cable with the third ECU without requiring a dedicated additional ethernet connection between the second and the third ECU.
  • the first ECU comprises an integrated device comprising the ethernet switch and the ethernet physical transceiver chip.
  • the ethernet switch is separated from the first processing unit and, in particular, from the first SoC of the first processing unit, in such implementations.
  • the ethernet switch and the ethernet physical transceiver are implemented separately from each other.
  • the ethernet switch is integrated into the first processing unit.
  • the SoC of the first processing unit also comprises the ethernet switch.
  • the first ECU comprises a first control interface connecting the first processing unit to the serializer and the first processing unit is configured to send configuration data via the control interface to the serializer for configuring the serializer.
  • the second ECU comprises a second control interface connecting the second processing unit to the deserializer, and the second processing unit is configured to send configuration data via the second control interface to the deserializer for configuring the deserializer.
  • the first and/or second control interface comprises a serial data bus.
  • the serial data bus may, for example, be implemented as an l 2 C data bus or as an SPI data bus.
  • an electronic control arrangement for a vehicle comprises a first ECU according to the invention and a second ECU according to the invention.
  • the electronic control arrangement further comprises a data cable, which is connected to the first connector interface of the first ECU and to the second connector interface of the second ECU.
  • the data cable comprises a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable.
  • the electronic control arrangement comprises a further data cable connected to the further connector interface of the first ECU and the electronic control unit comprises a third ECU, connected to the first ECU via the further data cable.
  • the further data cable may comprise a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable.
  • a method for communication in an electronic control arrangement comprising a first ECU and a second ECU.
  • the first ECU and/or the second ECU is, in particular, implemented according to the invention.
  • video data is transmitted from a first processing unit of the first ECU to a second processing unit of the second ECU.
  • the video data is transmitted from the first processing unit to a serializer of the first ECU.
  • the serializer serializes the video data and transmits it to a deserializer of the second ECU, which is connected via a data cable connecting the first ECU to the second ECU to the serializer.
  • the deserializer deserializes the received serialized video data and transmits it via a second digital video interface of the second ECU to the second processing unit.
  • Communication data is exchanged between the first processing unit and the second processing unit, in particular in a bidirectional manner, via a first ethernet interface of the first ECU and a second ethernet interface of the second ECU.
  • the first processing unit may transmit the communication data via the first ethernet interface to the serializer and the serializer may transmit it via the data cable to the deserializer, which transmits it via the second ethernet interface to the second processing unit.
  • the opposite direction of communication is also possible.
  • further communication data is exchanged between the second processing unit and a third processing unit of the electronic control arrangement via the deserializer, the second ethernet interface, the serializer, the first ethernet interface and a further data cable connecting the first ECU to the third ECU.
  • an electronic control arrangement according to the invention is configured to carry out a method according to the invention or carries out such a method.
  • Fig. 1 shows schematically a vehicle with an exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a further exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement according to the invention.
  • Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a further exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement according to the invention.
  • Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 1 , which comprises an exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement 2 according to the invention as well as a display unit 3 connected to the electronic control arrangement 2.
  • Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement 2 according to the invention, which may be used in a vehicle 1 as shown in Fig. 1.
  • the electronic control arrangement 2 comprises a first ECU 4a, which may be designed as a video preparation ECU, and a second ECU 4b, which may be designed to control the display unit 3. To this end, the second ECU 4b may be connected to the display unit 3.
  • the first ECU 4a comprises a first processing unit 7a and the second ECU 4b comprises a second processing unit 7b.
  • the first ECU 4a comprises a serializer 10 connected to the first ECU 4a via a first digital video interface 12a
  • the second ECU 4b comprises a deserializer 11 connected to the second processing unit 7b via a second digital video interface 12b.
  • the serializer 10 is connected to the first processing unit 7a via a first ethernet interface 14a
  • the deserializer 11 is connected to the second processing unit 7b via a second ethernet interface 14b.
  • the first ECU comprises a first connector interface 5a connected to the serializer 10 and connected via a data cable 8 to a second connector interface 5b of the second ECU 4b.
  • the second connector interface 5b is connected to the deserializer 11 .
  • the first processing unit 7a is configured to transmit video data, in particular uncompressed video data, via the first digital video interface 12a to the serializer 10.
  • the serializer 10 is configured to serialize the video data and transmit the serialized video data via the first connector interface 5a and the data cable 8 to the second connector interface 5b and consequently to the deserializer 11 .
  • the deserializer 11 is configured to deserialize the serialized video data and transmit the reconstructed video data via the second digital video interface 12b to the second processing unit 7b.
  • first processing unit 7a and the second processing unit 7b may communicate in a bidirectional manner via the data cable 8.
  • first processing unit 7a may send communication data via the first ethernet interface 14a, the serializer 10, the first connector interface 5a, the data cable 8, the second connector interface 5b, the deserializer 11 and the second ethernet interface 14b to the second processing unit 7b.
  • the second processing unit 7b may send communication data via the second ethernet interface 14b, the deserializer 11 , the second connector interface 5b, the data cable 8, the first connector interface 5a, the serializer 10 and the first ethernet interface 14a to the first processing unit 7a.
  • Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a further exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement 2 according to the improved concept, which is based on the implementation of Fig. 2.
  • the first and the second processing unit 7a, 7b may be designed as SoCs.
  • the data cable 8 may be implemented as a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable, for example.
  • the first ECU 4a may comprise a first control interface 13a, which connects the first processing unit 7a to the serializer 10 and allows the first processing unit 7a to configure the serializer 10 and/or to receive or send low speed data from or to the deserializer 11 via the data cable 8.
  • the second ECU 4b may comprise a second control interface 13b that allows the second processing unit 7b to configure the deserializer 11 and/or to send or receive low speed data from or to the serializer 10 via the data cable 8.
  • High speed data may be transferred between the first and the second ECU 4a, 4b via the ethernet interfaces 14a, 14b and the data cable 8.
  • the first ECU 4a may comprises a flash memory unit 18a and/or a DDR memory unit 19a.
  • the processing unit 7a may, for example, receive the video data or raw video data from one of the memory units 18a, 19a and transmit the video data or the preprocessed raw video data as described via the digital video interfaces 12a, 12b and the SerDes combination represented by the serializer 10 and the deserializer 11 .
  • the second ECU may also comprise a flash memory unit 18b and/or a DDR memory unit 19b, connected to the second processing unit 7b.
  • the electronic control arrangement 2 comprises third ECU 4c.
  • the third ECU 4c may be designed as a vehicle network gateway ECU or a vehicle network hub ECU.
  • the third ECU 4c comprises a third connector interface 6b
  • the first ECU 4a comprises a further first connector interface 6a connected via a further data cable 9, for example a further coaxial cable or a further twisted pair cable, to the third connector interface 6b.
  • the first ethernet interface 14a may comprise an ethernet physical transceiver chip 16, also denoted as ethernet PFIY, connected to the further first connector interface 6a.
  • the first ethernet interface 14a may comprise an ethernet switch 15 connected to the serializer 10, the first processing unit 7a and the ethernet physical transceiver chip 16.
  • the ethernet switch 15 and the ethernet physical transceiver chip 16 may be implemented as separate electronic devices or as a single integrated device.
  • the ethernet switch 15 may be integrated into the SoC of the first processing unit 7a.
  • the third ECU 4c may comprise a further ethernet physical transceiver chip 20 connected to the third connector interface 6b.
  • the third ECU 4c may also comprise a further ethernet switch 21 connected between the further ethernet physical transceiver chip 20 and a third processing unit 7c of the third ECU 4c.
  • the ethernet communication between the second ECU 4b and the first ECU 4a as described above may be utilized. This may be combined with ethernet communication between the first ECU 4a and the third ECU 4c realized in particular by the ethernet switch 15, the ethernet physical transceiver chip 16, the connector interfaces 6a, 6b and the further data cable 9 as well as the further ethernet physical transceiver chip 20 and the further ethernet switch 21.
  • the third ECU 4c may comprise a further ethernet physical transceiver chip 22 connected to the further ethernet switch 21 and to a further connector interface 6c of the third ECU 4c.
  • the first and the second ECUs 4a, 4b may communicate via ethernet connection via the third ECU 4c and the further connector interface 6c also with further ECUs (not shown) of the vehicle network.
  • the invention allows in several implementations for a direct high bandwidth communication via a single data cable between an ECU for display applications and an ECU for video content preparation.
  • the invention addresses the requirements for complex network connections to enable these high bandwidth communications.
  • a video serializer and deserializer are utilized to enable the connection between two ECUs, for example, via a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable. This allows for a transfer of uncompressed video data from the serializer side to the deserializer side as well as for a bidirectional ethernet communication at 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps or even 1000 Mbps.
  • the invention simplifies the required network topology in a vehicle when high bandwidth data communication is required.

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  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
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Abstract

For communication in an electronic control arrangement (2), video data is transmitted from a first processing unit (7a) of a first ECU (4a) via a first digital video interface (12a), a serializer (10), a data cable (8) between the first ECU (4a) and a second ECU (4b), a deserializer (11) and a second digital video interface (12b) to a second processing unit (7b) of the second ECU (4b). Communication data is exchanged between the first processing unit (7a) and the second processing unit (7b) via a first ethernet interface (14a), the serializer (10), the data cable (8), the deserializer (11) and a second ethernet interface (14b) of the second ECU (4b).

Description

ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNITS AND COMMUNICATION IN AN ELECTRONIC
CONTROL ARRANGEMENT
The present invention relates to electronic control units for a vehicle, to an electronic control arrangement for a vehicle and to a method for communication in an electronic control arrangement.
In automobiles or other vehicles there are multiple electronic control units, ECUs, which are interconnected via communication networks. The communication networks may, for example, be based on CAN, LIN, FlexRay or ethernet. While CAN, LIN and FlexRay can only provide data transfer rates up to 1 Mbps, 250 kbps and 10 Mbps, respectively, ethernet may allow for a data throughput ranging from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce the complexity of wiring among different ECUs, in particular for reducing cabling costs.
This object is achieved by the respective subject-matter of independent claims. Further implementations and preferred embodiments are subject-matter of the dependent claims.
The invention is based on the idea to provide a serializer or deserializer for exchanging video data between two different ECUs with an ethernet interface for communication between the ECUs.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a first electronic control unit, ECU, for a vehicle is provided. The first ECU comprises a first connector interface for connecting a data cable to the first ECU via the first connector interface. The first ECU comprises a serializer connected to the first connector interface for data transfer via the data cable, in particular when the data cable is connected to the first connector interface. The first ECU comprises a first processing unit which is connected to the serializer via a first digital video interface of the first ECU and via a first ethernet interface of the first ECU. The first processing unit is configured to transmit video data via the first digital video interface, the serializer and the first connector interface. The first processing unit is configured to transmit and/or receive communication data via the first ethernet interface, the serializer and the first connector interface. 2020PF01839
WO 2022/207707 PCT/EP2022/058414
2
The video data may for example be received by the first processing unit from a memory unit of the first ECU or may be generated by the first processing unit based on raw video data received from the memory unit. In particular the video data may be transmitted from the serializer via the data cable to a second ECU, when the second ECU is connected to the first ECU via the data cable. In particular the communication data may be transmitted from the serializer via the data cable to the second ECU or may be received by the serializer via the data cable from the second ECU, in case the second ECU is connected to the first ECU via the data cable
In particular, uncompressed video data and, for example, other binary files may be transmitted by the first processing unit via the serializer and the first digital video interface to the second ECU via the data cable. In particular, the serializer is configured to receive the video data from the first processing unit and serialize the video data and transmit the serialized video data via the first connector interface to the data cable.
According to a second aspect of the improved concept, a second ECU for a vehicle is provided. The second ECU comprises a second connector interface for connecting the data cable to the second ECU and, consequently, for connecting the second ECU via the data cable to the first ECU. The second ECU comprises a deserializer connected to the second connector interface for data transfer via the data cable, when the data cable is connected to the second ECU. The second ECU comprises a second processing unit, which is connected to the deserializer via a second digital video interface of the second ECU and via a second ethernet interface of the second ECU. The second processing unit is configured to receive video data via the second digital video interface, the deserializer and the second connector interface, in particular via the data cable from the first ECU.
The second processing unit is configured to transmit and/or receive communication data via the second ethernet interface the deserializer and the second connector interface, in particular via the data cable from the first ECU.
For example, the serializer of the first ECU transmits the serialized video data via the data cable and the second connector interface to the deserializer, which reconstructs the video data by deserializing the serialized video data and provides the reconstructed video data to the second processing unit via the second digital video interface.
By means of a first ECU and/or a second ECU according to the invention, uncompressed video data transfer between ECUs as well as ethernet communication, in particular bidirectional ethernet communication, is enabled via a single data cable. Therefore, the topology of the communication network is less complex than for other arrangements, which might use, for example, a data cable between serializer and deserializer for uncompressed video transfer and a further data cable for ethernet communication.
Since the ethernet communication allows for a high data transfer rate, the ethernet communication may also be denoted as high bandwidth communication and the communication data may be denoted as high bandwidth data. According to the invention, the high bandwidth data between the first and the second ECU may be separated from the rest of the communication network in the vehicle, which may potentially reduce the processing load of other ECUs and maximize the available bandwidth in the total vehicle network.
In some implementations of the invention, the first processing unit is implemented as a first system-on-a-chip, SoC, and/or the second processing unit is implemented as a second SoC.
Depending on the required ethernet speed and support of different electronic devices, the first and/or the second ethernet interface may, for example, be implemented as interfaces according to Mil, RGMII, SGMII, HSGMII, PCIe or XFI.
The first ECU may be designed as an ECU for the preparation of video contents, which may, for example, be stored on a memory unit of the first ECU. The second ECU may, for example, be implemented as an ECU for receiving the prepared video contents from the first ECU and for processing the received video data, for example for sending it to a display unit of the vehicle.
To this end, the second ECU may, in some implementations, comprise a display connection interface for connecting the display unit to the second ECU, and the second processing unit is configured to process the received video data and to transmit the processed video data to the display unit via the display connection interface.
In some implementations, the first ECU is implemented as a surround-view ECU. In this case, the first processing unit may generate surround view images from camera images received from one or more cameras of the vehicle. In some implementations, the first ECU may be designed as a bird-eye view ECU. In this case, the first processing unit is configured to project one or more camera images received from the one or more cameras into a top view perspective. In other implementations, the first ECU may be designed as a rear-view ECU, as a parking visualization ECU or as an automated parking and visualization ECU. According to several implementations, the second ECU may be designed as an infotainment ECU, a human-machine-interface ECU or an integrated display head unit ECU. However, these examples for the first and the second ECU do in general not limit the applicability of the invention.
According to several implementations, the first processing unit and/or the second processing unit as well as the first ethernet interface and/or the second ethernet interface are configured for bidirectional communication of the communication data.
According to several implementations, the first digital video interface and/or the second digital video interface is configured for handling uncompressed video data. In other words, the video data comprises uncompressed video data.
For example, the first digital video interface and/or second digital video interface may be designed as digital parallel video interfaces. The first and/or second digital video interfaces may, for example, be implemented according to MiPi CSI-2, MiPi DSI, oLDI, LVDS, HDMI or DP.
According to several implementations, the first ethernet interface comprises an ethernet switch.
According to several implementations, the first ECU comprises a further connector interface for connecting a further data cable to the first ECU. The first ECU further comprises an ethernet physical transceiver chip connected between the ethernet switch and the further connector interface.
Via the further data cable and the further connector interface, the first ECU may be connected to a third ECU. Consequently, the first processing unit may communicate via an ethernet communication connection with the third ECU. However, also the second ECU may, if connected to the first ECU via the data cable, communicate via ethernet via the data cable, the deserializer and the serializer, the first processing unit and the ethernet switch and finally the further connector interface and the further data cable with the third ECU without requiring a dedicated additional ethernet connection between the second and the third ECU. In this way, the wiring complexity and costs of the communication network may be further decreased. According to several implementations, the first ECU comprises an integrated device comprising the ethernet switch and the ethernet physical transceiver chip. In particular, the ethernet switch is separated from the first processing unit and, in particular, from the first SoC of the first processing unit, in such implementations.
In other implementations, the ethernet switch and the ethernet physical transceiver are implemented separately from each other.
According to several implementations, the ethernet switch is integrated into the first processing unit. In particular, the SoC of the first processing unit also comprises the ethernet switch. According to several implementations, the first ECU comprises a first control interface connecting the first processing unit to the serializer and the first processing unit is configured to send configuration data via the control interface to the serializer for configuring the serializer. According to several implementations, the second ECU comprises a second control interface connecting the second processing unit to the deserializer, and the second processing unit is configured to send configuration data via the second control interface to the deserializer for configuring the deserializer. According to several implementations, the first and/or second control interface comprises a serial data bus.
The serial data bus may, for example, be implemented as an l2C data bus or as an SPI data bus.
According to a third aspect of the invention, an electronic control arrangement for a vehicle is provided. The electronic control arrangement comprises a first ECU according to the invention and a second ECU according to the invention. The electronic control arrangement further comprises a data cable, which is connected to the first connector interface of the first ECU and to the second connector interface of the second ECU. According to several implementations of the electronic control arrangement, the data cable comprises a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable.
According to several implementations, the electronic control arrangement comprises a further data cable connected to the further connector interface of the first ECU and the electronic control unit comprises a third ECU, connected to the first ECU via the further data cable.
For example, the further data cable may comprise a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a method for communication in an electronic control arrangement comprising a first ECU and a second ECU is provided. Therein, the first ECU and/or the second ECU is, in particular, implemented according to the invention. According to the method, video data is transmitted from a first processing unit of the first ECU to a second processing unit of the second ECU. Therein, the video data is transmitted from the first processing unit to a serializer of the first ECU. The serializer serializes the video data and transmits it to a deserializer of the second ECU, which is connected via a data cable connecting the first ECU to the second ECU to the serializer. The deserializer deserializes the received serialized video data and transmits it via a second digital video interface of the second ECU to the second processing unit. Communication data is exchanged between the first processing unit and the second processing unit, in particular in a bidirectional manner, via a first ethernet interface of the first ECU and a second ethernet interface of the second ECU.
Therein, the first processing unit may transmit the communication data via the first ethernet interface to the serializer and the serializer may transmit it via the data cable to the deserializer, which transmits it via the second ethernet interface to the second processing unit. The opposite direction of communication is also possible.
According to several implementations of the method, further communication data is exchanged between the second processing unit and a third processing unit of the electronic control arrangement via the deserializer, the second ethernet interface, the serializer, the first ethernet interface and a further data cable connecting the first ECU to the third ECU.
Further implementations of the method according to the invention follow directly from the various implementations of the first ECU according to the invention, the second ECU according to the invention and the electronic control arrangement according to the invention and vice versa, respectively. In particular, an electronic control arrangement according to the invention is configured to carry out a method according to the invention or carries out such a method.
Further features of the invention are apparent from the claims, the figures and the description of figures. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of figures and/or shown in the figures alone may not only be encompassed by the improved concept in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations. Thus, implementations of the improved concept are encompassed and disclosed, which may not explicitly be shown in the figures or explained, but arise from and can be generated by separated feature combinations from the explained implementations. Implementations and feature combinations, which do not have all features of an originally formulated claim, may be encompassed by the improved concept. Moreover, implementations and feature combinations, which extend beyond or deviate from the feature combinations set out in the relations of the claims, may be encompassed by the improved concept. In the figures:
Fig. 1 shows schematically a vehicle with an exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement according to the invention;
Fig. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a further exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement according to the invention; and
Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a further exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement according to the invention.
Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 1 , which comprises an exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement 2 according to the invention as well as a display unit 3 connected to the electronic control arrangement 2. Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement 2 according to the invention, which may be used in a vehicle 1 as shown in Fig. 1.
The electronic control arrangement 2 comprises a first ECU 4a, which may be designed as a video preparation ECU, and a second ECU 4b, which may be designed to control the display unit 3. To this end, the second ECU 4b may be connected to the display unit 3. The first ECU 4a comprises a first processing unit 7a and the second ECU 4b comprises a second processing unit 7b. The first ECU 4a comprises a serializer 10 connected to the first ECU 4a via a first digital video interface 12a, and the second ECU 4b comprises a deserializer 11 connected to the second processing unit 7b via a second digital video interface 12b.
Furthermore, the serializer 10 is connected to the first processing unit 7a via a first ethernet interface 14a, and the deserializer 11 is connected to the second processing unit 7b via a second ethernet interface 14b. The first ECU comprises a first connector interface 5a connected to the serializer 10 and connected via a data cable 8 to a second connector interface 5b of the second ECU 4b. The second connector interface 5b is connected to the deserializer 11 .
The first processing unit 7a is configured to transmit video data, in particular uncompressed video data, via the first digital video interface 12a to the serializer 10. The serializer 10 is configured to serialize the video data and transmit the serialized video data via the first connector interface 5a and the data cable 8 to the second connector interface 5b and consequently to the deserializer 11 . The deserializer 11 is configured to deserialize the serialized video data and transmit the reconstructed video data via the second digital video interface 12b to the second processing unit 7b.
In addition, the first processing unit 7a and the second processing unit 7b may communicate in a bidirectional manner via the data cable 8. To this end, the first processing unit 7a may send communication data via the first ethernet interface 14a, the serializer 10, the first connector interface 5a, the data cable 8, the second connector interface 5b, the deserializer 11 and the second ethernet interface 14b to the second processing unit 7b. Alternatively, the second processing unit 7b may send communication data via the second ethernet interface 14b, the deserializer 11 , the second connector interface 5b, the data cable 8, the first connector interface 5a, the serializer 10 and the first ethernet interface 14a to the first processing unit 7a. Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a further exemplary implementation of an electronic control arrangement 2 according to the improved concept, which is based on the implementation of Fig. 2.
For example, the first and the second processing unit 7a, 7b may be designed as SoCs. The data cable 8 may be implemented as a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable, for example. Optionally, the first ECU 4a may comprise a first control interface 13a, which connects the first processing unit 7a to the serializer 10 and allows the first processing unit 7a to configure the serializer 10 and/or to receive or send low speed data from or to the deserializer 11 via the data cable 8. Analogously, the second ECU 4b may comprise a second control interface 13b that allows the second processing unit 7b to configure the deserializer 11 and/or to send or receive low speed data from or to the serializer 10 via the data cable 8. High speed data may be transferred between the first and the second ECU 4a, 4b via the ethernet interfaces 14a, 14b and the data cable 8.
For example, the first ECU 4a may comprises a flash memory unit 18a and/or a DDR memory unit 19a. The processing unit 7a may, for example, receive the video data or raw video data from one of the memory units 18a, 19a and transmit the video data or the preprocessed raw video data as described via the digital video interfaces 12a, 12b and the SerDes combination represented by the serializer 10 and the deserializer 11 . Optionally, the second ECU may also comprise a flash memory unit 18b and/or a DDR memory unit 19b, connected to the second processing unit 7b.
In some implementations, the electronic control arrangement 2 comprises third ECU 4c. For example, the third ECU 4c may be designed as a vehicle network gateway ECU or a vehicle network hub ECU. The third ECU 4c comprises a third connector interface 6b, and the first ECU 4a comprises a further first connector interface 6a connected via a further data cable 9, for example a further coaxial cable or a further twisted pair cable, to the third connector interface 6b.
In such implementations, the first ethernet interface 14a may comprise an ethernet physical transceiver chip 16, also denoted as ethernet PFIY, connected to the further first connector interface 6a. Furthermore, the first ethernet interface 14a may comprise an ethernet switch 15 connected to the serializer 10, the first processing unit 7a and the ethernet physical transceiver chip 16. Depending on the desired level of integration, the ethernet switch 15 and the ethernet physical transceiver chip 16 may be implemented as separate electronic devices or as a single integrated device. Alternatively, the ethernet switch 15 may be integrated into the SoC of the first processing unit 7a.
The third ECU 4c may comprise a further ethernet physical transceiver chip 20 connected to the third connector interface 6b. The third ECU 4c may also comprise a further ethernet switch 21 connected between the further ethernet physical transceiver chip 20 and a third processing unit 7c of the third ECU 4c.
For communication between the second ECU 4b and the third ECU 4c, the ethernet communication between the second ECU 4b and the first ECU 4a as described above may be utilized. This may be combined with ethernet communication between the first ECU 4a and the third ECU 4c realized in particular by the ethernet switch 15, the ethernet physical transceiver chip 16, the connector interfaces 6a, 6b and the further data cable 9 as well as the further ethernet physical transceiver chip 20 and the further ethernet switch 21.
For example, the third ECU 4c may comprise a further ethernet physical transceiver chip 22 connected to the further ethernet switch 21 and to a further connector interface 6c of the third ECU 4c. In this way, the first and the second ECUs 4a, 4b may communicate via ethernet connection via the third ECU 4c and the further connector interface 6c also with further ECUs (not shown) of the vehicle network.
As described, in particular with respect to the figures, the invention allows in several implementations for a direct high bandwidth communication via a single data cable between an ECU for display applications and an ECU for video content preparation. The invention addresses the requirements for complex network connections to enable these high bandwidth communications. In several implementations, a video serializer and deserializer are utilized to enable the connection between two ECUs, for example, via a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable. This allows for a transfer of uncompressed video data from the serializer side to the deserializer side as well as for a bidirectional ethernet communication at 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps or even 1000 Mbps. The invention simplifies the required network topology in a vehicle when high bandwidth data communication is required.

Claims

Claims
Electronic control unit, ECU, (4a) for a vehicle (1), characterized in that the ECU (4a) comprises a first connector interface (5a) for connecting a data cable (8) and a serializer (10) connected to the first connector interface (5a) for data transfer via the data cable (8); the ECU (4a) comprises a first processing unit (7a), which is connected to the serializer (10) via a first digital video interface (12a) and via a first ethernet interface (14a); and the first processing unit (7a) is configured to transmit video data via the first digital video interface (12a), the serializer (10) and the first connector interface (5a) and to transmit and/or receive communication data via the first ethernet interface (14a), the serializer (10) and the first connector interface (5a).
ECU (4a) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first digital video interface (12a) is configured for handling uncompressed video data.
ECU (4a) according to one of the proceeding claims, characterized in that the first ethernet interface (14a) comprises an ethernet switch (15).
ECU (4a) according to claim 3, characterized in that the ECU (4a) comprises a further connector interface (6a) for connecting a further data cable (9); and the ECU (4a) comprises an ethernet physical transceiver (16) connected between the ethernet switch (15) and the further connector interface (6a).
5. ECU (4a) according to claim 4, characterized in that the ECU (4a) comprises an integrated device comprising the ethernet switch (15) and the ethernet physical transceiver (16).
6. ECU (4a) according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the ECU (4a) comprises an integrated device comprising the ethernet switch (15) and the first processing unit (7a).
7. ECU (4a) according to one of the proceeding claims, characterized in that the ECU (4a) comprises a control interface (13a) connecting the first processing unit (7a) to the serializer (10); and - the first processing unit (7a) is configured to send configuration data via the control interface (13a) to the serializer (10) for configuring the serializer (10).
8. ECU (4a) according to claim 7, characterized in that the control interface (13a) comprises a serial data bus connecting the first processing unit (7a) to the serializer (10).
9. Electronic control unit, ECU, (4b) for a vehicle (1), characterized in that - the ECU (4b) comprises a second connector interface (5b) for connecting a data cable (8) and a deserializer (11) connected to the second connector interface (5b) for data transfer via the data cable (8); the ECU (4b) comprises a second processing unit (7b), which is connected to the deserializer (11) via a second digital video interface (12b) and via a second ethernet interface (14b); and the second processing unit (7b) is configured to receive video data via the second digital video interface (12b), the deserializer (11) and the second connector interface (5b) and to transmit and/or receive communication data via the second ethernet interface (14b), the deserializer (11) and the second connector interface (5b).
10. ECU (4b) according claim 9, characterized in that the second ECU (4b) comprises a display connection interface (17) for connecting a display unit (3); the second processing unit (7b) is configured to process the received video data and to transmit the processed video data to the display unit (3) via the display connection interface (17).
11. Electronic control arrangement (2) for a vehicle (1) comprising a first ECU (4a), which is implemented according to one of claims 1 to 8; a second ECU (4b), which is implemented according to one of claims 9 or 10; and a data cable (8), which is connected to the first connector interface (5a) of the first ECU (4a) and to the second connector interface (5b) of the second ECU (4b).
12. Electronic control arrangement (2) according to claim 11 , characterized in that the data cable (8) comprises a coaxial cable or a twisted pair cable.
13. Electronic control arrangement (2) according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the first ECU (4a) is implemented according to one of claims 4 or 5; the electronic control arrangement (2) comprises a further data cable (9) connected to the further connector interface (6a) of the first ECU (4a); and - the electronic control arrangement (2) comprises a third ECU (4c) connected to the first ECU (4a) via the further data cable (9).
14. Method for communication in an electronic control arrangement (2) comprising a first electronic control unit, ECU, (4a) and a second ECU (4b), characterized in that video data is transmitted from a first processing unit (7a) of the first ECU (4a) via a first digital video interface (12a) of the first ECU (4a), a serializer (10) of the first ECU (4a), a data cable (8) connecting the first ECU (4a) and the second ECU (4b), a deserializer (11) of the second ECU (4b) and a second digital video interface (12b) of the second ECU (4b) to a second processing unit (7b) of the second ECU (4b); communication data is exchanged between the first processing unit (7a) and the second processing unit (7b) via a first ethernet interface (14a) of the first ECU (4a), the serializer (10), the data cable (8), the deserializer (11) and a second ethernet interface (14b) of the second ECU (4b).
15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that further communication data is exchanged between the second processing unit (7b) and a third ECU (4c) of the electronic control arrangement (2) via the deserializer (11), the second ethernet interface (14b), the serializer (10), the first ethernet interface (14a) and a further data cable (9) connecting the first ECU (4a) to the third ECU (4c).
PCT/EP2022/058414 2021-04-01 2022-03-30 Electronic control units and communication in an electronic control arrangement WO2022207707A1 (en)

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