Method for identifying incompatibilities in a bus system comprising several control devices

• US 20070032917A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Behr, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 7,447,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2216 Define module independent and module specific element, interconnection, capability
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2243 Detect incompatibilites between control devices

Abstract

Control device identification information or an identifier identifying the type of the corresponding control device is stored in a first and in a second control device. Version information identifying the sequence control of the corresponding control device, such as a version number, is stored in the first and in the second control device. The first control device transmits its first control device identification information and/or its first version information to the second control device. The second control device accesses a compatibility reference table. The compatibility reference table indicates which combinations of control device identification information and version information, and thus which control devices and their corresponding sequence controls will communicate with the second control device in a compatible manner.

Claims

1. A method of identifying incompatibilities in a bus system of a motor vehicle which has several control devices, the method comprising the acts of:

storing control device identification information or an identifier identifying the type of the corresponding control device in a first and in a second control device, the control device identification information or an identifier permits a conclusion on the operating sequences implemented by the corresponding control device and/or on the hardware version of the corresponding control device;

storing version information identifying the sequence control of the corresponding control device in the first and in the second control device, the version information permits a conclusion on the operating sequences carried out by the corresponding control device and/or on the current status of the sequence control and/or on hardware version of the corresponding control device;

transmitting, by the first control device, its first control device identification information and/or its first version information to the second control device; and

accessing, by the second control device, a compatibility reference table which is stored in the second control device, the compatibility reference table indicates which combinations of control device identification information and version information and thus which control devices and their corresponding sequence controls will communicate with the second control device in a compatible manner.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the act of:

transmitting, by the second control device, its second control device identification information and/or its second version information to the first control device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein one control device transmits its control device identification information and its version information to the other control device upon being prompted by the other control device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first control device transmits its control device identification information and its version information in a prompted or unprompted manner to substantially all other control devices in the bus system for checking the compatibility.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transmission occurs periodically, upon a prompting by other control devices, during time of a low bus load, or before the start of the operation of the motor vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein only the version information of the corresponding control device is transmitted if only one logic interface exists between the control devices.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each control device receives the control device identification information and/or version information transmitted by one or more other control devices and compares it with the compatibility reference table assigned to it or with its entries.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein each control device compares the received version information with the entries of the compatibility reference table and, when there is conformity, communicates with the sending control device in a compatible manner.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the version information is a version number, and the receiving control device also communicates with the sending control device if the version number is greater than the version number listed in the compatibility reference table.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein when the comparison is negative, the corresponding receiving control device and/or the corresponding sending control device generates a fault report and/or refuses the service and/or only carries out a restricted operation or an emergency operation.

11. A bus system having several control devices, which identifies incompatibilities among the control devices, the bus system comprising:

a first and second control device, each arranged to

store control device identification information or an identifier identifying the type of the corresponding control device, the control device identification information or an identifier permits a conclusion on the operating sequences implemented by the corresponding control device and/or on the hardware version of the corresponding control device;

store version information identifying the sequence control of the corresponding control device, the version information permits a conclusion on the operating sequences carried out by the corresponding control device and/or on the current status of the sequence control and/or on hardware version of the corresponding control device,

wherein the first control device is arranged to transmit its first control device identification information and/or its first version information to the second control device, and

wherein the second control device is arranged to access a compatibility reference table which is stored in the second control device, the compatibility reference table indicates which combinations of control device identification information and version information and thus which control devices and their corresponding sequence controls will communicate with the second control device in a compatible manner.

12. Computer program product for identifying incompatibilities in a bus system having several control devices which is arranged in a motor vehicle, the computer program product, when implemented in a processor, causes the processor to perform the acts of:

storing control device identification information or an identifier identifying the type of the corresponding control device in a first and in a second control device, the control device identification information or an identifier permits a conclusion on the operating sequences implemented by the corresponding control device and/or on the hardware version of the corresponding control device;

storing version information identifying the sequence control of the corresponding control device in the first and in the second control device, the version information permits a conclusion on the operating sequences carried out by the corresponding control device and/or on the current status of the sequence control and/or on hardware version of the corresponding control device;

transmitting, by the first control device, its first control device identification information and/or its first version information to the second control device; and

accessing, by the second control device, a compatibility reference table which is stored in the second control device, the compatibility reference table indicates which combinations of control device identification information and version information and thus which control devices and their corresponding sequence controls will communicate with the second control device in a compatible manner.