CONTROL APPARATUS, CONTROL SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20110078694A1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Kishita, Yuri
• Granted Patent: US 8,776,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores

Abstract

A system management layer changes a current program with a program (door lock failure diagnosis judgment program, security judgment program, door lock judgment program, keyless entry judgment program or the like) to be executed by an application layer, in accordance with an operation mode of on-vehicle equipment. Priorities of programs are previously stored for each operation mode, and a priority judgment program contributes to judge the priority of operation request based on the operation mode. Thus, plural programs of each hierarchal layer are categorized into groups per operation mode, although complicating in the single hierarchal layer. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the priority judgment processing from complicating for the operation request output by each computer program

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A control apparatus that controls a connected device, comprising:

a storing unit that stores plural programs which are categorized into plural executive groups;

an obtaining unit that obtains operation condition information representing an operation condition of the device from the device;

a group selecting unit that selects an executive group from the plural executive groups, in accordance with the operation condition information obtained by the obtaining unit;

a priority table that registers priorities of programs categorized in the executive group which is selected by the group selecting unit;

a program selecting unit that selects a program based on the priority table from programs categorized into the executive group which is selected by the group selecting unit;

an executing unit that performs an execution processing of the program selected by the program selecting unit; and

a controlling unit that controls the device in accordance with a result of the execution processing performed by the executing unit.

9. A control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the program selected by the program selecting unit has a priority highest in the programs categorized in the executive group which is selected by the group selecting unit.

10. A control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the storing unit further stores plural programs for obtainment which are categorized in plural obtainment groups,

the group selecting unit selects an obtainment group from the plural obtainment groups, in accordance with the operation condition information obtained by the obtaining unit,

the priority table further registers priorities of obtainment programs categorized in the obtainment group which is selected by the group selecting unit,

the program selecting unit selects an obtainment program based on the priority table from the obtainment programs categorized in the obtainment group which is selected by the group selecting unit,

the obtaining unit converts the obtained operation condition information in accordance with the obtainment program selected by the program selecting unit and sends the converted operation condition information to the executing unit, and

the executing unit performs the execution processing based on the sent operation condition information.

11. A control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the storing unit further stores plural programs for controlment which are categorized in plural controlment groups,

the group selecting unit selects an controlment group from the plural controlment groups, in accordance with the operation condition information obtained by the obtaining unit,

the priority table further registers priorities of controlment programs categorized in the controlment group which is selected by the group selecting unit,

the program selecting unit selects a controlment program based on the priority table from the controlment programs categorized in the controlment group which is selected by the group selecting unit,

the controlling unit converts a result of the performed execution processing in accordance with the controlment program selected by the program selecting unit, and

the controlling unit controls the device in accordance with the converted result of the execution processing.

12. A control apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a connecting unit that connects with another control apparatus, wherein

said another control apparatus selects the executive group in which the program to be selected by the program selecting unit is categorized, from the plural executive groups stored by the storing unit, in accordance with the operation condition information obtained by the obtaining unit.

13. A control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the control apparatus is an electronic control unit mounted on a vehicle,

the device is mounted on the vehicle, and

the plural executive groups include a group for driving the vehicle and a group for carrying out a maintenance on the vehicle.

14. A control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the plural programs stored by the storing unit are for locking a door mounted on the vehicle.

15. A control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

a sensor and an actuator are connected, as the device, to the control apparatus,

the obtaining unit obtains the operation condition information from the sensor, and

the controlling unit controls the actuator.

16. A control system having a first control apparatus that controls a connected first device and having a second control apparatus that controls a connected second device and is connected to the first control apparatus, wherein

the first control apparatus comprises:

a first storing unit that stores plural programs which are categorized into plural executive groups;

a first obtaining unit that obtains first operation condition information representing an operation condition of the first device from the first device;

a first group selecting unit that selects an executive group from the plural executive groups, in accordance with the first operation condition information obtained by the first obtaining unit;

a sending unit that sends information about the executive group selected by the first group selecting unit to the second control apparatus;

a first priority table that registers priorities of programs categorized in the executive group which is selected by the first group selecting unit;

a first program selecting unit that selects a program based on the first priority table from programs categorized into the executive group which is selected by the first group selecting unit;

a first executing unit that performs a first execution processing of the program selected by the first program selecting unit; and

a first controlling unit that controls the first device in accordance with a result of the first execution processing performed by the first executing unit, and

the second control apparatus comprises;

a second storing unit that stores plural programs which are categorized into plural executive groups;

a second obtaining unit that obtains second operation condition information representing an operation condition of the second device from the second device;

a receiving unit that receives the information, about the executive group selected by the first group selecting unit, sent from the sending unit;

a second group selecting unit that selects an executive group from the plural executive groups, in accordance with the information received by the receiving unit;

a second priority table that registers priorities of programs categorized in the executive group which is selected by the second group selecting unit;

a second program selecting unit that selects a program based on the second priority table from programs categorized into the executive group which is selected by the second group selecting unit;

a second executing unit that performs a second execution processing of the program selected by the second program selecting unit; and

a second controlling unit that controls the second device in accordance with a result of the second execution processing performed by the second executing unit.

17. A control system according to claim 16, wherein

the program selected by the first program selecting unit has a priority highest in the programs categorized in the executive group which is selected by the first group selecting unit, and

the program selected by the second program selecting unit has a priority highest in the programs categorized in the executive group which is selected by the second group selecting unit.

18. A control system according to claim 16, wherein

the second control apparatus further comprises:

a select information obtaining unit that obtains information required by the first group selecting unit for selecting; and

a select information sending unit that sends the information required by the first group selecting unit to the first control apparatus,

the first control apparatus further comprises a select information receiving unit that receives the information sent by the select information sending unit, and

the first group selecting unit utilizes the information received by the select information receiving unit, for selecting the executive group from the plural executive groups.

19. A control system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a third control apparatus, wherein

the sending unit sends the information about the executive group selected by the first group selecting unit, not only to the second control apparatus but also the third control apparatus, at once.

20. A control system according to claim 16, wherein

the first storing unit further stores plural programs for obtainment which are categorized in plural obtainment groups,

the first group selecting unit selects an obtainment group from the plural obtainment groups, in accordance with the first operation condition information obtained by the first obtaining unit,

the first priority table further registers priorities of obtainment programs categorized in the obtainment group which is selected by the first group selecting unit, the first program selecting unit selects an obtainment program based on the first priority table from the obtainment programs categorized in the obtainment group which is selected by the first group selecting unit,

the first obtaining unit converts the obtained first operation condition information in accordance with the obtainment program selected by the first program selecting unit and sends the converted first operation condition information to the first executing unit,

the first executing unit performs the first execution processing based on the first operation condition information sent by the first obtaining unit,

the second storing unit further stores plural programs for obtainment which are categorized in plural obtainment groups,

the second group selecting unit selects an obtainment group from the plural obtainment groups, in accordance with the information received by the receiving unit,

the second priority table further registers priorities of obtainment programs categorized in the obtainment group which is selected by the second group selecting unit,

the second program selecting unit selects an obtainment program based on the second priority table from the obtainment programs categorized in the obtainment group which is selected by the second group selecting unit,

the second obtaining unit converts the obtained second operation condition information in accordance with the obtainment program selected by the second program selecting unit and sends the converted second operation condition information to the second executing unit, and

the second executing unit performs the second execution processing based on the second operation condition information sent by the second obtaining unit.

21. A control system according to claim 16, wherein

the first storing unit further stores plural programs for controlment which are categorized in plural controlment groups,

the first group selecting unit selects an controlment group from the plural controlment groups, in accordance with the first operation condition information obtained by the first obtaining unit,

the first priority table further registers priorities of controlment programs categorized in the controlment group which is selected by the first group selecting unit,

the first program selecting unit selects a controlment program based on the first priority table from the controlment programs categorized in the controlment group which is selected by the first group selecting unit,

the first controlling unit converts the result of the first execution processing in accordance with the controlment program selected by the first program selecting unit,

the first controlling unit controls the first device in accordance with the converted result of the execution processing,

the second storing unit further stores plural programs for controlment which are categorized in plural controlment groups,

the second group selecting unit selects an controlment group from the plural controlment groups, in accordance with the information received by the receiving unit,

the second priority table further registers priorities of controlment programs categorized in the controlment group which is selected by the second group selecting unit,

the second program selecting unit selects a controlment program based on the second priority table from the controlment programs categorized in the controlment group which is selected by the second group selecting unit,

the second controlling unit converts the result of the second execution processing in accordance with the controlment program selected by the second program selecting unit, and

the controlling unit controls the second device in accordance with the converted result of the second execution processing.

22. A control system according to claim 16, wherein

the first control apparatus and the second control apparatus are electronic control units mounted on a vehicle,

the first device and the second device are mounted on the vehicle, and

the plural executive groups stored by the first storing unit and the plural executive groups stored by the second storing unit respectively include a group for driving the vehicle and a group for carrying out a maintenance on the vehicle.

23. A control system according to claim 16, wherein

the plural programs stored by the first storing unit are for locking a door mounted on the vehicle.

24. A control system according to claim 16, wherein

a sensor and an actuator are connected, as the first device, to the first control apparatus,

the first obtaining unit obtains the first operation condition information from the sensor, and

the first controlling unit controls the actuator.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable program for controlling a device connected to a control apparatus having a storing unit that stores plural programs, wherein the computer program when executed causes a computer system to execute steps of:

categorizing the plural programs stored by the storing unit into plural executive groups;

obtaining operation condition information representing an operation condition of the device, from the device;

selecting an executive group from the plural executive groups, in accordance with the obtained operation condition information;

selecting a program having the highest priority in programs categorized into the selected executive group;

performs an execution processing of the selected program; and

controlling the device in accordance with performed execution processing of the selected program.

26. A non -transitory computer readable medium according to claim 25, wherein

the storing unit stores further plural programs for obtainment, and

the computer program when executed causes the computer system to execute further steps of

categorizing the plural programs for obtainment stored by the storing unit, into plural obtainment groups;

selecting a obtainment group from the plural obtainment groups, in accordance with the obtained operation condition information;

selecting a program for obtainment having the highest priority in programs for obtainment categorized into the selected obtainment group;

converting the obtained operation condition information in accordance with the selected program for obtainment; and

utilizing the converted operation condition information for performing the execution processing.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 25, wherein

the storing unit stores further plural programs for controlment, and

the computer program when executed causes the computer system to execute further steps of:

categorizing the plural programs for controlment stored by the storing unit, into plural controlment groups;

selecting a controlment group from the plural controlment groups, in accordance with the obtained operation condition information;

selecting a program for controlment having the highest priority in programs for controlment categorized into the selected controlment group;

converting a result of the performed execution processing in accordance with the selected controlment program; and

utilizing the converted result of the performed execution processing for controlling the device.