Method for Computer-Aided Detection of Errors During the Execution of One or More Software-Based Programs in a System of Components

• US 20120096318A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: KAISER, Dietmar, Haneberg, Michael, Bechler, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/38.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0718 in an object-oriented system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0739 in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0787 Storage of error reports, e.g. persistent data storage, storage using memory protection

Abstract

A method detects errors during execution of software based programs in a system of motor vehicle components. During execution a component executes its assigned program, and the components call each other interactively. When a component is called, a program identity and an error parameter are transmitted from the other component to the component. If a component identifies an error during execution, it stores an active error entry that contains the program identity, the component identification and an error status. If a component, which has called another component, receives the component identification, it stores a passive error entry that contains the program identity, its component identification and the identification of the other component. A component, which stores one or more active or passive error entries, returns the program identity and the component identification of the component, at least once during program execution, to the component that has called it.

Claims

1. A method for computer aided detection of errors during execution of one or more software based programs in a system of components, wherein each component of the system is assigned an identification, and a respective running program is specified by a program identity, and further wherein during execution of the program a component executes an assigned portion of the program, and the components call each other interactively, at least to some extent, the method comprising the acts of:

when a component is called by another component, transmitting the program identity and an error parameter from the other component to the component, said error parameter indicating whether an error has been identified beforehand during execution of the program;

if a component identifies an error during execution of its assigned program portion, storing by the component an active error entry that contains the program identity, the identification of the component and an error status that indicates whether the identified error is a first error during execution of the program;

if a component, which has called another component, receives the identification of the other component from the other component, storing by the component a passive error entry that contains the program identity, the identification of the component and the identification of the other component;

wherein a component, which stores one or more active or passive error entries during execution of the program, returns the program identity and the identification of the component, at least once during execution of the program, to the component that has called the component.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the components comprise at least one of control units and parts of control units, which communicate with each other by way of corresponding interfaces;

wherein the active and passive error entries are stored in predefined memory locations of the control units.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the program identity comprises an identification of an initiating component, at which the program is started, as well as a start time.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the program identity comprises an identification of an initiating component, at which the program is started, as well as a start time.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

when, following execution of a program portion by a component, no errors occur in subsequently executed program portions, returning the program identity and a parameter to the component from the component which was called by the component, said parameter indicating that the subsequently executed program portions are error free; and

upon receipt of the parameter in the component, not storing a passive error entry in the component.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, whenever a component is called, a call entry is stored in the component at least temporarily during execution of the program.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, whenever a component is called, a call entry is stored in the component at least temporarily during execution of the program.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein during an entire program run or only after an occurrence of the first error during execution of the program, the call entries are stored in the respective components.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a respective active or passive error entry in a component is described by a field comprising a plurality of values, wherein the program identity is specified in the field;

and

further wherein the field includes;

a first value that specifies the identification of the component, which stores the error entry;

a second value that specifies the component, in which the error has occurred; and

a third value that indicates whether the error entry is a passive error entry or an active error entry, wherein in the case of an active error entry the third value also indicates whether the error is the first error during execution of the program.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein a respective active or passive error entry in a component is described by a field comprising a plurality of values, wherein the program identity is specified in the field;

and

further wherein the field includes;

a first value that specifies the identification of the component, which stores the error entry;

a second value that specifies the component, in which the error has occurred; and

a third value that indicates whether the error entry is a passive error entry or an active error entry, wherein in the case of an active error entry the third value also indicates whether the error is the first error during execution of the program.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the field has two values for specifying the program identity, wherein one of the values represents the identification of the initiating component, and the other of the values represents the start time.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein for processing detected errors, the method further comprises the acts of:

reading-out the stored active and passive error entries; and

for each program identity, generating a fault tree from the associated active and passive error entries;

transmitting said fault tree containing at least call chains of the components that are called one after the other in succession and contain at least one component with an active error entry;

wherein in the fault tree the components are characterized as to whether no error or the first error or a later error has occurred in the respective component during execution of the program.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein for processing detected errors, the method further comprises the acts of:

reading-out the stored active and passive error entries; and

for each program identity, generating a fault tree from the associated active and passive error entries;

transmitting said fault tree containing at least call chains of the components that are called one after the other in succession and contain at least one component with an active error entry;

wherein in the fault tree the components are characterized as to whether no error or the first error or a later error has occurred in the respective component during execution of the program.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the fault tree is generated such that proceeding from each component with an active error entry, the respective call chains of the components that are called one after the other in succession are produced step-by-step via the first and the second value of the fields of the error entries.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the system of components comprises a system of motor vehicle components.

18. A device, comprising:

a diagnostic unit operatively configured for processing errors detected in accordance with the method of claim 14.

16. A system, comprising:

a plurality of motor vehicle components operating as the system, said system being operatively configured to detect errors during execution of one or more software based programs in the system, wherein each component of the system is assigned an identification, and a respective running program is specified by a program identity, and further wherein during execution of the program a component executes an assigned portion of the program, and the components call each other interactively, at least to some extent, the system being operatively configured such that;

when a component is called by another component, the program identity and an error parameter are transmitted from the other component to the component, said error parameter indicating whether an error has been identified beforehand during execution of the program;

if a component identifies an error during execution of its assigned program portion, the component stores an active error entry that contains the program identity, the identification of the component and an error status that indicates whether the identified error is a first error during execution of the program;

if a component, which has called another component, receives the identification of the other component from the other component, the component stores a passive error entry that contains the program identity, the identification of the component and the identification of the other component;

wherein a component, which stores one or more active or passive error entries during execution of the program, returns the program identity and the identification of the component, at least once during execution of the program, to the component that has called the component.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a motor vehicle in which the system is operatively configured.