Method for simulating control functions of a control device

• US 6,192,331 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1998
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Mayer, Rainer, Scherrbacher, Klaus, Winter, Arnold, Mischker, Karsten, Gaessler, Hermann, Maienberg, Uwe, Koerner, Hendrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US09/123,833
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 703/22, 703/8, 703/13, 701/29, 701/31, 701/35, 701/102, 701/115, 700/9, 700/10, 700/23, 700/24, 702/116, 706/905, 706/920, 711/147, 717/10
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric

Abstract

A method for simulating control functions of a control device, in which a control program code for execution of control functions is stored in a first memory area of a memory belonging to the control device, the control program code including one or more control program code modules for the control functions, and containing at least one switching device for switching over from a control program code module SPCM to a simulation program code module. At least one simulation program code module for one or more test control functions is made available in a second memory area of the memory. The switching devices switch over from the control program code module to a pertinent simulation program code module stored in the second memory area. The control program code is then processed, the simulation program code module being executed, via the switched-over switching device, instead of the control program code module.

Claims

1. A method for simulating at least one control function of a control device, comprising the steps of:

storing a control program code for executing the at least one control function in a first memory area of a memory device, the control device including the memory device, the control program code including at least one control program code module which controls the at least one control function;

providing at least one simulation program code module for controlling at least one test function in a second memory area of the memory device;

switching at least one switching element from the at least one control program code module to the at least one simulation program code module; and

processing the control program code, the at least one simulation program code module being executed, via the switched at least one switching element, instead of the at least one control program code module, wherein the control program code and the at least one simulation program code module are performed by an internal processor of the control device.

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

providing the at least one test function via an input device; and

generating the at least one simulation program code module from the provided at least one test function.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one switching element is switched to a branch address of the at least one simulation program code module.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the branch address is determined when the control program code is generated.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

providing a common branch address for each of the at least one simulation program code module, wherein the at least one simulation program code module which corresponds to the at least one control function to be simulated is executed using flags.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one control program code module is independently simulated by a corresponding one of the at least one simulation program code module.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

selecting the at least one control function to be simulated via an input device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control function to be simulated is simulated in real time.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control function is simulated internally on a processor of the control device.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using a predetermined data exchange technique, providing input and output data to the at least one simulation program code module.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

using the data exchange technique, providing information corresponding to memory addresses to the at least one simulation program code module, the information being provided for receiving the input data and for generating the output data.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one switching element has at least two switchable states for switching from a first of the at least one control program code module to a corresponding first of the at least one simulation program code module, the first module being executed in a first state of the at least two switchable states, the corresponding first module being executed in a second state of the at least two switchable states.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one test function is received for each of the at least one control function to be simulated.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one test function is provided using one of a graphical textual description and a textual description.

15. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one switching element has a first switchable state and at least one second switchable state,

wherein the at least one control program code module is associated with the first state, and

wherein the at least one simulation program code module is associated with the at least one second state.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one switching element is stored as a program code in the first memory area of the memory device.

17. A control system for simulating at least one control function, the system comprising:

an internal processor;

an arrangement for storing a control program code for executing the at least one control function in a first memory area, the control program code including at least one control program code module for controlling the at least one control function, the arrangement for storing having a second memory area and being associated with the internal processor;

an arrangement for providing at least one simulation program code module for controlling at least one test function in the second memory area;

an arrangement for switching at least one switching element from the at least one control program code module to the at least one simulation program code module; and

an arrangement for processing the control program code, the at least one simulation program code module being executed, via the switched at least one switching element, instead of the at least one control program code module, wherein the control program code and the at least one simulation program code module are performed by the internal processor.

18. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

an arrangement for providing input data and output data to the at least one simulation program code module.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

an arrangement for providing information corresponding to memory addresses to the at least one simulation program code module, the information being provided for receiving the input data and for generating the output data.

20. A control system for simulating at least one control function, the system comprising:

means for processing;

means for storing a control program code for executing the at least one control function in a first memory area, the control program code including at least one control program code module for controlling the at least one control function, the arrangement for storing having a second memory area and being associated with the internal processor;

means for providing at least one simulation program code module for controlling at least one test function in the second memory area;

means for switching at least one switching element from the at least one control program code module to the at least one simulation program code module; and

means for processing the control program code, the at least one simulation program code module being executed, via the switched at least one switching element, instead of the at least one control program code module, wherein the control program code and the at least one simulation program code module are performed by the means for processing.