Data-processing-aided electronic control system for a motor vehicle

• US 6,336,128 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Huber, Martin, Aminger, Hans-Juergen, Eisenmann, Joachim, Koehn, Matthias, Lanches, Philipp
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/184,858
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/221, 709/224, 709/203, 709/209, 713/1, 713/3
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25032 CAN, canbus, controller area network bus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31136 Name of bus, canbus, controller area network
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33148 CLS client server architecture, client consumes, server provides services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A data-processing-aided electronic control system having a multiple control unit arrangement which implements application functions and has several control units arranged in a distributed manner, along with a data transmission network which connects the control units to each other. The application functions are implemented in a client/server architecture in the multiple control unit arrangement. This permits the implementation of application functions in real time via a flexible, standardized and open system. With this changes and/or updates of application functions can be implemented at relatively low expenditures. The system is used, for example, as a control system in a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A data-processing-aided vehicle electronic control system, comprising:

a multiple control unit arrangement for performing application functions, said multiple control unit arrangement comprising;

a plurality of control units arranged in a distributed manner; and

a data transmission network interconnecting the plurality of control units to each other;

wherein the application functions are implemented in the multiple control unit arrangement in a client/server architecture, wherein the client/server architecture for a respective application function comprises a client level, a server level and a function monitoring level situated between the client level and the server level; and

further

wherein the monitoring level receives service requests from the client level and/or from the superset application functions and the monitoring level processes the service requests and functions while utilizing services of the server level and/or of subordinate application functions wherein the client level further comprises;

at least a primary client and pertaining requester, said requester representing event-triggering hardware units and a respective control unit firmware;

wherein the primary client which manages the requester, receives service requests and dispatches orders to the function monitoring level, and/or

for each respective application function, in order to manage partial functions, the function monitoring level contains a function monitor which receives and processes service requests from the client level, and/or

the server level contains at least a primary server and a pertaining fulfiller, said fulfillers representing implementing hardware units and pertaining control unit firmware, and the primary server manages the fulfiller and requests it to perform services and receives service requests from the function monitoring level.

2. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

service access points (SAPs) which form application process interfaces on a level of a layer of an ISO/OSI reference model and contain one protocol in a client role and a server role, respectively;

wherein the service access points are a group of design elements for a designed function of the client/server architecture.

3. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

service access points (SAPs) which form application process interfaces on a level of a layer of an ISO/OSI reference model and contain one protocol in a client role and a server role, respectively;

wherein the service access points are a group of design elements for a designed function of the client/server architecture.

4. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

ports for horizontal communication interfaces on a layer of an ISO/OSI reference model;

wherein the ports are a group of design elements for a designed function of the client/server architecture and anchoring points for a bidirectional client/server communication connection during a time of implementation.

5. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

ports for horizontal communication interfaces on a layer of an ISO/OSI reference model;

wherein the ports are a group of design elements for a designed function of the client/server architecture and anchoring points for a bidirectional client/server communication connection during a time of implementation.

6. The control system according to claim 2, further comprising:

ports for horizontal communication interfaces on a layer of an ISO/OSI reference model;

wherein the ports are the group of design elements for the designed function of the client/server architecture and anchoring points for a bidirectional client/server communication connection during a time of implementation.

7. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising processes having process classes, said process classes comprising:

an outer interface;

an inner interface; and

a response containing changes of an internal condition of a process class, modifications on encapsulated data elements and an implementation of actions;

wherein the processes are a group of design elements for a designed function of the client/server architecture.

8. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising processes having process classes, said process classes comprising:

an outer interface;

an inner interface; and

a response containing changes of an internal condition of a process class, modifications on encapsulated data elements and an implementation of actions;

wherein the processes are a group of design elements for a designed function of the client/server architecture.

9. The control system according to claim 2, further comprising processes having process classes, said process classes comprising:

an outer interface;

an inner interface; and

a response containing changes of an internal condition of a process class, modifications on encapsulated data elements and an implementation of actions;

wherein the processes are the group of design elements for the designed function of the client/server architecture.

10. The control system according to claim 4, further comprising:

processes having process classes, said process classes comprising;

an outer interface;

an inner interface; and

a response containing changes of an internal condition of a process class, modifications on encapsulated data elements and an implementation of actions;

wherein the processes are the group of design elements for the designed function of the client/server architecture.

11. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operating system layer with a real-time-capable multitasking operating system implemented in the control units; and

a communication layer of a remote procedure call type;

wherein the client/server processes utilize services of the operating system and the communication layer without any direct hardware access.

12. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operating system layer with a real-time-capable multitasking operating system implemented in the control units; and

a communication layer of a remote procedure call type;

wherein the client/server processes utilize services of the operating system and the communication layer without any direct hardware access.

13. The control system according to claim 2, further comprising:

an operating system layer with a real-time-capable multitasking operating system implemented in the control units; and

a communication layer of a remote procedure call type;

wherein the client/server processes utilize services of the operating system and the communication layer without any direct hardware access.

14. The control system according to claim 4, further comprising:

an operating system layer with a real-time-capable multitasking operating system implemented in the control units; and

a communication layer of a remote procedure call type;

wherein the client/server processes utilize services of the operating system and the communication layer without any direct hardware access.

15. The control system according to claim 11, further comprising:

an operating system layer with a real-time-capable multitasking operating system implemented in the control units; and

a communication layer of a remote procedure call type;

wherein the client/server processes utilize services of the operating system and the communication layer without any direct hardware access.

16. The control system according to claim 11, wherein a complete server code is filed in an RPC library, integrated exactly once per control unit and processed by all client processes and server processes.

17. The control system according to claim 11, wherein the RPC operation for the communication layer is implemented as one of a synchronous, an asynchronous and a one-way RPC operation.

18. The control system according to claim 16, wherein the RPC operation for the communication layer is implemented as one of a synchronous, an asynchronous and a one-way RPC operation.

19. The control system according to claim 11, wherein a message protocol contains information regarding a message type, a service number of a respective method of an application protocol and data for transmission.

20. The control system according to claim 16, wherein a message protocol contains information regarding a message type, a service number of a respective method of an application protocol and data for transmission.

21. The control system according to claim 17, wherein a message protocol contains information regarding a message type, a service number of a respective method of an application protocol and data for transmission.