Title of Invention

ARRANGEMENT WITH AT LEAST TWO COMMUNICATION MODULES EACH COMPRISING A COMMUNICATION INTERFACE ELEMENT

Abstract

Communication interface element (212) for a communication module (200) which contains a message memory (202), whereby a first data path (V27) is provided to and from the message memory through which data and/or messages are routed to and from the message memory, whereby the communication interface element (212) provides an additional, second data path (V28-V31) in the communication module and contains switching equipment (207, 208) which are designed in such a manner that pre-determined data and/or messages of the first data path (V27) can be routed through the additional, second data path (V27-V31). (Figure 2)

Full Text

COMMUNICATION MODULE WITH A COMMUNICATION INTERFACE ELEMENT AND COMMUNICATION INTERFACE ELEMENT Prior Art The invention is with regard to a communication module with which to connect a communication interface, especially of a bus, to a user that is allocated to the communication module, as well as a corresponding communication interface element in accordance with the preamble of independent Claims 1 and 7 and a design with at least two communication modules in accordance with features according to Claim 8 that are not from prior art. The invention is, furthermore, with regard to a process with which to exchange data and/or messages between at least two communication modules in accordance with the preamble of Claim 10. Networking of control units, sensors and actuating elements with the help of a communication system comprising a communications interface, especially a bus, and corresponding communication modules, has increased dramatically in recent years in the construction of modern motor vehicles or even in machine construction, particularly in the field of machine tools as well as in automation. Synergetic effects can thus be achieved through distribution of functions across several users, especially control units. One is hereby talking about distributed systems. Such distributed systems or networks, thus, consist of users and of bus systems that connect these users or consist of several connecting bus systems. Communication between different stations and users respectively takes place increasingly through such a communication system or bus system through which data that is to be transferred is transferred in messages. This communication transaction on the bus systems, accessing and receiving mechanisms as well as error management are regulated by a corresponding protocol. CAN (controller area network) is an established protocol in, for example, the motor vehicle field. This is an event-driven protocol i.e., protocol activities such as sending of information are initiated by events that have their origin outside the communication system. Clear-cut access to a communication system and bus system respectively is provided by priority-based bit arbitration, a pre-requisite for which being that data to be transferred, and therewith each message, be assigned a priority. The CAN protocol is very flexible; adding on of further users and messages can be implemented in a problem-free manner provided free priorities are still available (message identifier). A compilation of all messages to be sent in the network with priorities and their sending and/or receiving users and the corresponding communication modules respectively are stored in a list which is the so-called communication matrix. An alternative approach to event-driven, spontaneous communication is the purely time-controlled approach. All communication activities on the bus are strictly periodic. Protocol activities such as sending of a message are only triggered by advancing a time valid for the entire bus system. Access to this medium is based on the allocation of time domains in which a sender has exclusive sending rights. Message sequence is thereby, as a rule, to be stipulated before start-up. A schedule is thus written which meets message requirements with regard to repeat rate, redundancy, deadlines etc. One is talking here of the so-called bus schedule of which the TTP/C is one, for example. Combining of advantages of both bus types mentioned takes place in the problem-solving approach of the time-controlled CAN, the so-called TTCAN (time triggered controller area network). This meets the requirements of time-controlled communications mentioned above with a certain measure of flexibility. TTCAN fulfills the same by structuring the communication round in so-called exclusive time windows for periodic messages of specific communication users and in so-called arbitrating time windows for spontaneous messages of several communication users. TTCAN is thereby essentially based on a time-controlled, periodic communication that is time-sequenced by a main time issuing user and/or communication module, the so-called time master, with the help of time reference information. The Flex-Ray protocol offers another possibility of linking varying transmission methods by which a quick, deterministic and error-tolerant bus system, especially for use in a motor vehicle, is described. This protocol works according to the process of time division multiple access (TDMA), whereby the users and/or messages to be transmitted are allocated fixed time slots in which they have exclusive access to the communication interface i.e. the bus. The time slots are thereby repeated in a fixed cycle so that, that point in time at which a message is transmitted through the bus, can be predicted precisely and bus access takes place in a deterministic manner. The cycles are sub-divided into a static and a dynamic part in order to optimally use the band breadth for message transmission on the bus system. The fixed time slots are thereby located at the beginning of a bus cycle in the static part. Time slots are dynamically assigned in the dynamic part in which exclusive bus access, so-called mini slots, is now only possible for a short time in each case. As just presented, there is a plurality of varying transmission technologies and, therewith, types of bus systems. It is often the case that several bus systems of similar or varying types have to be linked to one another. A bus interface unit, a so-called gateway, serves this purpose. A gateway is thus an interface between different busses that can be of a similar or different type, whereby the gateway forwards messages from one bus to one or several other busses. Established gateways comprise several independent communication modules, whereby the exchange of messages thus takes place via processor interfaces (CPU interface) of the respective user and/or of the corresponding interface module of the respective communication module. This CPU interfaces is thus heavily loaded by this data exchange in addition to messages to be transmitted to the user itself, whereby a relatively low data transmission speed emerges together with the resulting transmission structure. There are, moreover, integrated communication controllers or communication modules that share a common message RAM, the so-called message memory, and therewith compensate the structural disadvantages. Such integrated communication modules are however very inflexible with regard to data transmission and especially pre-defined with a specific number of bus connections. It is thus evident that prior art is not able to provide optimal results in every aspect. The objective of the invention is, therefore, to present a communication module and a communication interface element as well as a process with which exchange of data and/or messages can be improved. Advantages of the Invention Exchange of data and/or messages between several communication modules in particular should be facilitated without overloading the CPU interface and without rendering several message memories dependent on one another. Transmission speed should, at the same time, be increased and transmission should be rendered flexible. The objective mentioned is met particularly by implementing a communication interface element as a special gateway interface, which is interconnected between the message memories i.e., in the corresponding data paths and thus enables a new, additional data path. As a solution to the task, the invention thus presents a communication interface element and a corresponding communication module which contains a message memory, whereby a first data path is provided to and from the message memory through which data and/or messages are routed to and from the message memory, whereby the communication interface element mentioned advantageously provides an additional second data path in the communication module and contains switching equipment that is designed in such a manner that pre-determined data and/or messages of the first data path are sent via the additional, second data path. The communication interface element thus appropriately contains first and second switching equipment, whereby receiving and/or sending of predetermined data and/or messages in or from the first data path and/or in or from the second data path is facilitated. Switching equipment is, thus, appropriately designed as a multiplex module. A control unit is advantageously allocated to the communication interface element through which especially one or more switching equipments are controlled. This control unit is contained in the communication interface element in particular, in accordance with a first design. In accordance with a second design, the control unit can, however, also be housed in the communication module or even in the user that is allocated to the communication module, in accordance with a third design. The control unit thus controls transmission and routing of data and/or messages via the second additional data path and/or particularly pre-determines which data and/or messages are to be routed through the second data path and/or from the second data path to the corresponding message memory i.e. through the first data path. The control unit mentioned corresponding to all three designs can be executed in the same manner in the software or in the hardware. Besides the communication interface element, the invention also advantageously presents a communication module especially with the type of communication interface element, .whereby an additional second data path is provided in the communication module and switching equipment is contained which is designed in such a manner that exportable data and/or messages of the first data path are sent via the additional, second data path. It is of particular advantage that such communication modules as well as corresponding communication interface elements facilitate a design with at least two such communication modules to be executed as a gateway and the communication modules are to be connected via the additional, second data path, to link these especially in a circular manner, to one another and thus facilitate quick and flexible transmission. The invention, in addition, presents a process for exchange of data and/or messages between at least two communication modules, each of which contains a message memory, whereby data and/or messages to and from the message memory are routed via a first data path in each communication module and an additional, second data path is advantageously provided, through which predetermined data and/or messages of the first data path are routed, whereby the communication modules are connected via that and/or the second data paths and pre-determined data and/or messages are thus exchanged between the communication modules. Advantages aimed at are thus achieved through the invention, one being a higher speed during transmission of data and/or messages via the communication interface element compared to the CPU interface, and the other being the high flexibility and free configurability of transmission, this especially also via a very flexible and free pre-determination of the number of bus connections compared to an integrated communication module and/or an integrated gateway. Other advantages and beneficial designs emerge from the description as well as from features of the claims. Drawing The invention is described in greater details below by means of the figures presented in the drawings. Figure 1, thereby, illustrates a communication module of a bus system, especially a CAN bus system. Figure 2 presents a communication module, in accordance with the invention, with a communication interface element. Figure 3 illustrates a design with several interlocking communication modules, especially as a gateway application. The invention is, furthermore, described in greater detail by means of exemplary embodiments. Exemplary Embodiments Figure 1 is a schematic presentation of a communication module 100 with which to connect a user or host 110 and/or its execution unit of the CPU to a communication interface and/or a bus 111. The communication module 100 is connected via interface module 104 to the user 110 and/or as a part of the CPU interface with the CPU of user 110 for this purpose. A clock entry (clock) is indicated with CLK1, a residual entry with RS1, a control entry with CTRL1, an address entry with ADD1, a data entry with DM and a data output with DO1 as well as an output that provides a wait signal and an interrupt signal with output INT1. The content of this communication module 100 is described below, whereby the functionality is selected by way of example here corresponding to the respective bus system and/or the communication module e.g. as CAN communication module. The invention can also be applied to any other communication module and communication controller respectively as well as other bus systems and bus protocols so that the selected illustration in the subsequent figures and exemplary embodiments are not to be considered as restrictive in this regard. This could, in particular, also be executed to have two channels for a Flex-Ray protocol for example. The CAN or TTCAN application is, however, an advantageous and preferred design. The communication module 100 contains a control unit 101 for this purpose, here a CAN control unit or CAN core in particular. A message memory is presented besides this, especially as message RAM e.g., as a single ported RAM with 102. A dual ported RAM can e.g., find use in the context of a two-channel application e.g., in the case of Flex-Ray. Two buffer memories, especially register modules, are presented with 105 and 106, which serve to buffer with regard to data and/or message transfers as well as contain the corresponding allocation with regard to the corresponding storage place in the message memory. Two registers 105 and 106 are illustrated here in this design, whereby this is only by way of example and even only a single register or also a register that is correspondingly divided into two storage areas can find application. Data and/or message transfer is controlled by a message handler 103. The first register 105 (e.g. as CPU IFC register) is, thereby, connected to the interface module 104 as well as to the control unit 101 via interface VI1. Both registers are respectively connected via interfaces V15 and V16 to the message handler 103. The message handler itself is connected through interface V13 to the control unit 101 and via V14 to the message memory 102. The actual message exchange and/or the message routing takes place via interface V17 that effectively represents the first data path (and/or a decisive part of it) and produces an interface between the control unit 101, message memory 102 and the registers 105 and 106. If a gateway, especially a CAN gateway, is now established from the communication modules shown in Figure 1, a data transfer i.e., transmission of data and/or messages between the communication modules, requires a plurality of read and write operations that have to be developed just like the data transfer via the CPU bus (CPU interface) and thus greatly loads the host CPU, i.e., the users 110, and therewith slows down transmission. Bus connections, here TX1 on the transmit side and/or RXI on the receive side, are indicated with TX and RX and serve as an interface to bus 111. These are, however, then pre-determined in a fixed and inflexible manner in the case of an integrated gateway. A communication interface element 212, which will be described in greater detail below in connection with the communication module 200, is now provided corresponding to Figure 2 to solve this problem. Designs already provided for Figure 1 in the case of corresponding parts 100-111 and V11-V17 are naturally also applicable to corresponding parts 200-211 (without 207-209 and 212) and V21-V27 correspondingly in Figure 2. Figure 2 thus presents the essential communication module in Figure 1 with the corresponding extension (207-209 and 201 as well as V27-V31) in accordance with the invention, so that the designs with regard to Figures 1 and 2 can be seen together. Communication module 200 connects a user 210 and host respectively and/or a host CPU to a bus 211, whereby the bus connections are represented with TX2 and RX2 corresponding to the transmit output (TX2) and the receive input (RX2). This communication module 200 too contains a control unit 201, especially as a CAN core, a message memory 202 especially as message RAM, a message handler 203, the two registers by way of example indicated here with 205 and 206 (comments with regard to registers 105 and 106 apply correspondingly, as explained above) as well as the interface module for host 210 indicated here with 204. The interface module receives inputs for the clock pulse CLK2, for re-set RS2, a control input CTRL2, an address input ADD2 and a data input D12. Outputs DO2 are furthermore designed as data output, a wait signal W2 and an interrupt output INT2. In this example too, register 205 is coupled to the control unit 201 and to the interface module 205 here via interface V21. Register 206 is also coupled here via interface V22 to interface module 204. Similarly, here too the two registers 205 and 206, by way of example, are connected via interfaces V25 and V26 to the message handler 203. Control unit 201 is connected via interface V23 to the message handler 203 and via interface V24 to the message memory 202. Here too, the message handler controls the actual data and/or message transmission between bus 211 and host 210. The first data path corresponding to V17 in Figure 1 is now indicated here with V27 and insofar contains a special feature in that it is connected to the communication interface element 212 i.e., to the gateway interface instead of to the second register 206. This means that the gateway interface is interconnected in the first data path, here V27, and/or linked to this first data path V27. The communication interface element 212 (gateway interface) engages with the first data path V27 to and from the message memory 202 and advantageously has the same word length with regard to transmission as the message memory 202 itself. But even an integral part, especially an integral multiple with regard to the word length would be conceivable. Data and/or message transmission is thereby adapted corresponding to the respective bus protocol e.g. a CAN message with control and status bits in the case of CAN. This can be configured corresponding to the respective bus system. An additional, second data path with input Cl (cascade input) and output CO (cascade output) is thus implemented via interfaces V28, V29, V30, V31 as well as switching equipment 207 and 208. The two switching equipments 207 and 208 illustrated in this example are thus especially designed as a multiplexer or as a multiplex module. Two switching equipments 207 and 208 are thus used in the preferred design presented here but it is, however, conceivable to employ only one switching equipment. Pre-determined data and/or messages can thus be routed directly via the additional, second data path without having to load the host CPU 210 corresponding to the normal data path. Control of this second data path i.e., for one, transmission and/or routing of data and/or messages via the second data path, as well as the selection or specification of pre-determined data and/or messages in particular takes place via a control unit 209, which is designed as a finite state machine or a finite state automat (FSM) in particular. This control unit 209, especially as a finite state machine or finite state automat, can be housed in the communication module 200 itself or can be allocated to the same and be localised externally. In one design, it can, in particular, be contained in a user 210, i.e. the host In one design, it is contained directly in the gateway interface 212, i.e. the communication interface element. The first switching equipment, i.e. the multiplex module 207, can be controlled via a write selection output WRS (write select). The second switching equipment, the multiplex module 208, can be controlled via a second output, a read control output RDS (read select). Controlling both multiplexers 207 and 208 in the second, additional data path of the gateway interface, i.e. the communication interface element, enables control of data transfer, i.e. transmission of data and/or messages, especially in determining the direction of the data and/or messages with reference to the message memory. Selection or specification of data to be transmitted via the second data path can be determined using another output CM/CR (communication mask/communication request). Transmission control via the second data path as well as selection and/or specification of corresponding data and/or messages for the second data path is possible through CM/CR e.g., by means of identifications and especially with the help of a command-request register and of a command-mask register as well as of corresponding control identification or control bits and with outputs WRS and RDS. The CPU interface, i.e. especially interface module 204, e.g. with CPU interface registers 205 and 206, can thus continue to be used for the transfer, i.e. transmission of data and/or message to and from the local CPU i.e. the host CPU 210, whereby transmission of pre-determined data and/or messages i.e., their transfer, can be monitored via the control inputs WRS, RDS, CM/CR mentioned. Several communication modules to one gateway, especially cascading, can be interconnected advantageously through this second, additional data path, established in this manner, corresponding to Figure 3. Any number of communication modules, especially CAN modules, can thus be interconnected through the gateway interface i.e. the communication interface element, to a gateway in a preferred design and be connected in a circular manner in each case from output CO (cascade output) to input Cl (cascade input) of the next communication module. This is also possible for other bus systems as well as for different bus systems at the gateway. Communication modules 300, 301 to 305 in Figure 3 are connected as CAN module CAN1, CAN2 to CANn in this manner, whereby n is a natural digit. Each of these communication modules has a send output (TX31, TX32, TX3n) as well as a receive input (RX31, TX32, RX3n) with which to connect to a corresponding bus and/or to a corresponding communication interface 320, 321 and 325. These any number of communication modules are interconnected to one another, especially in a circular manner, through interfaces V32, V33 and V34. A star connection or something similar is also similarly conceivable. Interface V32 from output CO1 of communication module 300 is thereby assigned to input CI2 of the communication module 301, interface V33 from CO2 from 301 executed to CIn of communication module 305 and interface V34 from the output COn of communication module 305 to input CM of communication module 300. Registers in register blocks 306, 307 and 308 are merged together for reasons of clarity and presented as a co-called CPU interface register CPU IFC, whereby the interface to the host CPU is illustrated in a schematic and clear manner. Control units of individual communication modules in accordance with Figure 2 are illustrated here in Figure 2 optionally as gateway aggregate control unit i.e. as a gateway finite state machine 309 and control transmission on the second data path, as previously described, via outputs 310, 311 and 312. This means outputs WRS and RDS in particular and/or CM/CR are implemented through each of the interfaces 310, 311 and 312 corresponding to Figure 2. This facilitates the gateway interface and/or the communication modules interconnected through the communication interface elements in transferring data and/or messages very quickly between all communication modules via the second data path. A message can particularly be transmitted simultaneously from one communication module to several other communication modules. This type of communication module with a gateway interface i.e., with a communication interface element, for implementation of a second, additional data path can be a part of a gateway, as illustrated in Figure 3, or also be a single controller or single module without gateway function. Even if the communication modules are interconnected in the hardware as a gateway, which of these communication modules work together as a gateway and which work independently can be set through configuration of the software or also taken directly into consideration in the control unit, so that a flexible and selective gateway compilation from the available and/or desired communication modules is facilitated. Control of this gateway function, i.e. which message is to be forwarded from which bus to which other bus, i.e. control of the second data path, takes place via gateway control unit 309 mentioned, i.e. the gateway finite machine that is either built as an own state machine in the hardware or also in the software, runs in the host in particular and accesses the gateway control inputs via the specific register mentioned, especially communication-request register or communication-mask register. Quick data transmission and high flexibility, especially free configurability of the number of bus connections as well as a high flexibility with regard to compilation and to the configuration of a gateway is advantageously possible therewith. Claims 1. Communication interface element (212) for a communication module (200) which contains a message memory (202), whereby a first data path (V27) is provided to and from the message memory through which data and/or messages are routed to and from the message memory, characterised in that, the communication interface element (212) provides an additional, second data path (V28-V31) in the communication module and contains switching equipment (207, 208) which are designed in such a manner that pre-determined data and/or messages of the first data path (V27) can be routed through the additional, second data path (V27-V31). 2. Communication interface element according to Claim 1, characterised in that, this contains first switching equipment (207) and second switching equipment (208). 3. Communication interface element according to Claim 1, characterised in that, the switching equipment (207,208) can be designed as a multiplex module. 4. Communication interface element according to Claim 1, characterised in that, a control unit (209) is allocated, especially contained, which is controlled by the switching equipment (207, 208). 5. Communication interface element according to Claim 4, characterised in that, the control unit (209) controls routing of data and/or messages via the second, additional data path. 6. Communication interface element according to Claim 1, characterised in that, the control unit is implemented in the software or in the hardware. 7. Communication module with a communication interface element, whereby the communication module (200) contains a message memory (202) and a first path (V27) is provided to and from the message memory through which data and/or messages to and from the message memory are routed, characterised in that, an additional, second data path (V28-V31) is provided in the communication module (200) and switching equipment (207, 208) are contained which are designed in such a manner that pre-determined data and/or messages of the first data path (V27) are routed via the additional, second data path(V28-V31). 8. Configuration with at least two communication modules according to Claim 7, characterised in that, the communication modules (300-305) are connected through the additional, second data path. 9. Configuration according to Claim 8, characterised in that, the communication modules (300-302) are connected in a circular fashion. 10. Process for exchange of data and/or messages between at least two communication modules which contain a message memory (202), whereby data and/or messages to and from the message memory are routed via a first data path in each communication module, characterised in that, an additional, second data path is provided through which pre-determined data and/or messages of the first data path are routed, whereby the communication modules are connected through the second data path and pre-determined data and/or messages are exchanged in this manner between the communication modules.

Documents:

0822-chenp-2007-abstract.pdf

0822-chenp-2007-claims.pdf

0822-chenp-2007-correspondnece-others.pdf

0822-chenp-2007-description(complete).pdf

0822-chenp-2007-drawings.pdf

0822-chenp-2007-form 1.pdf

0822-chenp-2007-form 3.pdf

0822-chenp-2007-form 5.pdf

0822-chenp-2007-pct.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 AMENDED CLAIMS 24-02-2014.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 24-02-2014.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS. 08-04-2013.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 POWER OF ATTORNEY 24-02-2014.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 24-02-2014.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 FORM-1 24-02-2014.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 FORM-3 24-02-2014.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 OTHER PATENT DOCUMENT 24-02-2014.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 OTHER PATENT DOCUMENT 1 24-02-2014.pdf

822-CHENP-2007 PRIORITY DOCUMENT 24-02-2014.pdf