METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONFIGURING A MODULE FOR SIMULATING AT LEAST ONE SENSOR

Abstract

A method for configuring a module for simulating at least one sensor, wherein the sensor simulation is designed and set up to supply synthetic sensor data to a device for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks via the first data interface of the first type. The method has the steps: a) Receiving a record of a data exchange of a real sensor with the device and/or receiving information about at least one property of the real sensor and/or the second data interface of the first type, b) Reading out the record and/or the information about the at least one property, c) Determining at least one characteristic of the real sensor and/or the second data interface, d) Configuring the sensor simulation and/or the first data interface of the first type using the at least one characteristic such that the synthetic sensor data simulate the sensor data of the real sensor.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a module for simulating at least one sensor, wherein the module has a sensor simulation and a first data interface of a first type, wherein the sensor simulation is designed and set up to supply synthetic sensor data to a device for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks via the first data interface of the first type, the method comprising: a) receiving a record of a data exchange of a real sensor with the device, wherein the data exchange took place via a second data interface of the first type, and/or receiving information about at least one property of the real sensor and/or the second data interface of the first type; b) reading out the record and/or the information about the at least one property; c) determining at least one characteristic of the real sensor and/or the second data interface of the first type; and d) configuring the sensor simulation and/or the first data interface of the first type using the at least one characteristic such that the synthetic sensor data simulate the sensor data of the real sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second data interfaces of the first type are designed and set up for data exchange using the same protocol, and wherein the first and second data interfaces of the first type are designed as serializers.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one characteristic is determined by reading out the record based on the at least one property of the protocol, the real sensor, and/or the second data interface of the first type.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sensor simulation and/or the first data interface of the first type are configured by writing at least one register of the module, wherein the written content of the register depends on the at least one characteristic, and wherein the selection of the register depends on the at least one property.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in method step d) a code or an executable program code and/or a configuration file, is generated which, when executed, carries out the configuration.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a database is accessed to determine the at least one characteristic and/or to generate the code, wherein the at least one characteristic is determined depending on a data content provided by the database and/or the code is generated depending on a further data content provided by the database, and wherein the data content provided by the database and/or the further data content depend on the at least one property.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in a method step, a data content is written into the database using the at least one property such that it is suitable to be provided by the database based on the at least one property, and wherein the data content depends in particular on the record read out in step b) and/or the information about the at least one property read out in step b).

8. A device for configuring a module for simulating at least one sensor, wherein the module has hardware and software for a sensor simulation and a first data interface of a first type, wherein the sensor simulation is designed and set up to supply synthetic sensor data to the device for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks via the first data interface of the first type, wherein the device is set up and designed to receive a record of a data exchange of a real sensor with the device, wherein the data exchange took place via a second data interface of the first type and/or to receive information about at least one property of the real sensor and/or the second data interface of the first type, to read out the record and/or the information about the at least one property, to determine at least one characteristic of the real sensor and/or the second data interface of the first type, and to configure the sensor simulation and/or the first data interface of the first type using the at least one characteristic such that the synthetic sensor data simulate the sensor data of the real sensor.

9. The device for configuring according to claim 8, wherein the device is a control unit and/or a device for simulating a control unit.

10. The device for configuring according to claim 8, wherein the device is designed and set up to generate a code or an executable program code and/or a configuration file, and to perform the configuration by executing the code.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the device is designed and set up to access a database to determine the at least one characteristic and/or to generate the code, wherein the device is designed and set up to determine the at least one characteristic depending on a data content provided by the database and/or to generate the code depending on a further data content provided by the database, wherein the data content provided by the database and/or further data content depend on the at least one property.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device has a memory with the database and/or the device has a communication interface for accessing the database.

13. A module for simulating at least one sensor with a device according to claim 8.

14. The module according to claim 13, wherein the synthetic sensor data simulate the sensor data from a camera sensor, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and/or an infrared sensor.

15. A device for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks, which comprises the module according to claim 13, or which has a data interface of the second type for receiving synthetic sensor data from the module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0054] FIG. 1 schematically shows a method for configuration;

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an example of an arrangement with a device for configuration;

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an example of an arrangement with a device for configuration;

[0057] FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of a method for configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] FIG. 1 schematically shows a method for configuring a module for simulating 12 at least one sensor. The method can include: (a) Receiving a record 20 of a data exchange of a real sensor 22 with a device 30 for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks, wherein the data exchange occurred via a second data interface 24 of a first type; and/or receiving information about at least one property of real sensor 22 and/or the second data interface of the first type 24; (b) Reading out record 20 and/or the information about the at least one property. Optionally, the read-out record is linked to the received information about the at least one property; (c) Determining at least one characteristic Ch of real sensor 22 and/or the second data interface of the first type 24; and (d) Configuring a sensor simulation 16 of module 12 and/or a first data interface of the first type 14 of module 12 based on the at least one characteristic Ch.

[0059] The sensor simulation 16 of module 12 supplies device 30 with synthetic sensor data for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks via the first data interface of the first type 14. The configuration in step d) takes place such that the synthetic sensor data simulate the sensor data of real sensor 22. This means that device 30 receives the synthetic sensor data from module 12 and processes them in the same way and responds to them in the same way as to sensor data from the real sensor.

[0060] The information about the at least one property of the real sensor and/or the second data interface of the first type can be contained, e.g., in a configuration specification which is assigned, e.g., to the real sensor and/or the device for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks. It is possible to store at least parts of the record read out in step b) and/or information received about the at least one property in a database DB. The determination of the at least one characteristic Ch in step c) can then be performed based on the read-out record and/or received information about the at least one property and/or based on the corresponding data DB previously stored in the database.

[0061] It is conceivable to execute the configuration in step d) by executing software instructions of a program code. This program code can be automatically generated using the at least one characteristic Ch or automatically parameterized in the case of a configuration file. In this context, the characteristic Ch relates to configuration options, therefore, setting options, of the second interface of the first type 24 and/or of real sensor 22. In particular, the code can be generated using data contents of the database DB. In particular, the database DB can be accessed based on a property of the second interface of the first type, e.g., protocol, chip used, etc., and/or a property of real sensor 22, e.g., sensor type, manufacturer, etc. In this context, the property relates in particular to the kind or type of the second data interface of the first type 24 and/or real sensor 22, and the characteristic relates in particular to which configuration, therefore, setting, is to be made for specific setting options for such an interface of the first type 24 and/or such a sensor 22.

[0062] Module 12 configured with the automatically generated code can then be connected to device 30 for testing and the quality of the configuration can thus be determined. If the result is still not satisfactory, e.g., the automatically generated code can be adapted accordingly and module 12 can be reconfigured by executing the modified code. The reconfigured module 12 can then be reconnected to device 30, and the quality of the configuration can be checked using the synthetic sensor data provided by module 12. The configuration and the code that is executed for the configuration can be improved incrementally by such an iterative process. The modified code can then be saved back to the database DB.

[0063] An example of an arrangement for configuring module 12 for simulating at least one sensor with the device for configuring 10 module 12 for simulation is shown in FIG. 2. Module 12 has hardware and software for sensor simulation 16 and the first data interface of the first type 14, which can be formed in particular as a serializer. Sensor simulation 16 is designed and set up to supply synthetic sensor data to device 30 for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks via the first data interface of the first type 14. For this purpose, the sensor simulation outputs the synthetic sensor data via the first interface of the first type 24. Device 30 can be designed as a control unit and/or as a device for simulating a control unit. It receives the synthetic sensor data via the data interface of the second type 34, which can be designed in particular as a deserializer.

[0064] The connection of real sensor 22 to device 30 is shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2. The data exchange of real sensor 22 with device 30 takes place via this connection, which can be made, e.g., by a cable such as a coaxial cable. In this case, real sensor 22 outputs sensor data via the second interface of the first type 24, e.g., a serializer. The sensor data are received by device 30 via the interface of the second type 34, e.g., a deserializer. Such a data exchange of real sensor 22 with device 30 is recorded and record 20 is transmitted to device 10. Such a record 20 can be made, e.g., directly via a log file and/or via a special interface, e.g., debug interface, of device 30 and/or sensor 22. For record 20, the data can be recorded or tapped, for example, at the second interface of the first type 24 or at the interface of the second type 34 or, as indicated in FIG. 2, via an interface in the connection between sensor 22 and device 30. Such a record according to step a) of the method does not have to be repeated for each configuration process. The record and/or the configuration specification can be read in only once and then used for multiple chronologically consecutive tests or for multiple parallel tests of control units of the same type and configuration.

[0065] Device 10 is set up and designed to read record 20, to determine the at least one characteristic Ch of real sensor 22 and/or the second data interface of the first type 24 from the record, and to configure sensor simulation 16 and/or the first data interface of the first type 14 using the at least one characteristic Ch such that the synthetic sensor data simulate the sensor data of real sensor 22. This takes advantage of the fact that the first and second data interfaces 14, 24 are of the same type. Module 12 is intended to simulate real sensor 22 as precisely as possible, so that record 20 is used for the configuration in order to provide device 30 with synthetic sensor data that is as close as possible to, and preferably nearly identical to, the real sensor data of real sensor 22.

[0066] The hardware for sensor simulation 16 can be designed, e.g., as an FPGA board which is programmed by means of the software for sensor simulation 16. A GPU (graphics processing unit), in which, e.g., the color output is configured, can also be used as hardware for sensor simulation 16. Device 10 is designed and set up to generate a code and to perform the configuration by executing the code, wherein a database DB containing data for the interfaces and the at least one sensor and other components is accessed to generate the code.

[0067] Device 10 can have a memory containing the database DB and/or device 10 can have a communication interface for accessing the database DB. In particular, the database can be provided as a central database in the so-called “data cloud” or a central office, for access by a number of devices 10.

[0068] A further example of an arrangement for configuring module 12 for simulating at least one sensor with the device for configuring 10 module 12 for simulation is shown in FIG. 3. Module 12 has hardware and software for sensor simulation 16 and the first data interface of the first type 14. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the first data interface of the first type 14 is located in device 30 and is identical to the second data interface of the first type 24.

[0069] Sensor simulation 16 is designed and set up to supply synthetic sensor data to device 30 for executing open- and/or closed-loop tasks via the first data interface of the first type 14, 24. For this purpose, the sensor simulation outputs the synthetic sensor data via the first interface of the first type 14. Device 30 can be designed as a control unit and/or as a device for simulating a control unit. It receives the synthetic sensor data via the first data interface of first type 14, 24. Optionally, module 12 can be located in device 30 and can be located, e.g., in the same housing.

[0070] In this example, device 30 does not have a data interface of the second type. The data interface of the first type 14, 24 is designed, e.g., as a hardware interface with, e.g., a plug connection.

[0071] Sensor data is received from real sensor 22 via the one data interface of the first type 14, 24, which is shown with the dashed line in FIG. 3. During operation with real sensor 22, real sensor 22 can be directly connected to device 30 via the data interface of the first type 14, 24 and can optionally be integrated into device 30. The data exchange of real sensor 22 with device 30 takes place via this connection. Such a data exchange of real sensor 22 with device 30 is recorded and record 20 is transmitted to device 10.

[0072] Device 10 is set up and designed to read out record 20, to determine the at least one characteristic Ch of real sensor 22 from the record, and to configure sensor simulation 16 using the at least one characteristic Ch such that the synthetic sensor data simulate the sensor data of real sensor 22. In this example, the configuration of the first and second data interfaces 14, 24 can be omitted because they are the same data interface of the first type 14, 24.

[0073] Sensor simulation 16 of module 12 is set up to simulate sensor data of a camera sensor, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and/or an infrared sensor and to output them as synthetic sensor data.

[0074] FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of a method for configuration using an automatically generated code.

[0075] In the example shown, record 20 is an I2C log with two accesses with device address 0x20 to an imager, therefore, a camera sensor. Register 0x01 is accessed once and register 0x02 is accessed once. Record 20 is read out in step b) and automatically analyzed in step c). In the example shown, this results in I2C accesses to two registers of the horizontal (0x07, 0x08) and vertical image resolution (0x04, 0x38). The resolution is then determined by accessing the register description of the corresponding imager stored in the database DB. Thus, the database is accessed using the register address of the imager type as a property. An image resolution (horizontal×vertical) of 1920×1080 results as characteristic Ch.

[0076] In step d) the appropriate code, e.g., C++ code, is generated and the configuration is performed by executing the code.

[0077] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.