METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ASCERTAINING A TYPE OF A COMPUTING DEVICE OF AN APPARATUS

Abstract

A method for ascertaining a type of a computing device of an apparatus of a motor vehicle. The computing device is designed to at least partially control at least one function of the apparatus. Access to at least one register of a memory device of the apparatus takes place. A type of the computing device is ascertained based on a result of the access.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for ascertaining a type of a computing device of an apparatus of a motor vehicle, the computing device being configured to at least partially control at least one function of the apparatus, the method comprising the following steps: accessing at least one register of a memory device of the apparatus; and ascertaining the type of the computing device based on a result of the access.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the apparatus is an electromechanical brake booster.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the computing device is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the access to the at least one register includes a read access to read out an apparatus identification of the apparatus, and the ascertaining of the type of the computing device is carried out using the apparatus identification.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the access to the at least one register includes a read access to at least one predefined register, and the ascertaining of the type of the computing device is carried out using a presence or an absence of a transmission error.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein each type of computing device includes a specific register, and a specific type is assigned to the computing device when no transmission error is present for the specific register assigned to the specific type.

17. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the ascertained type of the computing device is stored in a memory device of the apparatus.

18. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein software functions of the computing device are adapted and/or modified using the ascertained type of the computing device.

19. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the ascertaining of the type of the computing device of the apparatus is carried out during a first operation of the apparatus, and the apparatus is initialized based on the ascertained type of the computing device.

20. A device configured to ascertain a type of a computing device of an apparatus, the computing device being configured to at least partially control at least one function of the apparatus, the device comprising: an interface configured to access at least one register of a memory device of the apparatus; and an ascertainment device configured to ascertain the type of the computing device based on a result of the access.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic block circuit diagram of a computing device of an apparatus of a motor vehicle and of a device for ascertaining a type of the computing device according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a memory device with registers of an apparatus of a motor vehicle.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method for ascertaining a type of a computing device of an apparatus of a motor vehicle according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] In all of the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements and devices have been provided with the same reference numerals. The numbering of method steps is provided for reasons of clarity and in general should not imply a specific time sequence. In particular, multiple method steps may also be executed simultaneously.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a schematic block circuit diagram of a device 1 for ascertaining a type of a computing device 21 of an apparatus 2 of a motor vehicle. In the following text, the present invention will be described in greater detail for an electromechanical brake booster as apparatus 2 of the motor vehicle. However, the present invention is not restricted to such a device and may be used for different, in particular electromechanical, components of the motor vehicle.

[0036] Computing device 21 controls functions of the electromechanical brake booster such as the buildup of a brake pressure or the control of functions for autonomous driving. Computing device 21 may be, or may include, an application-specific integrated circuit, ASIC.

[0037] Device 1 can be an electronic control unit, ECU, of the motor vehicle. Device 1 may also be a special device which is coupled with electromechanical brake booster 2 after the assembly of electromechanical brake booster 2 in order to control the correct installation.

[0038] Device 1 includes an interface 11 for access to a memory device 22 of electromechanical brake booster 2. Memory device 22 may be separated from computing device 21 but can also be part of computing device 21.

[0039] Memory device 22 includes a multitude of registers, which differ for different types of apparatuses 2. In this context, registers may be understood as memory areas in memory device 22 to which computing device 21 has access. In particular, the access is preferably independent of the data bus or address bus and may consequently take place very rapidly. The present invention is not restricted to a specific number or size of the registers.

[0040] Computing device 21 is able to access the registers of memory device 22 via an address decoder. Certain registers that do not exist for the other types of computing device 21 may exist for a predefined type of computing device 21. An actuation of the register via the corresponding address leads to a transmission error.

[0041] In addition, device 1 includes an ascertainment device 12, which ascertains the type of computing device 21 on the basis of a result of the access. For instance, if a certain register that exists only for a certain type of computing device 21 can be actuated, then ascertainment device 12 may ascertain that the type of computing device 21 is precisely this type of computing device 21.

[0042] To ascertain the type of computing device 21, a specific register can be actuated one after the other until no further transmission error occurs and the type of computing device 21 is therefore able to be determined. The sequence of the registers to be actuated may be fixedly predefined in this case.

[0043] In addition or as an alternative, ascertainment device 12 can determine the type of computing device 21 also be reading out a further register which includes an apparatus identification.

[0044] The access to memory device 22 by way of interface 11 is able to take place directly. However, it may also be provided that the access to memory device 22 occurs indirectly via interface 11. For example, according to one embodiment, interface 11 can be connected to an interface of computing device 22 and actuate computing device 22 via the interface and access a corresponding register in memory device 22. As a result, a direct access of device 1 to memory device 22 is not required.

[0045] After the ascertainment, information about the type of the computing device is able to be stored in memory device 22 and/or in a memory device of device 1 (not shown).

[0046] In addition, it may be provided that ascertainment device 12 actuates computing device 21 in such a way that functions of computing device 21 are adapted and/or modified based on the ascertained type of computing device 21. In this way, computing device 21 may be configured for autonomous driving, provided the type of computing device 21 permits it.

[0047] The ascertaining of the type of computing device 21 of apparatus 2 may be carried out during the first startup of apparatus 2. It may also be provided to ascertain the type of computing device 21 upon each startup of the motor vehicle.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of memory device 22 with registers R1 to Rn of apparatus 2 of the motor vehicle.

[0049] A first register R1 may store information about an apparatus identification of apparatus 2 or computing device 21. Registers R2 to Rn may be provided in addition. However, a second register R2, for example, may be provided only for the specific type of computing device 21 while this register is unable to be actuated in computing devices 21 of another type, so that a transmission error or access error occurs.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method for ascertaining a type of a computing device of an apparatus of a motor vehicle, and in particular an afore-described apparatus 2.

[0051] In a first method step S1, apparatus 2 is taken into operation for the first time.

[0052] In a second method step S2, an ascertainment device 12 accesses at least one register R1 to Rn of a memory device 22 of apparatus 2 via an interface 11. The access may be a read access, for instance to read out an apparatus identification of apparatus 2 from one of registers R1 to Rn in memory device 22. In addition or as an alternative, the access may be a read access to at least one register R1 to Rn. Each type of computing device 21 may include a specific register which is not provided for other computing devices 21 or to which no access is able to take place.

[0053] In a third method step S3, the type of computing device 21 is ascertained based on a result of the access. For example, the type of computing device 21 is able to be ascertained based on the read-out apparatus identification. In addition or as an alternative, the type of computing device 21 may be ascertained based on the presence or absence of a transmission error during the read access to the at least one register R1 to Rn.

[0054] In a method step S4, the ascertained type of computing device 21 is optionally stored in memory device 22 of the apparatus.

[0055] In a method step S5, which is also optionally, at least one software function of computing device 21 is able to be adapted and/or modified based on the ascertained type of computing device 21.