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US-12627526-B2 - Gateway device with a routing function

US12627526B2US 12627526 B2US12627526 B2US 12627526B2US-12627526-B2

Abstract

A data communication gateway for a construction machine communication system, the gateway comprising a first data interface, a second data interface, and a third data interface arranged to be mutually interconnected, where the mutual interconnect is controlled by a gateway electronic control unit, ECU, wherein the first interface is arranged to be connected to a private network of a construction machine, the second interface is arranged to be connected to an attachment network, and the third interface is arranged to be connected to an auxiliary network, wherein a message forwarding policy comprising one or more message forwarding rules is configured in the gateway ECU, and wherein the gateway ECU is arranged to route messages onto the first second and third data interfaces in accordance with the message forwarding policy.

Inventors

  • Thomas Schaefer
  • Wontaek Oh

Assignees

  • VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20210211

Claims (13)

  1. 1 . A construction machine comprising a main body, one or more tool carriers extending out from a main body and arranged to carry attachments, a data communication gateway for a construction machine communication system, an attachment comprising an attachment controller being connected to different actuators and sensors of the attachment via an attachment network, the attachment providing one or more functions, the data communication gateway comprising a first data interface, a second data interface, and a third data interface arranged to be mutually interconnected, where the mutual interconnect is controlled by a gateway electronic control unit (ECU), wherein a message format table comprising one or more message formats is configured in the gateway ECU, a message format being indicative of message formatting relative to a standard message format of the construction machine communication system, wherein the first data interface is arranged to be connected to a private network of the construction machine, the second data interface is arranged to be connected to the attachment network, and the third data interface is arranged to be connected to an auxiliary network, wherein the attachment identifies itself upon connection to the gateway ECU using an identification signal, and provides details regarding its delivered data, and a command format it expects from the gateway ECU in order to perform the one or more functions, wherein the gateway ECU is arranged to configure the message format table in dependence of the identification signal identifying the attachment, wherein a message forwarding policy comprising one or more message forwarding rules is configured in the gateway ECU, and wherein the gateway ECU is arranged to route messages onto the first data interface, the second data interface, and the third data interface in accordance with the message forwarding policy.
  2. 2 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first data interface, the second data interface, and third data interface is a controller area network (CAN) bus interface.
  3. 3 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first data interface, the second data interface, and the third data interface supports a communication standard different from a controller area network (CAN) bus standard.
  4. 4 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein a message translation policy comprising one or more message translation rules is configured in the gateway ECU, and wherein the gateway ECU is arranged to translate messages forwarded onto the interfaces in dependence of the message translation policy.
  5. 5 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more message forwarding rules comprises a list of message identifiers and corresponding interfaces on which a message having a given identifier is to be forwarded.
  6. 6 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more message forwarding rules comprises a list of message identifiers indicating messages to be dropped by the data communication gateway.
  7. 7 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more message forwarding rules comprises a list of message identifiers indicating allowed signals to be forwarded on an interface.
  8. 8 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein the gateway ECU is arranged to perform an authentication procedure in response to a device connecting to one of the interfaces.
  9. 9 . The construction machine according to claim 8 , wherein the gateway ECU is arranged to select a message forwarding policy to be the configured message forwarding policy in dependence of an outcome of the authentication procedure.
  10. 10 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein the gateway ECU is arranged to obtain the message forwarding policy from a remote server.
  11. 11 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein the gateway ECU is arranged to obtain a list of devices and associated device identifiers to be allowed access to the gateway from a remote server.
  12. 12 . A method performed by a construction machine comprising a main body, one or more tool carriers extending out from a main body and arranged to carry attachments, and a data communication gateway for a construction machine communication system, an attachment comprising an attachment controller being connected to different actuators and sensors of the attachment via an attachment network, the attachment providing one or more functions, the gateway comprising a first data interface, a second data interface, and a third data interface arranged to be mutually interconnected, where the mutual interconnect is controlled by a gateway electronic control unit (ECU), wherein a message format table comprising one or more message formats is configured in the gateway ECU, a message format being indicative of message formatting relative to a standard message format of the construction machine communication system, the method comprising connecting the first data interface to a private network of the construction machine, the second data interface to an attachment network, and the third data interface to an auxiliary network, wherein upon connection to the gateway ECU, the attachment identifies itself using an identification signal and provides details regarding its delivered data, and a command format it expects from the gateway ECU in order to perform the one or more functions, configuring the message format table in dependence of the identification signal identifying the attachment, configuring a message forwarding policy comprising one or more message forwarding rules in the gateway ECU, and routing messages onto the first data interface, the second data interface, and the third data interface in accordance with the message forwarding policy.
  13. 13 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code for performing the method according to claim 12 .

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 national stage application of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2021/053354 filed on Feb. 11, 2021, the disclosure and content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to construction equipment such as excavators, wheel loaders, and haulers. There are disclosed communication systems, electronic control units (ECU), machines and tool attachments which facilitate exchange of information between, e.g., a construction machine and an attached tool. Although the invention will be described mainly with respect to an excavator, the invention is not restricted to this particular type of vehicle but may also be used in other types of vehicles such as forestry machines, mining vehicles, haulers, and the like. BACKGROUND Heavy duty construction machines, such as excavators and the like, comprise a main body with a power source, i.e., a combustion engine and/or electrical machine, and one or more tool carriers extending out from the main body and arranged to carry respective tools, or attachments. Traditionally, the complexity of the construction machine has been centered around the main body and tool carrier. However, attachments are becoming ever more intelligent and capable. For instance, so-called tiltrotators have recently gained popularity. A tiltrotator is a hydraulic attachment mounted on the tool carrier of, e.g., an excavator which permits a tool be rotated 360 degrees and also tilted in response to control input from an operator, thus increasing the flexibility and precision of the tools attached to the tiltrotator. There is a desire to feed information back to the construction machine about, e.g., the current pose of the tiltrotator in order to facilitate a more accurate and/or efficient control of the tiltrotator. Thus, more recent tiltrotators comprise sensors and ECUs which allow communication between a controller on the attachment and an ECU on the construction machine. Other attachments comprising ECUs and sensors are also being introduced to the market. Generally, such attachments may communicate with an ECU on-board the construction machine in order to, e.g., receive commands from the construction equipment and also report status information back to the host machine. US 2019/0354098 A1 discusses gateway interfaces for work machines which provide reliable communication between a remote control device and a data network of a construction machine. Nevertheless, there is a continuing need for even more flexible and reliable construction machine communication systems which allows exchange of data between construction machine and peripheral devices. SUMMARY It is an object of the present disclosure to provide communication systems comprising gateways which enable efficient, robust, secure and/or cost effective communication between a construction machine such as an excavator and an attachment. Communication with one or more auxiliary devices, such as an operator support display system, is also provided for herein. The object is at least in part obtained by a data communication gateway for a construction machine communication system. The gateway comprises a first, a second, and a third data interface arranged to be mutually interconnected, where the mutual interconnect is controlled by a gateway electronic control unit (ECU). The first interface is arranged to be connected to a private network of a construction machine, the second interface is arranged to be connected to an attachment network, and the third interface is arranged to be connected to an auxiliary network. A message forwarding policy comprising one or more message forwarding rules is configured in the gateway ECU, and the gateway ECU is arranged to route messages onto the first second and third data interfaces in accordance with the message forwarding policy. This way the communication load on the connected networks is reduced, since messages are not broadcast onto all connected networks all the time. Rather, messages are selectively forwarded based on the configured message forwarding policy. Also, the gateway manages access to the different networks by the message forwarding policy. This increases overall security in the system, and facilitates communication between untrusted third parties via the gateway, since, e.g., the private network can be shielded conveniently from this third party communication. According to aspects, at least one of the first, second, and third interfaces is a controller area network (CAN) bus interface. It is an advantage that the proposed techniques are compatible with CAN bus systems, since this communication system is commonly used with heavy duty construction machines. This also allows the system to be backwards compatible with legacy systems. According to aspects, at least one of the first, second, and third interfaces supports a communication standard different f