System and method of communication by serial communication bus

Abstract

This invention concerns a communication system (100) between at least one device control unit (10) connected to a device (10) to be controlled and at least one human-machine interface (HMI) through a series communication bus (4). This communication system (100) further includes a central processing unit (2) comprising means for:

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the description given below, with reference to the drawings which illustrate an exemplary embodiment thereof, without any limiting character, and in which:

FIG. 1 represents a system of communication by serial communication bus between a control module and two MMIs according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the method of communication between the entities of FIG. 1 according to the invention; and

FIG. 3, according to the current state of the art, represents a system of communication between two control modules and three MMIs, via a serial communication bus.

Claims

1. System of communication (100) between at least one equipment control module (1) linked to an equipment item (10) and at least one man-machine interface (3, 3′) by means of a serial communication bus (4), characterized in that it further comprises a central computer (2) comprising means suitable for: receiving at least first status data items (D32, D3′2) transmitted via the man-machine interface (3, 3′) and at least second status data items (D12) transmitted by the equipment control module (1);processing the first (D32, D3′2) and second (D12) status data items so as to produce at least third (D23, D23′) and fourth (D21) status data items respectively intended for the man-machine interface (3, 3′) and for the equipment control module (1);broadcasting the third status data items (D23, D23′) to the man-machine interface (3, 3′); andbroadcasting the fourth status data items (D21) to the equipment control module (1).

2. System of communication according to claim 1, characterized in that the central computer (2) is placed in a control panel (6) comprising at least one man-machine interface (3).

3. System of communication according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central computer (2) comprises a storage means (20) with which to store configuration information.

4. System of communication according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the serial communication bus (4) is an LIN (Local Interconnect Network) type bus.

5. System of communication according to claim 4, characterized in that the man-machine interface (3) is of slave type and in that the central computer (2) is of master type.

6. System of communication according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the serial communication bus (4) is a CAN (Controller Area Network) type bus.

7. Method of communication between a central computer (2), at least one equipment control module (1) connected to an equipment item (10), and at least one man-machine interface (3, 3′), characterized in that said central computer (2) performs the following steps: reception (E10, E20, E30) of at least first status data items (D32, D3′2) transmitted via the man-machine interface (3, 3′) and at least second status data items (D12) transmitted by the equipment control module (1);processing (E40) of the first status data items (D32, D3′2) and second status data items (D12), so as to generate at least third status data items (D23, D23′) and fourth status data items (D21) respectively intended for the man-machine interface (3, 3′) and the equipment control module (1);broadcasting (E50) of the third status data items (D23, D23′) to the man-machine interface (3, 3′); andbroadcasting (E60) of the fourth status data items (D21) to the equipment control module (1).

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the third status data items (D23, D23′) and the fourth status data items (D21) are broadcast respectively in at least one frame (T3) and at least one frame (T4).

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the frame (T3) and the frame (T4) form one and the same frame (T5).

10. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the central computer (2) broadcasts (E70) generic data items (D) in at least one frame (T) to the man-machine interface (3, 3′) during said data processing step (E40).

11. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the central computer (2) processes the data items (D32, D3′2) transmitted via the man-machine interface (3, 3′) according to a priority management algorithm.

12. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the steps (E10, E20, E30, E40, E50, E60) of the method are performed periodically.

13. Computer program (PG) comprising code instructions suitable for performing the steps of the communication method according to any one of claims 7 to 12 when the program (PG) is executed on the system of communication according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

14. Information storage medium (60) on which is stored a computer program (PG) comprising code instructions suitable for performing the steps of the communication method according to any one of claims 7 to 12.